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Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker kicked up quite a stir with his recent commencement address at Benedictine College about his Catholic faith.
The progressive, anti-Christian Left, which has no tolerance for free speech by those who dissent from its rigid ideology, branded Mr. Butker as a religious extremist right out of the “The Handmaid’s Tale.” A Change.org petition, which has collected over 215.000 signatures so far, demands that the Chiefs axe their 28-year-old star kicker for delivering what it calls a “dehumanizing” speech that is “sexist, homophobic, anti-trans, anti-abortion and racist.” The petition alleges that Mr. Butker’s comments “create a toxic environment that hinders our collective efforts towards equality, diversity and inclusion in society.”
The wokesters behind this petition have it all backwards. It is the equality, diversity and inclusion programs that create a toxic, divisive environment wherever such programs are implemented.
Rather than stand up for Mr. Butker’s right to express his own beliefs about his Catholic faith even at a Catholic college, the National Football League took a knee. The NFL felt it necessary to distance itself from Mr. Butker, hiding behind its self-professed commitment to “inclusion.”The NFL’s senior VP and chief diversity and inclusion officer said that “His views are not those of the NFL as an organization.” By contrast, the NFL praised Colin Kaepernick, who disrespected the national anthem on the playing field, for raising “social justice issues” that “deserve our attention and action.”
Speaking from his own personal experience, Mr. Butker shared his thoughts with graduates at the small Catholic school in Atchison, Kansas about how to live a happy, fulfilling life based upon authentic Catholic values.
“Our Catholic faith has always been countercultural,” Mr. Butker said. “Our Lord, along with countless followers, were all put to death for their adherence to her teachings. The world around us says that we should keep our beliefs to ourselves whenever they go against the tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion. We fear speaking truth because now unfortunately truth is in the minority.”
Mr. Butker added that “when you embrace tradition, success, worldly and spiritual, will follow.”
Unapologetically upholding the traditional values of one’s faith and calling out “the tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion” is a no-no in the anti-God world of leftist moral relativists.
Mr. Butker did not hold back in criticizing those he considered to be Catholics in name only, like President Biden.
“Our own nation is led by a man who publicly and proudly proclaims his Catholic faith,” he said, “but at the same time is delusional enough to make the sign of the cross during a pro-abortion rally. He has been so vocal in his support for the murder of innocent babies that I’m sure to many people it appears that you can be both Catholic and pro-choice.”
The most controversial part of Mr. Butker’s commencement speech was the advice he imparted to the Catholic school’s female graduates.
“How many of you are sitting here now about to cross this stage and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career?” he asked them. “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.”
Mr. Butker described his wife as a woman who “would be the first to say her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.” While praising her for choosing to embrace “one of the most important titles of all — homemaker,” however, Mr. Butker did not say that all Catholic women must make that choice to be considered good Catholics. He was just explaining the personal journey that he and his wife have taken in choosing to live by what they understand to be the core family values of their faith.
For the Left, making a choice that defies its secular dogma is an evil choice.
Some more liberal Catholics took exception with what Mr. Butker had to say about how he and his wife viewed the role of women in the home and society at large. Indeed, the sisters of Mount St. Scholastica monastery, a founding institution and sponsor of Benedictine College, sharply criticized his message to the college’s female graduates.
“One of our concerns was the assertion that being a homemaker is the highest calling for a woman,” the nuns said in their statement. “Our community has taught young women and men not just how to be ‘homemakers’ in a limited sense, but rather how to make a Gospel-centered, compassionate home within themselves where they can welcome others as Christ, empowering them to be the best versions of themselves. We reject a narrow definition of what it means to be Catholic.”
The nuns mischaracterized what Mr. Butker was telling the female graduates. He was attempting to dispel the “diabolical lies” that denigrate a woman’s choice to be a stay-at-home mother and are aimed at convincing women that only a successful career will bring them success and happiness. Mr. Butker did not say that Catholicism requires every Catholic woman to serve only as a “homemaker.” His message was that choosing to be a full-time mother and homemaker, rather than to pursue a career, can also bring happiness to women and move them “closer and closer to God’s will in their life.”
Prominent Catholic leaders, including Bishop James Johnston of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, stood by Mr. Butker in the face of the backlash against his speech. “Harrison Butker’s passion for his Catholic faith and his family are beautiful,” Bishop Johnston said.
Marian priest and author of “Consecration to St. Joseph” Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, said: “I loved the speech! His speech was inspiring and what the woke culture needs to hear.”
But a central norm of woke culture is not to listen to any views that contradict its progressive, left-wing orthodoxy. Instead, it treats contrarians such as Harrison Butker as bigoted heretics who must be cancelled. It is time to turn the tables on the social justice wokesters and banish them to the fringes of society where they belong.