Former Green Bay Packers All-Pro safety LeRoy Butler tweeted his congratulations to NBA player Jason Collins for publicly revealing that he is gay. And now: A Wisconsin church has cancelled Butler's paid speaking appearance.
Butler was scheduled to give an "anti-bullying presentation" and notes the irony to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Butler was told by church officials that they would cancel the presentation unless he removed the tweet, apologized and asked God's forgiveness. "This is what bothers me the most. They said, 'If you ask for forgiveness and remove the tweet and you say something to the effect that you don't congratulate (Collins) then we'll let you do the engagement and get the speaker's fee, and I said I'm not doing that," Butler said Wednesday.
"This is a man's personal story. I've always been on the record saying if there was a gay person in the Packer locker room, I would have played with them. All I care about is if you can run and jump, and can you win Super Bowls," Butler said.
Butler says the speaking fee was $8500 and that local sponsors "usually help the church raise money to cover his fee."
LeRoy Butler played his entire 11-season NFL career with the Green Bay Packers from 1990–2001. He was four times All-Pro, four times Pro Bowl and was a key player on the Packers' Super Bowl XXXI championship.
"Delete the tweet, ask for forgiveness, condemn the gay ball player .. and we give you the money!" Something tells me that is not very WWJD.
This is very sad.
Posted by: DBarr | 01 May 2013 at 12:23
Oh LAWD!!! I can't!! I just can't!! It's just too easy!!! Jesus couldn't even become a member at most churches in America!! This is too crazy. We are going to bully you into reversing what you said to Collins, so that we will allow you to come speak at an anti-bullying event, and be paid. It's like a really bad joke.
Posted by: Diva1961 | 01 May 2013 at 12:46
He shouldn't speak there if they want him to do all that. We gotta do better!
Posted by: Drew-Shane | 01 May 2013 at 13:06
so this is how you shut them down? COOL!
Posted by: iama{GAY}tekeeper known as thegaytekeeper | 01 May 2013 at 13:47
In My Neck of the woods The Silence is Amazing!! I am Proud of Mr. Butler for standing by his word!
He is A Brother!!
Posted by: DW Jazzlover | 01 May 2013 at 14:53
All the sinning that goes on in any church USA the nerve that any church would have the right to look down on anybody is laughable !!
Posted by: ty | 01 May 2013 at 14:55
BRAVO LeRoy Butler! WWJD; He would chase the money changers out of the Temple as he did in the past!!!!!!
Posted by: David Moses Alexander | 01 May 2013 at 16:17
What it really says is that they do not stand behind their own Anti-Bullying stance. Because aren't most of the persons that are being Bullied, being bullied because someone thinks that they are gay? Where is God in all of that, this is not a position that Jesus would take.
Minister Barnes
Washington, DC
Posted by: Elbert Barnes | 01 May 2013 at 18:08
So many hypocrites in some of these houses. Do as I say, not as I do. It's sad. Glad Leroy Butler called them out on it. Hope he still gets that check though!
Posted by: worst_1_yet | 01 May 2013 at 21:27
The irony of this whole situation is that LeRoy Butler is coming to this church to lecture on “anti-bullying” when the primary precipitants of bullying are LGBTQ folks. To me, this is most embarrassing and shortsighted from this church’s standpoint and will appear a laughingstock. The irony is simply incredible and another barrier dropped on this road to equality through humiliation. Yes, they “showed their ass.”
Posted by: JG, III | 01 May 2013 at 22:58
This is why I haven't stepped foot in a church since the age of 16. Once I was old enough to say NO to my mother's demands of attending church, I told her I was an Atheist.
Unfortunately, there are countless numbers of closeted DL men who reside in the church.
Posted by: Black Pegasus | 02 May 2013 at 10:52
Why can't we know the name of the church?
Posted by: Cinque14 | 02 May 2013 at 11:11