Sports media figures haven’t held back their punches when it comes to Harrison Butker.
None really have aired on the side of caution, as Lisa Gurrero, Rich Eisen, and his wife Suzy Shuster and Trenni Casey have all taken aim at the Kanas City Chiefs kicker for his highly controversial remarks at a private Kansas college’s commencement.
Michelle Beadle is the latest sports media figure to throw her hat in the ring with a powerful response to Butker’s speech. She shared a scathing message for Butker on her Wondery’s Over the Top with Beadle and Rosenberg podcast.
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“Shocking — I don’t want him to lose his job,” Beadle said of Butker. “I think him losing his job would be absolutely asinine. I think it’s better when we know how people feel about things. Because now it’s up to you. You can shame him, you can boo him, you can buy his jersey — see, that’s the beauty of the system…
“As a woman, I think everything he said was garbage. I think when you hide hateful thoughts, feelings, and bigotry behind the ‘cloak of religion,’ I tend to roll my eyes and stop listening. But I think the fact that there were women in that audience that were not OK. I mean, granted, there were some that clearly were. But there also some that weren’t that have come out and since and been like, ‘What the hell, dude? We just worked our a**es off for years, and you’re gonna come in here and tell us that’s all cute and stuff, but what you’re really gonna want to do is get married and have babies. Then you’ll feel important.’ Like, go **** yourself.
“And by the way, it’s also my freedom of speech to say go **** yourself, Harrison Butker. That’s my freedom. I’m not gonna lose my job. And he should also have the right.”
Beadle’s message is among several that underscores the anger and frustration felt by many who found Butker’s comments about minorities and women deeply offensive. While she acknowledges his right to free speech, even if it generates unwelcome headlines, Beadle emphasizes her own right to respond forcefully without fear of repercussions.
