We’ve Got Mail: The Jeremy Shockey Reaction

From Some Opposition

From Some Supporters

It is equally ethical to be with an 8 year old [biblically-speaking] as it is with someone of the same gender, or with another species…most real men and almost all athletes feel this way but are too buttless to admit it—too politically incorrect.

All I can say is society has done everything it can to protect your (gay) rights. People, in general, accept things as a way of life in a liberal society. There are a few (maybe even more than a few) people who abhor your conduct. I don’t necessarily agree with them although I don’t condone gay sexuality. But I say this to you.

You have been given a great freedom and opportunity in this country like very few other countries, where you can be what you want to be and express (publicly or privately) what you want to express. By the same token, you are no less guilty by assuming that you know what Shockey’s comments meant. You don’t know what he meant any more than I do, or anyone else does, save Jeremy Shockey and God. Your comments were self-serving and inconsequential, except to further drive a stake in the wall that separates straights from gays. You have no one to blame but yourself for your senseless, thoughtless and unfounded remarks (see below).

“Having heard the tape and heard the tone in which he said it, I don’t believe that,” Zeigler told the newspaper. “There was not an ounce of joking in it. How is what he said funny? Someone who doesn’t believe those things doesn’t say those things. Someone who doesn’t have a problem with gays doesn’t say, ‘I hope there are none in the NFL.’ If I’m a gay player on his team, I just took another step back into the closet.”

And finally, gays do not have a right to occupy space in a position of employment that requires communal nakedness (such as the NFL or military showers) without making it public that they are gay. You have absolutely no rights in this area whatsoever to keep your status a secret among fellow employees.

You have great freedoms in this country…..along with those freedoms comes great responsibility. If you can’t handle that responsibility, you need to step down and give it to someone who can.

Steve Yates
Washington

I read about the Shockey comments on MSN.com and in the story was your website address, so I decided to visit it and email you my thoughts.

I was once a world-class athlete and if I knew about another gay athlete, or any gay person, I wouldn’t have tolerated them. Men liking other men in that way is disgusting and repulsive. God didn’t create man to have sex with other men. God created WOMEN!! Do you understand?? If he had created man to have sex with other men, then he would’ve created man to have the ability to get pregnant. Last I checked, men cannot be impregnated. All gay men should be rounded up and outcast by society and be sent to live together on an island or different planet, with no contact with the real world. Gay men are a disgrace to the human race and your website is too.

HI: LET PEOPLE HAVE THEIR OWN OPINIONS ABOUT GAYS. IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT, TOUGH. ALOT OF POEPLE DON;T LIKE GAYS EITHER. YOU ARE TOO SENSITIVE FOR YOUR OWN GOOD. FREE SPEECH IS A PROTECTED RIGHT.

STRAIGHT IN TUCSON

If a man has an opinion-and it is one held by many other people- then why do you have to cry like a bunch of babies about it. You are so hypocritical in protesting Shockeys comments. You all say that you are for freedom of _expression, but the moment that someone says that they dont like gays, the you get all fired up and say that it is unacceptable. My point is most people dont care what a person does in their bedroom, just dont throw it in my face or flaunt it. By the way I have never come to this site. I found it when I read the story about Shockey on espn.com

You know I read your article about jeremy Shockey and other sports athletes. I never knew this site existed. I think its sad!! You whine about athletes saying things like shockey did (example he couldnt stand having a gay team member in the showers) but so what. Then you turn around a pose pictures of athletes in positions that appeal sexually to you? I mean you have the picture of jeff garcia being tackled innocently but you write little subtitles cause the tacklers face is in his groin. Im doing some more research on you guys but I get the feeling you are right up on the starting trouble list with PETA, MARTH BURKE and others. As an American you have every right to freedom of speech to condone what you see as gay bashing but as a non gay American so do I. The difference is you try to make everything into someone is picking on us..waaa.

u doody loving pisshole licking nut sucking freaks need to bury yourselves!!!!

You guys are both a waste of human flesh. Why can’t you just be gay and shut the fuck up. Acceptance would come naturally if you didn’t advertise your sexuality. It’s the constant whining of the gay community that I find objectionable and even offensive.

Again, just be who you are AND SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don’t want to come off as a “straight guy bashing the gay guy” type, but I totally disagree with exploiting an individual’s feelings and comments. Jeremy Shockey should have known better to go into that area because of his fame, but I do feel that every individual has a right to speak what is on his mind, as do most homosexual people.

I don’t agree with the homosexual lifestyle and will never understand it and why people live that type of lifestyle, but that is not the point of my writing to you. I really think that gay people and the website you write for are making more of a joke out of this than Jeremy shockey was supposedly trying to.

I found this article on ESPN.com for goodness sake! This kind of stuff doesn’t need to be taken offense to. He wasn’t even making fun of homosexuals, just describing his personal feelings and if that offends any person, homosexual or not, then my friend, we have a weak society that cannot accept that not everyone feels the same on every subject matter, especially one as controversial as homosexualality.

The wesbite, Outsports.com, is a private website that I had never heard of and that’s fine if you continue to keep writing for them, but regardless of what the editor approves to be posted, please know that you are only making it worse for straight people to accept homosexualality when they see and read articles and complaints like your website has made out of Jeremy Shockey’s comments. Have a good day and hope my opinion somewhat matters to you.

All Gay people should go to church and find Jesus. If you read the bible (like you should) you would know that all gay people are destined for Hell. Anyway, your website is a joke, how many pro gay athletes are really good anyway? I bet I can name all of them on one hand. Maybe you should change your website to “athletes that suck”–literally and physically!

What your group is saying is “We want everyone one to accept our sexuality in public regardless of how someone may feel privately.” If this is true and I certainly believe it is then keep your sexual preference private. The first amendment allows you and I to express our opinions. Lay off Shockey. He just gave his own guarded opinion. If your going to make your sexual preference public then let the games begin because, once it is public I have the right to offer an opinion, whether or not you agree with it. If I screwed my wife in the ass last night do I have the right to tell the world and exclaim that its an OK thing to do? If I did, It would not bother me in the least that you publicly don’t care for that kind of thing, albeit you do!!!!!

would like to express my opinion about how it seems in this country we can’t have opinions. I saw the espn article about Jeremy Shockey, where he made negative statements about gays in sports. He then apologized and someone from your site said “We don’t believe him”. I can’t believe a guy who has to be naked in a locker room with someone who may find him attractive, can’t express that would not be something he would want to be around. Would it be fair for women to take showers with men in sports, no!

I understand gay athletes should have a right to play, but I think hetero athletes have a right to be nervous taking a shower around gay athletes. My sister is a lesbian and I have grown up around gays and lesbians that have unbelievably their own opinions, not just the gay point of view. I understand there are losers out to hurt people because of their sexual orientation, I think that is horrible and those people should not be encouraged. I don’t think that we should be kept from expressing our opinions because they aren’t exactly PC. I think this the same kind of censorship the gay and lesbian community is trying to fight against.

I felt I had to contact your organization today. I have had many gay friends in the past (I used to be a dancer). I lead a pretty ordinary life now, so I very seldom run into people that may be gay.

I feel today that the gay community focuses too much on their sexuality, and not enough on who they are. It’s sort of like, “Hi, I’m gay, and I’m a nice person,” instead of, “Hi, I’m a nice person, and I
happen to be gay.” While I think most people in the U.S. are quite liberal about many issues, when it comes to sexual attitudes, they are still very conservative.

I know that many gay people get offended when people such as Shockey make such insensitive remarks. It reminds me of when I worked for a rather liberal company, and we had a discussion regarding the display
of the Confederate flag. Most of my co-workers thought that it as a symbol of racism and oppression, it has no place in public display. I am an African-American, and I still hope to make a cross-country trip one day. I pointed out that if I should ever need to stop for help and/or directions, I sure would like to know who my friends are. A display of either the Confederate flag or a black lawn jockey would be a clear indication to me that perhaps I shouldn’t stop there.

The bottom line is, even though people may say or do things that offend certain ethnic, religious, or sexual groups, I would rather have them out in the open than have them hidden from view. This era of “political correctness” has, in my opinion, driven many people to keep their real feelings hidden from public view, and I think this can be very dangerous.

I just read your story re: the comments from Jeremy Shockey. I see nothing wrong with what he said. He wasn’t condeming the lifestyle, made no disparaging remarks regarding homosexuals nor did he say it was wrong to live that lifestyle. He simply stated his opinion.

As Americans in a free society, are we no longer allowed to express our
opinions? Especially those regarding personal preferences? I, too, would be uncomfortable undressing in front of a gay man whether or not I thought he would be sexually interested in me. I think the uncomfortablity would be the same as a woman’s if she were undressing in a unisex bathroom or dressing room. It’s strictly a matter of personal preference and what you are comfortable with.

My younger brother is gay. Do I agree with his choice? No. But, that’s his preference and I love him regardless of whether or not I agree with it. Just as a parent will still love a child if they date/marry a partner thatt may not be the best match.

I listened to the “Stern radio show” that morning and heard the entire piece. Jeremy commited no crime, bashed no one’s belief, nor suggested they be persecuted in any form. The gay community, in my experience, is voicing their opinions about their lifestyle and asking for acceptance for their feelings. However, I find it ironic that when a contrary opinion is stated, they are up in arms about it. If we, the heterosexual community, are being battered by the gay communities for having a different opinion and speaking about that opinion in a non-threatening manner, where is the “tolerance” and accpetance your peers so thirst for?

I suggest that means should justify the end in this matter. For how can you expect someone to try to accept your position and open their minds to differences, when your eyes are shut and you refuse to listen to the other side’s preferences about thier own lifestyle? If individuals are to live in harmony, ALL minds need to be open to all opinions.

There are far more harmful statements made about gays than what Jeremy Shockey stated. I would think those advocating violence would take precedence.

Wake up. Unwanted sexual attention is unwanted sexual attention. Why should it be different in the case of homosexual men? Men on sports teams don’t want to be in a locker room with men who are viewing them in a sexual way. Is that really so hard to understand? I sure wouldn’t be allowed to shower with my local women’s basketball team, even if I promise not to touch anyone or make comments. If you want to dispute the fact that this unwanted ogling and snickering commentary happens, please check your readers’ comments on the message boards re: professional athletes’ behinds, etc. It’s annoying.

No, there is no way you can legislate against gay men on a sports team, but you can’t really expect hetero men to like the unwanted sexual attention, can you? It’s a very uncomfortable and difficult situation for all concerned. Your labeling Shockey a homophobe only makes you look ridiculous, as does his obviously insincere apology to your community.

Props to Jeremy Shockey for his view on gays. Anything anyone says that pushes gay people further back into the closet, the better. Hopefully you fellows will soon understand that being gay is wrong and it’s not something that should be forced on society.

Finally adimit it, you are GAY! NOT accepted in the world as maybe you would like. GET USE To IT! If you are gay, it does not make you any more special than the next person. So, why are you all over Jeremy Shockey’s comments? He is entitled to his own opinion. Right? Why do you feel it necessary to point out to the media everytime someone has a different opinion against gays? Trust me, it is, and never will be, acceptable behavior in the overall population of America. Why should it be so special for people to know what goes on in one’s sex life? WHY? Why do you feel the need to voice the fact that you like your own sex organ? So what! Get on with life, accept the fact that coming out of the closet ain’t gonna make gays life any easier, but will make it worse. We as a society have the RIGHT to choice what we like and do not like, as you are trying to demonstrate by being gay, so don’t tell us that we have a problem when we say we don’t like gay people. Accept it or go to another country that will accept you, because as American people, it doesn’t, and won’t, be accepted as a whole population. Don’t bombard us with your rights, etc. Like I said, what you do with your sex life is your business. Why should you be viewed above any one else on this earth? What makes you special?! Not a damn thing. Shut up and move on. Please! Just because you have no morals does not mean Mr. Jeremy Shockey doesn’t. You are all bigots yourself. Think about that!

I FIND IT QUITE SURPRISING THAT YOU FIND HIS THOUGHTS AND VIEWS OUT OF LINE OR TOUCH OR THAT IN SOME WAY YOURSELF AND THE GAY COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN WRONGED.

HE WAS ASKED HIS THOUGHTS AND EXPRESSED THEM. HE WAS’ENT OUT TO “BASH GAYS” OR “COME OUT AGAINST GAYS”, ONLY RESPONDING TO A QUESTION POSED BY THE SHOCK DOCTOR MR. STERN.

ISN’T EVERYONE ENTITLED TO THEIR OWN OPINION?, OR DOES THAT ONLY APPLY WHEN IT SUPPORTS YOUR VIEW.

HOMOSEXUALITY IS A CHOICE IS IT NOT? A REFLECTION OF ONES VIEWS AND PERSONAL DESIRES.

DO YOU NOT ASK SOCIETY TO BE UNDERSTANDING AND IN MANY CASES SUPPORTIVE OF THE LIFESTYLE CHOSEN BY YOUR COMMUNITY?

WHY ARE JEROMEY’S VIEWS AND THOSE OF THE VAST MAJORITY DEEMED AS “OUT OF TOUCH” OR “PUSHING THE GAY CAUSE BACK YEARS” OR “COMING OUT AGAINST GAYS”.

IT JUST SEEMS HYPOCRITICAL..

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND I DESPISE ANYONE WHO SUPPORTS BASHING AND HATRED TOWARDS GAYS OR ANYONE ELSE AND STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW WHENEVER SOMEONE OF NOTORIETY STATES THEY DON’T SUPPORT OR CONDONE THE GAY LIFE STYLE THEIR LIT UP BY THE SOME WHAT LIBERAL MEDIA AND BY INDIVIDUAL’S LIKE YOURSELF.

Just a note to let you know that I and my family applaud Shockey’s comments…I am sick and tired of Political correctness…Screw that!

Homosexuality is wrong and a sin in the eyes of God and I am NOT affraid to say it…

If you believe you and all gays are entititled to your choice of sexual preference. Then why is a football player not allowed to express him discomfort with having a gay man in the shower of a locker room.

Gays believe they are victims. Also that they have the right to choose to be gay. Yet another person doesn’t have the right to express his opinions with out you saying he is a bad person.

If you want your right to do as you wish. Give others the right to express their opinions and beliefs without persecuting them. As long as some one is not hurting another individual they are entititled to their opinion.

I do believe you own anyone you attack for expressing their views an apology.

Even if he wasn’t “just joking”, isn’t he entitled to have an opinion of his own? So what if it was contrary to your cause? I thought that in America we had the right to have “and voice” different opinions. Since when do we all have to fall into just ONE line of thinking?

I don’t necessarily agree with Mr. Shockey, but why is it, that every time someone voices an opinion that we (you) don’t like, everyone starts banging the war drums, calling for someone’s head? So what if he’s uncomfortable around gays? Is there ANYTHING in this world that YOU dislike or are uncomfortable with? What if there was a nation campaign calling for an apology (or worse) every time you expressed YOUR feelings?

Leave the poor man alone. He obviously has enough problems without an angry mob nipping at his heels.

I sure as hell wouldn’t want to bend over for the soap in the local sports gym shower with you butt fuckers around!!!!! Don’t you know butt fucking and sucking a shit covered cock causes aids????

I think that Jeremy Shockey didn’t mean what he said in his apology, he just wanted to stay out of trouble. This is fine, he had the right to say what he did. Think about it, if he knew that there was someone who was gay on his team, he would be very uncomfortable especially in the shower/locker room. If he ignored something like this, it could lead to a poor performance on the field. I’m not htin gays or anything, just I don’t see why you’re making a big deal out of stuff like this. I agree that he might of said too much on it and he probably shouldn’t lied in his apology, but he was scared because of past athletes in this situation.

I read your story on Jeremy Shockey and his comments on the Howard Stern show. Now I have to ask the question is there something wrong with you. First off, the Howard Stern show is a joke. Anyone who
takes this show seriously is not only the dumbest person alive, but also has a problem regarding humor.

Second, after Jeremy made his comment (which really wasn’t that offensive…i’m not gay and i would probably have a problem with gays showering with me also) he appologized for it. What more do you
sniveling faggots want from him. Get off your high horse and accept a damn appology. The whole gay community is so uptight about being labeled and name calling. Well I call’em like I see’em. FAGGOTS!!

What if I all of a sudden didn’t like the label straight. Is it fair for me to make an uproar about this term…even though it is widely used. So in conclusion: quit pitching a fit about every little
thing that is done to you or said about you. Your whole community is so uptight about being called names or what is being done to you. Well its not all about you…we live in this world to. Wake up and get over
it.

Please [add] the following names to your anti-gay list

1.Shane Torgerson
2.David Pfahler III

Thank you.

Isn’t america the land of the free and the home of the brave? Do we not have a freedom of speach? Do we not have the freedom to think and act as we want as long as we do not break the law? Why do you people always try to make headlines and become popular at others expense? I have no problem with gay people, straight people, black people, white people, orange, green, yellow, or any other kind of people. Humor is humor and if its funny and you want to say it, say it. The same rights that give people the right to choose if they are gay or straight is the same right for someone to crack a joke.

I am straight but people find a thousand other things to make fun of me about and it is funny. If someone were to make fun of me on TV or radio it still would be funny. If your gay, then so be it, be gay and take it like a man if someone cracks a joke. I am sure gay be people joke with each other and make fun of people to. Maybe one of your gay players needs to crack a straight joke and if its funny I will laugh and not complain or cry about it. Thank you for youor time.

I personaly am tired of homosexual men blaming heterosexual men for not wanting them around. Especially in some locker room where more than just helmets and pads are exposed. Leave Shockey alone!

By the way….what kind of site for homosexual men plasters the word GAY on the front page! If homosexual men are gonna defend their right to be homosexual then at least have the intelligence to represent yourselves better. I am sure Greg Congdon loves that you label him a GAY football player on your site. I am sure he is gaining a lot of respect for that.

Just want you to know that this is America free and paid for in blood. This is the country where we have the right to think, write and speak freely about everything. Far as I’m concerned the football player shouldn’t have apologized. What he said was right about showering with gay men.I wouldn’t want some guy looking at my ass and getting aroused because if they like men then they will. I base this on the fact that straight men including myself get turned on by looking at women. More if they are in the shower naked. Shockey only apologised to appease the gays because of his career in football. He lost my respect for not standing firm for his constitutional right to freely speak his mind about gays in the shower. Next you gays will want to know what each person thinks. I say this to you: Go to “HELL”. Kinda what the Bible says. Also the word gay used to mean “a happy time” and you detroyed it.

Signed a straight american with rights.

It’s too bad that Jeremy Shockey does not have the guts to just say that he does not like gays if that is how he truly feels.
As it is your right to be gay others have the right not to choose, condone or embrace that lifestyle.

You gay mother fuckers. Your the reason for aids !!! Whats it like to stick you dick in some guys hairy shitty ass hole. I hope you rot in hell.

Why dont you leave Shockey alone?! He didnt say he hated gays, he said he wouldnt want to shower with them. Get your facts straight. Why is that a big deal? I’m not gay, and i wouldnt want to shower with someone gay, are you gonna write a story about that?

If a woman said she wouldnt want to shower with a man, does that make her prejudiced against men? NO! It’s a matter of opinion. He’s allowed to say he wouldn’t want to shower with someone who is of the opposite sex, or if someone is gay. What would the gay community have liked him to say? If his answer was, “yes Mr. Stern i would love to shower with a homosexual”, would that have made the gay community happy?? Well thats not going to happen. Not a lot of straight people would want to shower with someone who is a homosexual. The gay community, your site, and the people who run it need to except this fact and stop patrolling the air waves looking for Stars orFamous Athletes who express similar views.

Heterosexuals generaly would prefer not to associate with homosexuals, and the mere fact that we live in Free society allows us this privledge. So, stop fucking with people who are allowed to choose who they shower with and dont get all upset when a heterosexual male expresses his disdain at the possibility of showering with homosexual male. For the same reason homosexuals are allowed to practice in this country, Shockey is allowed to express his views on homosexuals in the NFL, basketball, or any other sport were men have to shower together.

So, if you are gay, go out and live your life regardless of what people say and do what makes you happy. But, do not get on a podium and deem anyone who does not support Homosexuality as prejudiced or try to discredit his/her name or harm their persons just because they are a Heterosexual with a Heterosexual perspective. Try to focus your energy on someone who really hates Homosexuals and leave Shockey alone.

I’m a Giant fan living in Philadelphia. As you can imagine i am in the minority and i catch a lot of shit for it. However, i dont go out and write articles about how i, a New York Giant fan, am treated and talked about by people in this city. No, i’ve made a decision, i live with my decision, and i accept the consequences that come with my choices.

oh poor Shockey talking bad about the big cry baby queers, and now all you pieces of scum wanna talk bad about him. We need more people out there like him to put these faggs back in there place which by no means is in sports but rather an island in the middle of no where that nobody knows about. Everything you queers stand for is what is wrong with this country so i hope know that any fagg keeps his mouth shut cuz nobody needs to know there is a devil i mean queer boy out there where kids can look up to. So i hope when the queers die they all go to the same place hell. Good bye all u cry baby faggots

I think it is unfair to highlight someone’s opinion on human sexuality. Yes maybe he was on air in New York when he made the comments but we, as Americans, ridicule our presidents everyday, we chastise our government on a daily basis. Why can’t a man make an honest comment, that was in no way degrading, without having the gay community label him as being prejudice. I don’t think I would be comfortable in the sower room with a gay standing next to me. I also wouldn’t feel comfortable with a woman standing next to me in the shower. What is wrong with that? And so what if he doesn’t like gays. Is that wrong? Democrats don’t like Republicans, America doesn’t agree with Iraq, the Cowboys hate the Redskins. This is the type of press that creates chaos and ruins peoples careers and lives. Let it go. I think in the long run it will have more of a negative impact on the gay community.

I applaud Shockley. …Why can’t gays just be gays and leave it at that? The answer is that deep down you know it’s not right, and you’re hoping that public ‘acceptance’ will make you feel better about yourself. Don’t kid yourself; “What she does in her private life is her own business.” is not acceptance. Regardless of what you think the public into saying, the individual masses still feel the same way: this is a disease.

You say you want EQUAL treatment? Not so, you want extra special consideration – more than equal. You insist that NORMAL people respect your beliefs by publicly saying ‘gay is ok’? It’s not possible if you are expected to also respect normal people’s beliefs; Normal people believe that being gay is wrong just like having sex with children is wrong and murder is wrong, etc.

If I’m a chronic nose-picker, I can pick in private and feel ashamed, or I can pick in public and challenge all of the non-pickers. Either way, it doesn’t make it right, and I’ll still have to deal with the nose-bleeds. Maybe the government should fund my medical bills…

You Faggots should get off of Shockey. Its a shame more people dont feel like him. Gays are disgusting and one of the reasons our morals as a nation are going down the crapper.

I don’t understand why Jeremy Shockey or Vince McMahon should have to aplolgize to you all (homosexuals). Who are you? Who made you the high authority of the land? I hardly think a homosexual has the right to judge anyone. You all are sinners against Bible scriptures. And I don’t want to hear that excuse that you were born with “gay” genes. Next thing you know, murderers will be claiming to have a “murder” gene. I wouldn’t want to have a gay man taking a shower in a locker room with me. Criticizing gays isn’t nearly as bad as the act of homosexuality itself. Please repent before it’s too late.

I just read the story concerning Mr. Shockey’s comments about gays. I must say, and you know, there have been much worse things said about gays over time. One athletes comments come to mind…..John Rocker?? That name ring a bell? How do the comments of these two athletes compare? The only comparison is in the fact they were both aimed at gays. Mr. Rocker’s comments were malicious in nature and very inappropriate. His intent was to hurt. However, Mr. Shockey was on the Howard Stern show!! RELAX!! Howard Stern is a moron and anyone who takes him or the content of his show seriously, gay or straight, is showing his/her own intelligence level. If you are this upset over Mr. Shockey’s comments you must have been an emotional wreck after Rocker’s tirade. Sad!

Now, I decided to come to your site to see what it was all about. As a straight man, I would like to offer you the reason why Mr. Shockey might say something like he did. On your discussion board, you have a section entitled “Hot Jock Talk, the place to indulge your taste for eye candy”. In this section there is a post where one writer is wondering which is longer, “Danny Youngs snapper or Julius Hodges tongue?” Another post concerning an aussie football player states, “That Albatross’ wing span sets my imagination spinning…or should I say, rising??” I’m not sure what these “discussions” have to do with sports, but if these individuals were on my team, I would be concerned about being in the showers with them as well. It’s these types of comments from gay men that create a cetain level of homophobia and lead to comments such as those from Mr. Shockey.

Comments such as Mr. Shockey’s go on all the time everywhere and they will continue to go on. Especially when they are given so much attention. Instead of being a finger pointer, Mr. Zeigler, try leading by example. People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. Just as you were offended by Mr. Shockey’s comments, I am offended by the discussions on YOUR website. The difference is, I’m not going to run to the media and whine about it.

I’m not going to sit around and complain about it. I’m not going to allow it to make me “take another step” in any direction simply because I cannot control it. If you’re tired of feeling inferior, quit acting inferior. As Aldous Huxley stated, “There’s only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving and that’s your own self.”

GOD MADE ADAM AND EVE NOT ADAM AND STEVE,IF GAYS WANT TO BE TREATED
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE,WHY DO YOU CRY WHEN YOU GET RIDICULED OR PUT DOWN, EVERY OTHER ATHLETE DOESN’T CRY WHEN SOMEONE MAKES FUN OF HIM OR HER, IF YOU PEOPLE WANT TO BE TREATED NORMAL ACT NORMAL AND QUIT CRYING WOLF.

Shockey was right, gays have no place in professional sports. Nor do they have a right to promote their lifestyles as positive roll models in sports or life in general.

GOD states very clearly HIS views on gay or lesbian relationships or lifestyles in the BIBLE as being a sin and not the ways of Christians who truly believe in GOD as their Lord and Savior. Repent of your sins to GOD and ask for HIS forgiveness and HIS power to heal you of being gay or lesbian now. Feel GODS love.

I think what you are doing to Mr. Shockey is worst than anything he has said or done to offend gays and lesbians. What Mr. Shockey did what speak the way he felt about a situation and he should be entitled to that. What disappoints me is that you and your site pressured him and the organization to apologize. Since you are protesting about equal rights well I think there should be a right to be an individual and not grouped or pressured into thinking as a group. I am a African American and I would never be offended be a skinhead or a nazi, by there beliefs or practices. Think about it let people be people.

P.S. I am not a Giant fan, I hate the Giants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My opinion on Jeremy Shockeys comments

You’re fags.
People don’t like fags.
Deal with it, fag!

Jeremy Shockey has a right to say whatever he wants. I don’t care who’s gay but I don’t want to be naked around them. They don’t let men and women shower together do they? So what’s the difference. If someone of the same sex is attracted to that sex you have a right to not be naked in front of them. Liberal Socialists like you are destroying this country.

Dear Queers:

I think that it is horrible that you are trying to ruin our professional sports for your own personal agenda. Being gay doesn’t belong in the NFL, the NBA, MLB or any professional or collegiate team. Men can’t be men anymore since they have to be concerned with “offending” someone! Your cause is ruining society and corrupting young children. Most young people wouldn’t be gay if they didn’t know someone who was gay…IT IS NOT BIOCHEMICAL!

I prefer the old school method of dealing with gays and lesbians, kick their asses and have sex with them until they are straight! At least that is what they do in other countries, perhaps you should be grateful for what you have? I don’t give a shit if I offended any of you homos. You are all sick fucks!

I just finished reading a story on espn.com concerning Jeremy Shocky. I get tired of all this liberal rhetoric. The statement that Jeremy Shocky made was his obvious true feelings. Ohh my gosh so sue him because he is not politically correct! He obviously does not believe in your type of lifestyle.

Why is that so had to accept, that most people do not believe in and condone a homosexual type of lifestyle. I was an athlete in college and I can say from experience that most American men would not want to know if there were homosexuals in their locker room. I just am tired of all this political correct garbage going on. If you want to live you life that way, do it quietly. I don’t go around trying to explain to people that I am a heterosexual. Why do you feel the need to make a big deal about you being homosexual. I just don’t understand.

All you gays are going to HELL!!! Don’t you read the Bible?

I was shocked more by the so called straight men’s replies to this than what Shockey said. These insecure boys are totally missing the point.

It’s not that the gay community doesn’t support free speech it’s the content and hate of the speech we don’t support. If you are an intelligent, rational human being with an legitimate gripe let’s hear it. But, these comments about putting “people” on an island and “pisshole licking nut sucking freaks need to bury yourselves!!!!” comments are adolescent at best – It tells me allot of what they think of women – If I’m not mistaken they want their girls friends and wives to be this way and their not “freaks” and to the boy who said that gays should tell their team mates that they are gay- well how many “straight” men walk into a show shouting “I’m straight, it’s ok you can bend over and I won’t look”? If a gay person did that they would be killed. The point of Outsports – I believe- is to make people aware of how many people are gay in sports and because very few gay people do come out those that do should be commended – because like it or not for every one “real humane” person who is brave enough to make a stand 5 more will get a little bit stronger. I believe GOD blesses the child that has his/her own integrity.

I am a gay college football player. I’m actually pretty good. I know it must be a surprise to many of the ignorant people that have written hate mail to this site, but homosexuals are no less equipped to excel at sports than heterosexual people. I spent my entire teenage life wishing everyday that I would wake up the next morning straight. I thought about suicide, and lived in constant fear of what would happen if my friends/teammates found out.

I shower with the team, change in the locker room, and it’s nothing more than preparing for practice or a game for me. I don’t get some cheap thrills out of it, and it’s not the reason I continue to play the game. I love football, and am good at it, so why would I let my sexuality stand in the way of that? I mean, straight guys can do theater, and there are quite a few of them who have excelled in the predominantly homosexual field. Why is this any different? A couple of my teamates know about my lifestyle, and they are completely OK with it.

I want all of you who wrote the completely un-educated, pitiful emails to know that I will not let your twisted misconceptions about the reasons behind why my genetic code spelled out homo keep me from a sport I love. And by the way, if you’re going to use the bible as an argument, you might want to read it a little closer, the last ones to get into heaven are those that judge on Earth (Let no man judge, lest he be judged…) That message of acceptance shows up a little more often that the message of the evils of homosexuality. Most of those closest to Jesus were those shunned by the rest of society. I have very strong convictions in my faith, and would appreciate it if you didn’t put words into my Lords’ mouth.

I read about this site through Espn.com reading the Shockey article so I thought I would check it out. I read the hate mail and was appalled. I think the amount of ignorance in those letters was disgusting. I’m not homosexual but I think the comments Shockey made were idiotic. obviously he also thought that because he apologized. and to think that this site had to receive mail bashing it and defending precious Jeremy’s views saddens me.

I bet if he had come out and said he thinks that the bible is just a book of stories that have no base in reality those people wouldn’t want to protect his views. anyway I have a lot more responses to your hate mail but I will save them, I just wanted to write and say that for all those idiots out there some less vocal smarter people do exist. oh and by the way any site that realizes that a 3-0 New Orleans Saints team (who beat all playoff teams and handed all their opponents their only loss) is better than a 2-1 Philly or a 2-0 Oakland knows more about football than the “experts” at Espn.com.

I am utterly disgusted by the emails your site received regarding Jeremy Shockley’s ignorant comments. It saddens me to see that we are still living in such a closed minded, bigoted society. I knew that most of the population still held such antiquated beliefs against homosexuals but I would have hoped after all of the statements about how this country has come together in a time of political strive and how humanity was so much better after 9/11, something as unimportant to society as a whole ,as someone’s sexual preference would have made people more accepting. Who cares what someone’s sexual preference is, that is the individuals business. Who someone loves shouldn’t matter to all of the ignorant people who responded to your site. By the way, I am not a homosexual, but I applaud this website for being out there for other gay people who are interested in sports and don’t feel comfortable in other straight male dominated venues. I am going to show this website to a gay friend of mine who insists that most homosexuals aren’t interested in sports. I wish this website great success.

Just wanted to express my feelings about this whole Shockey situation from an ally’s perspective. Nothing I have to say is new to anyone at this site most-likely…I would hope you have some heterosexual allies who work with the site. I hope people don’t lose sight of the fact that all these emails are coming from people who hate anonymously in the consequence-free land of the internet. What most of you self-righteous e-mailers fail to recognize is that the reason it is so easy for you to dismiss any reaction from the gay community about Shockey is because you have never faced a minute of cultural oppression in your entire lives.

Obviously as a heterosexual white male (which I identify as), most of you never have to worry about a damn thing. despite whatever hardships you face, you still can fall back on the fact that you can go anywhere free of oppression based on sex, gender, or race. Try stepping out of your egotistical perspective for half a second and you might realize how ignorant you sound. I understand that there is so much miscommunication out there, and people get defensive when they see a group other than theirs advancing. Just remember, crackers, oppression is bad for everyone. To Shockey, well, I guess I would say I’m not surprised that you made these comments. You’ve been a jock your whole life, and probably have never been held to any level of accountability ever. You were most likely the same jock who through rocks at me while I was on my skateboard growing up. I do not believe, for a second, that you take back any of your comments. I try and keep my comments open for dialogue, but when it comes to religious fundamentalists, I cannot strike such a balance. Anyone who says “X will happen because the bible says so” has never thought for themselves for a second.

Jesus, save me from your followers…

Keep on persevering, outsports.com…humanity will evolve some day.

I am a out lesbian & visited your website for the first time today. I heard about this site while reading about Shockey’s homophobic comments. Thanks for addressing the issue. It is sad that in the year 2002 there is so much hatred. I read some of the e mails you posted & had to stop. I have been the victim of harrassment because of my sexual orientation and its not easy to defend yourself but it must be done. If they think gays & lesbians are going to hell, well I think some of these people might be going to hell too. How do they know what God is going to do ?

Just wanted to send you a supportive email after all that crap from the Shockey incident.

You guys have put yourselves on the front lines — but you know from the message board that there are many of us standing right there with you! If anything, our community that you’ve fostered at outsports will only get stronger.

I’m sorry that you have to deal with all the hate — I couldn’t bring myself to read even halfway down the page of the mail you posted.

Hang in there — you’re making a tremendous difference.