Tag: Chris Kluwe

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Chris Kluwe: Out Of Bounds blog #11 “Stand Up”

Excerpt from Minnesota Vikings’ Chris Kluwe’s blog post “Stand Up”:

Every time you propagate the message that being gay is to be less than human, that same sex marriage cannot be as filled with love and laughter and tears as heterosexual marriage, that gays don’t deserve to pass a legacy on to their family, you quicken that howling storm and sweep away a tiny bit more humanity from the world, drive one more child to contemplating the cold razor’s bite, or the yawning abyss of the overdose because they simply cannot deal with the unceasing assault upon their psyche.

Well I, for one, will not stand for it. I will not stand for a world that demeans those it finds ‘different’ or ‘gross’. I will not stand for an ideology that promotes slavish adherence to a single arbitrary standard, that sacrifices children on the altar of oppression and control. I will not stand for one more RED TINGED MUSHROOM CLOUD second of people thinking that they have the right to live someone else’s life for them, for the complete lack of empathy so often shown in our society.

I stand for gay marriage. I stand for the end of segregation. I stand for a woman’s right to vote. I stand for equality under the law, for treating others how I want to be treated, for the fundamental human right to live a happy life free of tyranny.

I stand for my children.

Read the entire ANGRY PUMA GROWL from Kluwe by clicking here.

Kluwe Rocks!

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Vikings Chris Kluwe shares his thoughts on Maryland lawmaker “walking back” his anti-gay marriage comments

Superhero and all-around good guy, Minnesota Vikings Chris Kluwe responds to Maryland lawmaker Emmett Burns, who now admits Baltimore Ravens Brendon Ayanbadejo does indeed have “first Amendment Freedom of Speech” rights when he stood up for gay marriage in Maryland.

Kluwe is not of a mind to let the Maryland Delegate off the hook quite so easily, though. He says it’s not enough, and this becomes a “false, hollow victory” if we allow the matter to end here. Says Kluwe:

In my previous post, I talked about treating the disease, and not the symptoms. If we allow ourselves to proclaim victory now, we’ve merely driven the disease into a slight remission; we have not cured it because we still haven’t heard from Delegate Burns the ‘WHY’.

WHY did you initially write that letter Delegate Burns? WHY did you feel that it’s your job to stifle someone else’s freedom? WHY have you not explained your actions? WHY should we consider you competent to wield the reins of power if you believe in using it to stamp out opposition?

Kluwe goes on to say we all need to stop taking elected officials responses at face value and ask “Why?” more. He closes with “Look past words to the actions, and dare to question if they don’t align.”

Read the whole essay. Chris Kluwe is a smart guy. And he’s getting people to start thinking.

That’s a good thing.

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Minnesota Vikings Chris Kluwe on MSNBC talks about his smackdown of Maryland lawmaker

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Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, whose blistering letter defending gay rights has made him a hero to the LGBT community, says he wrote it because “it’s an issue of free speech and civil rights.” Kluwe, whose brother in-law is gay, has been actively involved in the advertisements in support of marriage equality in Minnesota. He wrote the letter in response to Maryland House of Delegates member Emmett C. Burns Jr. who asked the owner of the Baltimore Ravens to censor players after linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo defended marriage equality. The Ravens released a statement saying, “We support Brendon’s right to freedom of speech under the first amendment.” Kluwe says he and Ayanbadejo haven’t yet spoken, but he hopes to soon. “I think it’s great the Ravens came out in support of him,” Kluwe says. “As athletes we have this very prominent platform where we can affect social change. It behooves all of us to do the right thing.” Via the Advocate

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Minnesota Vikings Chris Kluwe supports marriage equality

Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe is supporting marriage equaltiy in Minnesota.

He’s recorded a radio ad combatting a proposed state constitutional amendment that would further cement Minnesota’s existing ban on same-sex marriage.

The NFL player calls Minnesota’s existing ban on marriage equality “anti-American” and “anti-freedom.”

According to Care2MakeADifference, “Kluwe’s comments were made as part of a video he recorded for Minnesotans for Equality. The group is working to defeat the amendment that will go before voters at the November ballot.”

Kluwe says, “Excluding gay couples from marriage is a  meaningless and reckless restriction of individual freedom and basic human  rights. This amendment is an extreme change to our constitution, making it  impossible to change for decades to come.”

Kluwe, who is married with two young daughters, continues: “To deny an  entire group of people the ability to be legal couples is anti-American and  anti-freedom. As a devoted husband and father of two, I can’t imagine the state  of Minnesota not recognizing my love for my wife Isabel. We would welcome and  respect the equal rights for gays to experience the same joy and privileges of marriage that we do. Please don’t limit the freedom to  marry for anyone. So this November, vote no to the marriage discrimination  amendment. It’s the right thing to do.”