John Amaechi at NBJC's Black Church Summit reception

Feeling short, Pam?

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by: NancyP @ Fri Mar 09, 2007 at 23:03:16 PM CST

and he's actually stooping lower!

I am microscopically short (5'2") -- and he's 6'10".

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by: Pam Spaulding @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 05:05:03 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Pam, you're a major babe and so...

...is John.

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by: Holly Capote @ Fri Mar 09, 2007 at 23:20:32 PM CST

I second that

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by: Karen in Kalifornia @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 11:21:39 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Call Me a Kill-Joy But...

To me, before John Amaechi we never knew how the public, the fans, the TV sportscasters, the sports publishing world, the business of lucrative product endorsements, and most importantly, the team itself would react when a professional athlete in a team sport comes out.  After John Amaechi, we still don't know.  He came out after he left the team.  Don't bother asking me if I would have the courage.  At 5'6" I never had to make such decisions, but that's not the point.  Clearly Amaechi is a very nice and intelligent man, articulate and very attractive.  But is his coming out a hot story, or a room temperature story?  If just one professional athlete on a team sport came out DURING his working career, maybe people would see the sky didn't fall.  Or maybe the sky would fall.  We don't know, do we?  Because it hasn't happened yet, not even once.

=>The truth usually isn't pretty. Don't blame me for telling it.<=

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by: Chadster @ Fri Mar 09, 2007 at 23:47:36 PM CST

Coming out in team sports

While still an active player is a high, high hurdle to ask of any gay player. Looking at not only Tim Hardaway's unbelievable reaction (which we all know is shared by many players), as well as the homophobic comments on sports fan boards in the aftermath, the amount of grief this person would receive on the court would be unbelievable.

What it's going to take is a top-tier superstar that is willing to take that punishment.

The amount of vitriol that Jackie Robinson had to deal with as the first black player in the major leagues was outlandish and heartbreaking. The man signed up to be on the receiving end of hate from some teammates, opposing players and fans for years. How brave is that? He still flourished professionally. The personal toll, however, was great. He died at 53, and had suffered from hypertension, had several heart attacks, had diabetes (and was nearly blind). Was there a cause and effect? Stress affects hypertension and exacerbates lack of control in diabetes. We ask a lot of our heroes.

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by: Pam Spaulding @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 05:02:14 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I agree with Pam.

And on some level, we do want our heroes to die for us, but first, they must suffer.  You can see it in our movies, such as Braveheart.  We want our heroes to be first into battle.  An ancient meaning of leadership is "to go forth and die."  Some people believe that archaic meanings of words aren't utterly archaic, that their residue remains in our collective psyche.  I believe this. 

John Amaechi is my hero.  Unlike Mel Gibson's heavily fictionalized account of William Wallace, John Amaechi is leading the charge.  He's just not doing so in a way that will kill him someday.

And sure, he's a hottie and he's a brainiac, but that's all blah, blah, blah compared to his composure.  He demonstrates, as Hemingway defined courage, "grace under pressure."  Amaechi understands that Hardaway merely said what millions would love to say and Amaechi stands there, smiling, cool, composed, and therefore truly beautiful and brave and the utter antithesis of Fred Phelps and his ilk.

So, Chad, you faintly and feintly praise Mr. Amaechi with "lukewarm."

In response, I channel the movie, Cool Hand Lukewarm, and say: "What we have here is a failure to see." 

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by: Holly Capote @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 06:45:02 AM CST

[ Parent ]

P.S. -

Killjoy.

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by: Holly Capote @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 06:46:10 AM CST

[ Parent ]

A Very Nice Fellow, Brainy, Smokin Hot, But No Hero

As Clinton would say, "It depends what the meaning of 'hero' is."  Calling 911 when you notice your neighbor's house on fire is good citizenship.  Rushing in and trying to save the occupants is heroism.  Because you may come out of it just fine, you may come out injured, or you may not come out at all.  You don't know.  There has to be an amount of risk in heroism, or it's not heroism.  To me, anyway.  Mary Cheney's niece said of Mary, "She's my hero."  For what?  Selling Coors beer?  Or just selling out?  My point is I cannot claim to be right, nor can anybody, on the issue of Amaechi's heroism.  It's in the beholder's eye.  My eye says no.

=>The truth usually isn't pretty. Don't blame me for telling it.<=

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by: Chadster @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 09:47:10 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Okey-doke.

But get some glasses, 'cause nowadays, Mr. A. conducts more current in a day than most folks will have to bear in a lifetime.

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by: Holly Capote @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 09:59:22 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Support System

Not to mention, Jackie Robinson had the explicit support of the team's owner and manager and the team. They were quite aware of the backlash coming, and purposely selected a man they thought could withstand the pressure, not to mention having the talent to shut everyone up. There is not that same support system in sports right now for an openly gay player, and there is a good deal of open hostility. Amaechi makes it clear in his book (which is fantastic, BTW, I just finished it) that his coach in Utah may well have basically benched him, despite a hefty contract, because he found out Amaechi was gay.

For an openly gay pro to succeed, the team would have to be more than neutral about the situation (e.g., the typical "we don't care, as long as he can play" team response we normally get to the question of a gay player). At least the management of the team would have to be openly supportive of the player and his right to come out, and the team would have to have some straight allies as well.

I'm not saying I don't wish that gay pros, as well as GLBT celebrities of all stripes, would come out, but I understand why they don't. I think the most important thing in sports right now is for those players who know and love gay people to be open about that - like Joe Valentine (I believe) - the pitcher who has spoken about his lesbian moms, and how important his non-bio mother was in developing his talent. Having the friends, siblings, cousins, and children of gays and lesbians, not to mention the parents (for coaches and management) "come out" in pro sports is what will create that supportive environment.

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by: CPT_Doom @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 08:04:10 AM CST

[ Parent ]

We Ask a Lot of Our Heroes

As Chimpy would say, I plagerated Pam's last sentence.  Because it is so true.  There is a high bar for heroism, and Jackie Robinson cleared it magnificently.  The whole professional sports arena is now different, with morality revised upward, because of Jackie Robinson.  But not a bit of difference was made because of John Amaechi.  I read an interview in which he was asked why he didn't come out while actively playing on the team.  His honest answer was that he had a lucrative and rare opportunity most people never get, and he was going to make money.  But can we step back and think about that?  Amaechi made the presumption that by coming out he would either be fired, or his teammates would make his life so unberable that he would have to quit, or the fans at his games would have gone berserk, making hooting noises and throwing things to the point where the game would have to be canceled.  Amaechi may well have been right.  Amaechi also could have been wrong.  Here's another option: the team, the fans and everyone else may have acted like idiots at first, but merely by playing well and being an intelligent, class act, Amaechi may have brought them around.  Is that possible?
Impossible?  Improbable? 

Here's my point: we still don't know, do we?  For us to know, an openly gay player on a professional team sport would have to come out while working.  And whoever does that, to me, will be a hero.

=>The truth usually isn't pretty. Don't blame me for telling it.<=

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by: Chadster @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 16:07:37 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Too soon to tell

But not a bit of difference was made because of John Amaechi.

We don't know that yet. It's entirely possible that several years from now, a professional athlete will come out and say that he felt like he could do so because of what Amaechi did earlier. And I think you underestimate the impact that having an out gay black man who was involved in professional sports could have, especially for teenaged boys whose only image of a gay black man is RuPaul.

the team, the fans and everyone else may have acted like idiots at first, but merely by playing well and being an intelligent, class act, Amaechi may have brought them around.  Is that possible?

An out gay black man, playing on a team in a state that has about three black people, at least two of whom are associated with the Jazz? Okay, I exaggerate, but seriously, you're talking about a state where a majority of residents belong to a religion that only decided black people were fully human in the 1970's.

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by: Darkrose @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 22:12:19 PM CST

[ Parent ]

How Ruby Bridges and John Amaechi Differ

Again, it's all subjective.  Hero can be 100 different things to 100 different people.  If the name Ruby Bridges doesn't ring a bell, the Norman Rockwell painting of her will.  Look here for her story, and look closely at the Rockwell picture and you'll see the N-word.

http://www.hds.harva...

Imagine, such a young, tiny girl in such a situation, but somebody had to be the first.  Now, what possibly could the massive athlete John Amaechi possibly have faced coming out while working, as opposed to afterward, that could have remotely come close to what Ruby Bridges faced?  Folks, you'll want to beat up on me and I expect the Fuck You, Asshole Contingent to pop up any moment, but there is only one reason John Amaechi didn't come out when it would have made a difference.  Money.  It's that simple.  And so of Ruby Bridges and John Amaechi, I have my own perception of who is the real giant.

=>The truth usually isn't pretty. Don't blame me for telling it.<=

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by: Chadster @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 23:11:56 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Chadster,

since you keep writing about the alleged "fuck you" contingent, you might employ "fuck" more frequently than anyone else.  And if you truly believe that folks "beat up on" you, why do you post here?

I get that John Amaechi isn't your hero.  I made my point.  You made your point.  Other people established their positions, but you seem to have developed a pattern of pre-victimizing your self, forecasting fuck you's based upon a thread a few days back. 

Chadster, you seem to occupy the role of provocateur with some consistency.  For example, several Blenders shared that John is their hero.  Heroes stand on hallowed ground.  Still, you assert and reassert and reassert that he's not your hero.  Okay.  That works for me and I get that it works for you, but what's your point in repeating your position?  Do you want to win?  Provoke?  Help us realize that you're right and we're wrong?  Raise the temperature to a point where someone verbally smites you?  Argue on and on because that's fun for you?

Someone reminded you that several gay athletes are out right now.  As far as I know, they're all women.  They can be your heroes.  They can make your "difference." 

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by: Holly Capote @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 01:04:26 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Ain't Happened Yet

There is no member of a team sport with an openly gay player.  Tennis and golf don't count because the straight players wouldn't be exposed to (shudder) the team shower.  Well, I can't help it.  Amaechi is clearly a great guy, smart, and what roll in the hay he'd be, but to see him described in heroic terms is such hogwash.  I provided a wonderful example of what a real heroism is, but naturally you said nothing of that, perhaps didn't even read it.  All you said was about me, and how my lack of rigid lockstep indicates I need to move along. Is this Mister Rogers' Neighborhood or a place for adults to think and share ideas?

=>The truth usually isn't pretty. Don't blame me for telling it.<=

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by: Chadster @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 01:34:21 AM CST

[ Parent ]

There are at least two openly gay WNBA basketball players

Sheryl Swopes of the Houston Comets, who also was on a basketball team which has won three gold medals in the Olympic games, and Michele Van Gorp, who plays for the Minnesota Lynx. Moreover, both have longterm partners and Swopes has a child.

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by: kevinbgoode @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 08:13:04 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Chadster,

I didn't mention Ruby for the sake of civility. 

"She was 6 years old and had only been told by her mother that she was going to be attending a new school that day and "had better behave." Little did she know that she would be bombarded with jeers and even death threats, and that she would end up being the sole child in her first grade class after other children were kept home by their parents."

Ruby was used.  She wasn't consulted and even if she had been consulted, she couldn't have given consent.  She was 6.  So, whereas wee Ruby makes for a pretty picture in her white dress, she was dropped into that situation without warning, consultation, or preparation.  That's creepy.  Would you do that to a child?

And Chadster, you lecture us about civility, but imply that we're children and that you're the only mature person here.  Frankly, that's incivil.

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by: Holly Capote @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 10:58:53 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Maturity, Like Heroism, Is in the Beholder's Eye

A lecture is, perhaps, just words you don't like to hear.  I was guided to this site by another queer rights site, and was taken with Pam's reportage and witty ways.  But I was amazed that the very first time I posted something, I was advised to put certain jagged objects in a sensitive region.  Do certain people need to be enlightened on web courtesy?  Hell yeah.  I don't regret doing that.  As to Ruby's being used, where on earth do you get off, what possible road stop in this or any other galaxy, where oh where I ask, did you arrive at the point where you can say Ruby was used?  Only Ruby knew that and knows that now.  And she has said no such thing.  And if she didn't know what her situation was about before the first day of school, she certainly knew before the second.  Yes, it's an unpleasant eye-opener to be told that an idol has feet of clay, in Amaechi's case, size 14 feet of clay, and it's not the first time I've been scolded for my progressive ways.  But I believe in keeping it polite.  I fully expect you now to tell me to move along, but that is for Pam to decide.

=>The truth usually isn't pretty. Don't blame me for telling it.<=

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by: Chadster @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 12:17:34 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Chadster wrote:

"Do certain people need to be enlightened on web courtesy?  Hell yeah.  I don't regret doing that."

Yeah, I agree that the Intertubes are needlessly verbally violent. 

What I just wish is that you wouldn't clutch what happened to you.  You took a few hits, but the conversation goes on.  Buck up, Bucky.

As far as urging you to move along, you've seemingly written some script for a melodrama and you're the only one with the script.  Stay.  Or go.  Do what you wish, but again, I just wish that you'd nudge the needle of your broken theysaidfuckyoutometheysaidfuckyoutome record. 

As far as your secret script, you seem to have cast yourself as the hero, the "eye-opener" with the "progressive ways."

I guess that makes me blind and regressive.

Finally, as a person who's protected children for 40 years, I would never send a child to walk a gauntlet without preparing her.  No, even then, I wouldn't do it.  We shouldn't send children to fight our battles.

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by: Holly Capote @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 12:38:10 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Moving Right Along...

I'd be happy to nudge my needle, but I don't get all this secret script crap.  Anyway, I will say why this Amaechi-as-Hero thing got my hackles up.  It is not progressive; it doesn't move anything forward.  It is regressive, in that it validates and re-confirms, as if it were needed, the ancient chestnuts about gays and straights being natural enemies, not being able to work together without pandemonium ensuing, the unit cohesion nonsense, the shower as Danger Zone b.s.  For a male athlete to come out after his career, in essence sticking out his tongue, Nah-nah, fooled ya, I was gay all along... is not progressive and is even counter-productive in that somewhere a working male team athlete contemplating being open and honest may now have second and third thoughts.  It is not, to me, dancing on the head of a pin or clinging to silly arguments.  When I hear something that strikes me as clearly sending the wrong message, like the praise I've read about Amaechi, I'm just not the type to ignore it.  I state my case, not in a shy way.  But more, much more than that, I do it my way.

=>The truth usually isn't pretty. Don't blame me for telling it.<=

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by: Chadster @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 13:53:30 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Can I recommend something?

Chadster, join the NBA and come out on the court.  Until you do that, appreciate what effort others are making, or just STFU.  Your whining isn't helping anyone.  In fact, I'm wondering if we maybe should call you a whaaaambulance.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.

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by: Lurleen @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 14:09:25 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

It's a pretty extreme standard you've set

You're saying that if someone doesn't come out at the "right" time, it's actually counterproductive for them to come out later.  I don't think that's true.  Amaechi's honesty now is almost certainly not going to discourage any active players from coming out.  Do you really think that's likely?

Wouldn't that logic make it almost impossible for anyone to ever come out?  "Ah-ha!  You're coming out now, but since you were in the closet before, doing so merely emphasizes that you thought it was necessary to be closeted!"

We should want to encourage anyone who has had any kind of successful career in the public eye to reveal themselves, I think.  That kind of thing benefits all of us because of the cognitive dissonance it generates in 'phobic heads.

In any case, there's no real indication of "Nah-nah".  I haven't read the book yet, but as I understand it, Amaechi was suspected of being gay when he was playing and never really put effort into hiding.

"Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain" -- Iowa state motto

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by: Sportin' Life @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 15:21:26 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

At Last! Thank You, Sportin'!

Unlike a certain person who insists on tacking the same stale bible quote at the end of every unsubstantive comment, you are able to recognize what a real topic is, and then lend it reasoning.  Whether we agree or not is beside the point, we can still share ideas.  The topic is not what a bad man I am.  We've already resolved that; I'm  a terrible beast.  The real topic is is a male team player coming out after his career progressive, regressive, or neutral. 

No, Amaechi didn't go to great lengths to deceive, as in taking on a Scientology bride, or other shennanigans designed for what the political stategists sneeringly call "the flyerover states."  But that isn't the same as really coming out.  Amaechi carefully left open the possibility that he was straight, and therefore not a threat. 

I am not saying there is a "right" time to come out; any time is the right time.  But for it to have a progressive effect, in my view, it needs to occur when the guys are actually showering, the towel removed, the soap has been dropped, and big newsflash: nothing happened.  The sooner that's gotten out of the way, the world can move forward.  That is why I say what Amaechi has done does not qualify as progressive.

Yes, I believe that logically, if Amaechi is perceived in any way heroic for coming out after his career, it lowers the bar.  And most importantly: it reinforces the widely-held notion that the playing team athlete is perfectly reasonable, logical and correct to be deceptive or orientation-neutral, because otherwise pandemonium would  result.  I submit to you that is not exactly motivation for a gay working team athlete to come out, but just the opposite.

=>The truth usually isn't pretty. Don't blame me for telling it.<=

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by: Chadster @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 16:42:13 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Exactly. . .and Amaechi completed a circle in professional sports

that had been elusive before. . .by being the first male to declare himself openly gay who had played for the male professional basketball association.

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by: kevinbgoode @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 08:21:49 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

The Missing Male Factor is Important

I should have said male team sports, because that's where the media coverage is, more visibility and more money, and yeah, the male-on-male scenario that elicits fear.  And that is what homophobia is about... fear.  Amaechi had the chance to show his teammates that they had nothing to fear from him.  It's an opportunity missed.  I believe that had Bill Clinton had just ended the gay ban in the military, as he had promised, the world would have seen by now that the sky didn't fall.  I also believe that had John Amaechi, Steve Young or Troy Aikman come out while working (the latter two haven't come out at all), the world would now know that the sky didn't fall.  Little Ruby Bridges, whom I mentioned before, faced possible physical and psychological injury, not to mention the loss of her life.  All John Amaechi had faced was the possible loss of his high income.  I say possible because we don't really know if he would have been fired or had to quit.  We'll never know.

Now, Pam, if you're reading this... if you believe, as a couple of others do, that my words offer nothing to this site but mere annoyance, just say the word and I'll split; you won't even have to block me.

=>The truth usually isn't pretty. Don't blame me for telling it.<=

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by: Chadster @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 09:58:57 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

If Pam didn't tolerate annoying commenters...

...I don't think many of us would still be here.  I mean, we all irritate from time to time; and we all have our idiosyncrasies of personality, style, and opinion.  That's one of the things that keeps it interesting.

If your particular idiosyncrasy is to dig in your heels on largely tangential questions of semantics (i.e. what makes a "hero"?) just to be contrarian--well, that might be a tough one to get used to.  But even there most people will probably try, as long as you offer substantive points in good faith along the way.

"Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain" -- Iowa state motto

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by: Sportin' Life @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 14:55:21 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

...

All John Amaechi had faced was the possible loss of his high income.  I say possible because we don't really know if he would have been fired or had to quit.  We'll never know.

I think you're being a little disingenous here. IIRC, his former coach has indicated that he would have benched Amaechi if he'd known he was gay, contract or not. I also think you're being unfair by claiming that it's all about money. Sure, that's part of it, but what about the fact that he almost certainly would have lost a job that he loved.

And yes, I know who Ruby Bridges is, thank you. As others have pointed out, however, a more relevant comparison is Jackie Robinson. There's no question that he's a hero to me--but I also know what it cost him and his family to be one. Jackie Robinson was dead at the age of 53; the primary contributing factor was stress. I'm not going to lambaste anyone for not wanting to go through that.

If you don't think Amaechi's a hero, hey, no problem. That's your business. Just understand that some people may feel differently, and that in this case, that doesn't necessarily make them wrong.

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by: Darkrose @ Mon Mar 12, 2007 at 19:37:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I've Said This Several Times Before

but I truly believe change won't come until an openly gay teenage athlete comes along with professional level skills that will make it impossible for professional teams to ignore them. We need to develop a generation that feels safe enough in their sexuality to openly succeed in negotiating the mine field facing gay athletes.

The fact that Ptricia Nell Warren's "The Front Runner" continues to sell well all these decades later is because the main premise remains true. Although racism did rear its ugly head when Hank Aaron overtook Babe Ruth's home run record, I truly believe that the average professional sports teams' fans really don't give a damn about who you sleep with as long as you produce and win games for the home team.

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by: Alan down in Florida @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 20:34:46 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

if he can bridge the (black) gay - black church divide,

he is a superhero.  it will not matter when he came out, during career or after.  i think de-bigoting the church is far, far more important than de-bigoting the NBA.  i think he chose his path wisely, and he is clearly perfect for the job.  what a sweet, charming, smart guy.  thanks for the coverage, Pam!

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Lurleen on Twitter.

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by: Lurleen @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 11:17:59 AM CST

[ Parent ]

WOOF

WOOF!

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by: underbear1 @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 00:11:01 AM CST

Um, er, ah, I'm amazed...

...we typically don't pay attention to sports figures, but we watched  his interview on The Daily Show.  He was extremely well spoken--unlike the current pResident, he could actually put subject and verb together and create complex sentences.  Sentences that actually made sense.

It has been mentioned elsewhere that, although he was raised in the UK (which may be a basis for his speaking ability) he was born in the US.  Maybe we should have him as an American politician.  Like a latter-day Bill Bradley?  Or, a latter day Ed Brooke?

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by: raj @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 07:41:16 AM CST

suggestion to NBJC

When I first read about the NBJC I screamed Hallelujah! The wingnuts have been trying to divide the black and glb communities for years with the "black homophobia" and "gay racism" memes. Of course there are homophobic blacks and racist gays. Duh. But to suggest that these traits define the black and gay communities is simply not true.

One of the best ways to fight this is to simply identify examples that disprove these memes and collect them in a database that can be accessed online. NBJC posted a list of prominent African Americans who endorsed gay civil rights and left it at that. This list needs to be updated every single fucking day. It should include people like Steve Gilliard, Doc Rivers, Nelson Mandela, Charles Barkley, Oprah Winfrey, Desmond Tutu, Senfronia Thompson. Instead the list remained the same, completely static. And for some reason they converted it into a Word document, so the browser has to invoke a plugin to access it.

I'd be willing to contribute to this list with whatever I find while I scour the web. Or maybe Pam can set something up here. Some sort of collaborative effort?

Good luck and keep up the good work!

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by: Gabriel @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 09:13:45 AM CST

great idea!!

their phone number is at the bottom of this page, (202) 349-3755.  if you're willing to help, give thema call.  i don't speek for nbjc, but having worked for umpteen non-profits, i can tell you that like most, theya re probably short-staffed and will value any contribution you or others can make, but in time of &&.

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Lurleen on Twitter.

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by: Lurleen @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 11:22:19 AM CST

[ Parent ]

should been

both in time and $$.

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Lurleen on Twitter.

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by: Lurleen @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 11:22:57 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Lurleen

I don't appreciate your sarcastic comment. I know how to get their phone number.

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by: Gabriel @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 23:34:04 PM CST

[ Parent ]

not sarcastic at all

I was trying to be helpful and encouraging.  I'm sorry for any confusion or bad feelings caused by my writing style, and wish you success with NBJC.

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Lurleen on Twitter.

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by: Lurleen @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 23:52:16 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I apologize too.

I just felt that linking to the NBJC web page and giving me the phone number was condescending, considering that my post was precisely about their page. I'm sorry that I took it the wrong way.

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by: Gabriel @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 21:02:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

for you

:-)

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Lurleen on Twitter.

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by: Lurleen @ Sun Mar 11, 2007 at 22:05:00 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

We hear You

Gabriel,

You are absolutely correct. We need to update our supporter list. We also want to open it up to contributions from our members and readers. Keep watching and contact our guy Herndon Davis hedavis@nbjc.org if you want to be involved in making this happen.

Alexander

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by: nbjcceo @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 20:37:02 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I'll be in touch

and thanks for the quick reply.

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by: Gabriel @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 23:34:59 PM CST

[ Parent ]

John Amaechi...

...is truly a hero.

And that photo of you and John is just so sweet.

Social outrage is power protecting itself; it is not morality. -- Andrea Dworkin

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by: RachelPhilPa @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 09:26:56 AM CST

I'm glad that you posted on Mr. Amaechi, Pam

Since I have become aware of him through his Daily Show and Countdown appearances I have thought that finally we may have found that charismatic and galvanizing leader for our movement that we have sorely lacked for so many years.

John Amaechi has the intellect and wit of a Barney Frank, the looks of a Brad Pitt and the street creds of, well, John Amaechi.  On top of all that he has a sense of maturity, social grace and the ability to expose anti-gay bigotry with a style that can be appreciated by all, gay or straight.

Only time will tell if Mr. Amaechi will eventually become one of the great leaders of this civil rights movement, but he certainly has the potential.  That brings hope to this old man.

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by: Paul In SF @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 09:32:38 AM CST

Well, I'd marry him in a heartbeat. . .

though I'm afraid he'd have to cope with my array of old Diana Ross vinyl and the fact I'm a foot shorter...but he's a major hunk in my eyes.

As for major sports figures coming out while they are playing, I believe we should remember that the women are leading the way. Aren't two WNBA players openly gay, along with a LPGA golfer and at least one tennis star?

These women are just as entitled to be considered heroes...er...or heroines.

As for Mr. A...I'm proud he's such an intelligent, articulate spokesperson for our community.

Now get your hands off my man, Pam!

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by: kevinbgoode @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 18:01:24 PM CST

A laugh out loud moment

Sorry for handling your man, Kevin!

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by: Pam Spaulding @ Mon Mar 12, 2007 at 10:10:31 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Love the pic:

Two heroes.

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by: KC @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 18:29:44 PM CST

That photo!

Both of you are gorgeous!

"Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain" -- Iowa state motto

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by: Sportin' Life @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 19:14:48 PM CST

n./t

That's like the cutest picture ever!

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by: Darkrose @ Sat Mar 10, 2007 at 22:13:35 PM CST