Earth to Hardaway: We hate you, too

Asked on a radio show what he thought of former NBA player John Amaechi coming out, retired player Tim Hardaway caused quite a ruckus by replying rather bluntly: “”I hate gay people.”” NBA Commissioner David Stern banned Hardaway from attending Sunday’s All-Star Game and is considering further sanctions. Did Stern go too far?

Tim Hardaway is a self-admitted bigot. His declaration that “”I hate gay people”” is disgusting. But it is also well within his First Amendment rights to say such vile things. And Stern had every right to ban him from participating in any NBA activities, including the recent All-Star weekend activities in Vegas. As a private entity, the NBA should drop those players who (retired or not) still represent the association. Hardaway’s repeated apologies are way too little too late, but at least the NBA did the right thing by dropping him immediately. While losing endorsement deals and being derided on sports and opinion pages around the country probably won’t make Hardaway any less homophobic, maybe he’ll learn to keep his bigotry in the closet.

– Kara Karlson is a journalism senior.

I don’t know what’s more heartening, that so many people have so quickly denounced Hardaway or that I can ask this: Who cares? Look: Homosexuality – in the entertainment, in the media and maybe soon, the sporting world – is on its way to becoming more accepted. Sure, there will be some morons who continue to gay-bash, but as people come to realize that homosexuals are people too, homophobes will increasingly be dismissed as the Neanderthals that they are. Live and let live, and as far as I’m concerned, this means ignoring Hardaway, too.

– Damion LeeNatali is a senior majoring in political science and history.

I do not want relations with that flag

In a speech Monday, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, R-N.Y., said that South Carolina should remove the Confederate flag from its statehouse grounds. Clinton’s comments ignited controversy, as South Carolinians claimed that the flag was a part of their heritage. Should South Carolina take the flag down? Or is the flag a part of Southern heritage that enjoys popular support?

It’s about time all Confederate flags are removed. While some Southerners argue the flag is their proud history and that it has nothing to do with racism, personal experience has proven different. After living in the Deep South, I can assure you the majority of individuals I encountered flying the Confederate flag subscribe to a racist ideology. The Confederate flag represents a regime that supported slavery and the oppression of black people. There is no way of flying the flag in honor of Southern history without inciting deep feelings of hurt from the black community. It should be removed and kept in a museum where it belongs, next to the Nazi flag.

– Lila Burgos is an international studies junior.

I want to make clear that I find the Confederate flag racist and abhorrent. However, the South Carolina legislators have opted to keep this awful, distasteful symbol flying on their statehouse grounds, which is the focus of an NAACP boycott. I absolutely think the flag should be taken down, but Hillary shouldn’t be the catalyst. The NAACP and voters who prioritize fighting racism should demonstrate to their representatives in the state building that they do not tolerate racism or the Confederate flag. I like Hillary, and the flag is offensive, but it’s the voters who should show they won’t tolerate it, not a presidential candidate.

– Allison Dumka is a political science senior.