From hate speech to hope: A rebuttal to Harrison Butker's hateful comments

Right now, the world needs unity and compassion more than ever. Love and understanding should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Unfortunately, there are folks like Harrison Butker, kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, who would rather focus on tearing down the progress being made and building up walls of religious nationalism.

On May 11, 2024, Butker delivered a commencement speech at Benedictine College. In his speech, he attacked minorities, the LGBTQ+ community, people of Jewish faith, men who break toxic masculinity norms, and women who choose not to rush into motherhood and instead have successful careers. The Kansas City Star published an article defending Harrison’s hateful remarks, so I decided to write this article in defense of those targeted by said comments. My name is Willard Gene Harris. I’m responsible for the Change.org petition that reached over 200,000 signatures in one week and calls for the KC Chiefs to fire Harrison for his comments.

One of the most pugnacious parts of Butker’s speech was his characterization of LGBTQ+ Pride Month as a celebration of “deadly sins.” His comments were made with the intention of harming those who use Pride Month as a time to gather and honor their history while also advocating for equal rights. His choice to label consensual love as “deadly sins” broadcasts a narrative of exclusion against a group that is already marginalized. There’s also a chance that someone in the LGBTQ+ community was among those in the audience, possibly even one of the students graduating. This is nothing new for Harrison, though. He has previously condemned the Catholic Church for burying a trans rights activist and accepting LGBTQ+ members.

Butker also made comments about gender roles that didn’t sit well with a large majority of Americans. He started off by congratulating the women who were graduating on their accomplishments and then immediately switched gears to inform them about how they had been told “diabolical lies” in choosing their careers instead of homemaking and childbearing. He likened a woman’s true purpose to being a traditional wife and mother who puts building a family over having a career they’re happy in. Not only was this choice of language dismissive, it was also hypocritical, as Harrison was raised by a mother who is an accomplished physicist and has an older sister who is an OBGYN. Suggesting that women will not find true purpose unless they submit to toxic and harmful gender norms when powerful career-leading women run in your family doesn’t seem like you're sharing personal views but instead pushing a political agenda. This view is a false dichotomy that has been used for centuries to limit and hold back women.

Harrison later stated that men should be “unapologetic in [their] masculinity. It’s easy to just see this statement as encouraging men to embrace their strength and identity, but this statement, combined with his other statements, clearly advocates for traditional and restrictive gender roles. The understanding of gender has constantly evolved, and modern views encourage men to embrace cooperation, empathy, and vulnerability — all traits the far right movement has been pushing as “feminine” and “detrimental to males,” while in reality, ignoring those traits can not only harm men but also those around them. Substantial research has shown that rigid and pressured adherence to traditional masculine values causes poorer mental health, difficulties in relationships, and higher rates of violence. Butker’s advocations for these toxic, traditional traits can lead to a more toxic form of masculinity that harms men and society altogether.

Harrison Butker’s attacks didn’t stop there; he also made sure to speak up in opposition to the passage of congressional bills targeting antisemitism. He stated that “we fear speaking the truth, because now, unfortunately, the truth is in the minority. Congress just passed a bill stating something as basic as the biblical teaching that "whoever killed Jesus could land you in jail." This is in reference to the Jews in the Bible who went to the government over their issue with Jesus, but it’s also been a constant resource for those who attack and discriminate against Jews around the world. His comments on minority cultures as “degenerate” are an entire article on their own. He would not be where he is if it weren’t for minority communities throughout society.

If Harrison had just spoken on how his religion motivated and helped him grow in his life personally, that would have been one thing. Pushing his religious laws and ideologies into other Americans who are entitled to a constitutional freedom from that very action, is a completely different story. He was supposed to give a commencement speech that inspires and uplifts graduates as they venture into society. What happened instead was an unhealthy dishing of sexism, homophobia, transphobia, racism, antisemitism, and religious nationalism. Civil discourse has no place for those forms of hate. They especially have no place in an event meant to celebrate the hard work of young adults and welcome them into a diverse and interconnected world.

To all the graduates who were subjected to those harmful words, I hope you know that his views do not reflect the values of the majority of society. Your years of hard work and determination to turn a passion into a career are celebrated by those of us who believe in mutual respect, diversity, and equality. You are the ones responsible for shaping our world, not a guy who kicks a ball because getting sacked by other players would mess up their product-filled hair.

I applaud the Sisters of Benedictine College who stood strong against Harrison’s comments and condemned his speech. As a nation and humanity as a whole, we must confront and challenge hate whenever and however it arises. This means supporting policies and leaders that work towards justice and inclusivity for all. It also means calling out hate and bigotry when we see it and bridging divides instead of deepening them.

The emanation of support for those targeted by Butker’s remarks shows that there is a powerful, growing commitment against intolerance. If we keep going, one day we will build a society where hate speech is unequivocally condemned and everyone is treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.

Hate will not prevail!

Willard Gene Harris lives in Branson.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: From hate speech to hope: A rebuttal of Harrison Butker's comments