Let the damage control begin. Over the weekend, Kevin Baxter of the LA Times published a piece that quoted Detroit Tigers outfielder Torii Hunter as saying he would be uncomfortable with a gay teammate. He said his stance was based on his Christian faith, and as expected Hunter has been getting blasted for his lack of acceptance and beliefs that many feel are outdated.
On Monday, Hunter took to Twitter to try to clarify his stance. He went the old “I was misquoted” route.
“I’m very disappointed in Kevin Baxter’s article in which my quotes and feelings have been misrepresented,” Hunter wrote. “He took two completely separate quotes and made them into one quote that does not express how I feel as a Christian or a human being. I have love and respect for all human beings regardless of race, color or sexual orientation. I am not perfect and try hard to live the best life I can and treat all people with respect. If you know me you know that I am not anti anything and to be portrayed as anti-gay in this article is hurtful and just not true.”
Most athletes like these NFL players have said they would fully accept a gay teammate. Others like Roddy White have made insensitive comments about the gay community, and we see where that leads. Hunter’s comments fall somewhere in the middle. As he has likely learned, the middle is not a place you want to be.
Photo credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE
