Maryland politician pushes Ravens to punish Brendon Ayanbadejo for political views

Written by  //  September 6, 2012  //  NFL  //  6 Comments

Maryland politician and minister Emmett C. Burns Jr. has really lost his mind. That is the only way to put it.

He recently sent a letter to Baltimore Ravens owner Steven Bisciotti. Within that letter he stated his displeasure towards the actions of linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo.

Below is the meat and potatoes of the whole deal.

“I find it inconceivable that one of your players, Mr. Brendon Ayanbadejo would publicly endorse Same-Sex marriage, specifically as a Raven Football player,” Burns wrote.

“Many of my constituents and your football supporters are appalled and aghast that a member of the Ravens Football Team would step into this controversial divide and try to sway public opinion one way or the other.

“Many of your fans are opposed to such a view and feel it has no place in a sport that is strictly for pride, entertainment and excitement,” Burns continued. “I believe Mr. Ayanbadejo should concentrate on football and steer clear of dividing the fan base.

“I am requesting that you take the necessary action, as a National Football League Owner, to inhibit such expressions from your employees and that he be ordered to cease and desist such injurious actions. I know of no other NFL player who has done what Mr. Ayanbadejo is doing.”

The issue of Same-Sex marriage is not the problem here. It’s the idea that a representative of the people can contact someone’s employer and basically demand that an employer silence his employee for speaking out for his beliefs.

Ayanbadejo spoke out about it on Twitter: “Football is just my job it’s not who I am. I am an American before anything. And just like every American I have the right to speak!!!”

If you notice on the letter itself that was featured on Yahoo, Burns cc’d the “media” on this affair so he is subject to all of the scorn and ridicule that comes his way.

He sounds like something of a crackpot but at the end of the day, does he really expect the Ravens to sit him down and say ‘ no more of that thinking for yourself stuff?’

C’mon…

Twitt

About the Author

Adrian Glover is Players View's Editor-In-Chief. He has spent his days as a newspaper columnist,magazine editor, freelance writer and as somebody's father. ;) Follow him on Twitter at @playersview.

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  • dan stinson

    glad someone stoode up and denounced fags

  • http://www.facebook.com/sonnieray Sonnie Kelly

    Rev. Burns, you are WRONG! You have no right attempting to supress any persons’ right to speak freely. Just because that players’ views don’t mirror your own, does not mean YOU can silence him. And the nerve of you to send this to his employer! Are you serious? He is a grown man with a job! What? You want Mr.Bisiciotti to give him “time out”? Rev. Burns, get back behind your pulpit and do what you do best and preach and teach the word of GOD. You never know, your words may reach the heart of someone who needs or wants deliverance from the lifestyle you’re not in agreement with. It is my opinion that the “church” has made this issue way worse that it would’ve ever been. You and your constituents/congregation should stick to the moral issues and leave “Ceasar’s” law to “Ceasar”! What you are attempting to do is the exact thing that turns so many people(young and old) off to people and issues of faith! What you are doing is no different than those “other politicians”,”if you don’t think like me, or say what I want you say, then I’ll take your rights away! Shame on you!

  • Ken

    Ah, the same knuckle-dragging troglodyte who argued against gay marriage because not enough gays have been murdered. Implicitly, he stated that blacks only deserve equality because enough of them were lynched to satisfy his quota. Stay classy, “reverend.”

  • Dave

    W
    What are the chances that Mr. Burns is a Democrat?

  • John Q. Public

    He’s an African-American member of the Democratic party, no less: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmett_C._Burns,_Jr.
    You’d think he’d know better…

    • http://MSN.COM TONY

      DU THE RIGHT THING BURNS

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