You may have heard of the speech of Kansas City Chiefs’ kicker, Harrison Butker, to the graduating class of Benedictine College.

The speech and Butker have been attacked and criticized nationally for his supposedly “chauvinistic” and sexist views.

As such, it’s only fair to review the speech but before I do, I point out that Butker was not making the speech on national TV or radio. He wasn’t even addressing a Facebook or X audience and he clearly wasn’t “at the office in his uniform” representing the Chiefs or the NFL.

In contrast, it was Colin Kaepernick who, on the sidelines of games in his San Francisco 49ers uniform, representing his team and the NFL, knelt down during our National Anthem and disrespected our flag and the 1.1 million American soldiers who fought and died in defense of our country and who were laid to rest with the American flag draping their coffins.

Also, while Butker spoke lovingly and respectfully of the role of women and mothers, the NFL rebuked him for his lack of “diversity.”  This is the same NFL whose rampant domestic abuse problem by its players is so bad the league was forced to set up a National Domestic Violence hotline to try to salvage its reputation with pro football fans, particularly women.

Again, Butker offered his remarks at Benedictine College, a small Catholic school where principles like the ones he shared serve as the central purpose of the school’s existence and why parents send their children to it.  This is, again, a distinguishing fact between him and Kaepernick, who broadcast his disrespect for our nation on national television to the entire nation and indeed to the world.

So, at a Christian Catholic college Butker spoke out against LGBT Pride month stating he preferred “God-centered pride.” He also specifically addressed the women graduating from the college:  “I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you.  Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”

Butker praised his wife, Isabelle, explaining that he is “able to be the man that I am” because his wife has taken on a role as a homemaker.  He also encouraged the men to “be unapologetic in [their] masculinity” and spoke out against “the tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion,” arguing, “we fear speaking truth because now, unfortunately, truth is in the minority.”

Millions of Americans agree with these remarks.

I was delighted to witness the courage and outspokenness of Tavia Hunt, the wife of Chiefs co-owner Clark Hunt, who took to Instagram in response:

“”I’ve always encouraged my daughters to be highly educated and chase their dreams.  I want them to know that they can do whatever they want (that honors God).  But I also want them to know that I believe finding a spouse who loves and honors you as or before himself and raising a family together is one of the greatest blessings this world has to offer.”

Directly addressing Butker’s remarks she stated that “affirming motherhood and praising your wife, as well as highlighting the sacrifice and dedication it takes to be a mother, is not bigoted.  It is empowering to acknowledge that a woman’s hard work in raising children is not in vain.  Countless highly educated women devote their lives to nurturing and guiding their children.”

Beautifully stated.

However, these timeless truths are not the reason I write today.

I write to highlight the fact that no one is required to agree with Butker.  People are free to disagree, and many have in a vicious and vitriolic way.

My point is that he was addressing a specific audience with a specific message and every reason to believe that audience was open to hearing and considering his message.  Unfortunately, what he stated is apparently too faith-based and moral to even be uttered and must be torn down.

This is the Cancel Culture.  This is what unvarnished censorship looks like.  Butker’s ideas are so powerful that they must not be voiced.

On a side note, the sale of Butker’s NFL jersey has skyrocketed to the top of NFL sales.

This kind of censorship simply cannot be allowed if the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution are to endure.