More than 200,000 people have signed a petition calling for the sacking of a star player from the reigning NFL champions the Kansas City Chiefs, because they didn’t like him voicing his traditional Biblical views on sex and marriage to mostly like-minded Christians at a Catholic college graduation ceremony.
The petitioners considered devout Catholic Harrison Butker’s most egregious offence was to tell the young women graduating from Benedictine College in Kansas that one of their most important roles in life will be as a “homemaker” — a comment that received 18 seconds of rousing applause in a speech that received a stand ovation.
He also spoke of the role of men in the home. He criticised President Biden, Catholics in general, abortion, contraception, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, and Pride events. The petitioners did not believe he was entitled to freedom of speech to make such comments because they disagreed with them.
Here’s what is considered the most contentious segment of his 20-minute commencement speech:
“For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. You should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives. I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. How many of you are sitting here now about to cross this stage and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”
“I can tell you that my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother. I’m on the stage today and able to be the man I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation. I’m beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me, but it cannot be overstated that all of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.”
[Applause lasting 18 seconds]
“She is a primary educator to our children. She is the one who ensures I never let football or my business become a distraction from that of a husband and father. She is the person that knows me best at my core, and it is through our marriage that, Lord willing, we will both attain salvation”
“I say all of this to you because I have seen it first-hand how much happier someone can be when they disregard the outside noise and move closer and closer to God’s will in their life. Isabelle’s dream of having a career might not have come true, but if you asked her today if she has any regrets on her decision, she would laugh out loud, without hesitation, and say: Heck, No.”
“As a man who gets a lot of praise and has been given a platform to speak to audiences like this one today, I pray that I always use my voice for God and not for myself. Everything I am saying to you is not from a place of wisdom, but rather a place of experience. I am hopeful that these words will be seen as those from a man, not much older than you, who feels it is imperative that this class, this generation, and this time in our society must stop pretending that the things we see around us are normal.”
“Heterodox ideas abound even within Catholic circles. But let’s be honest, there is nothing good about playing God with having children — whether that be your ideal number or the perfect time to conceive. No matter how you spin it, there is nothing natural about Catholic birth control.”
“It is only in the past few years that I have grown encouraged to speak more boldly and directly because, as I mentioned earlier, I have leaned into my vocation as a husband and father, and as a man.”
“To the gentlemen here today: Part of what plagues our society is this lie that has been told to you that men are not necessary in the home or in our communities. As men, we set the tone of the culture, and when that is absent, disorder, dysfunction, and chaos set in. This absence of men in the home is what plays a large role in the violence we see all around the nation. Other countries do not have nearly the same absentee father rates as we find here in the US, and a correlation could be made in their drastically lower violence rates, as well.”
“Be unapologetic in your masculinity, fighting against the cultural emasculation of men. Do hard things. Never settle for what is easy. You might have a talent that you don’t necessarily enjoy, but if it glorifies God, maybe you should lean into that over something that you might think suits you better. I speak from experience as an introvert who now finds myself as an amateur public speaker and an entrepreneur, something I never thought I’d be when I received my industrial engineering degree.”
“The road ahead is bright. Things are changing. Society is shifting. And people, young and old, are embracing tradition. As you move on from this place and enter into the world, know that you will face many challenges. Sadly, I’m sure many of you know of the countless stories of good and active members of this community who, after graduation and moving away from the Benedictine bubble, have ended up moving in with their boyfriend or girlfriend prior to marriage. Some even leave the Church and abandon God. It is always heartbreaking to hear these stories, and there is a desire to know what happened and what went wrong.”
“What you must remember is that life is about doing the small things well, setting yourself up for success, and surrounding yourself with people who continually push you to be the best version of you. I say this all the time, that iron sharpens iron. It’s a great reminder that those closest to us should be making us better. If you are dating someone who doesn’t even share your faith, how do you expect that person to help you become a saint? If your friend group is filled with people who only think about what you’re doing next weekend and are not willing to have those difficult conversations, how can they help sharpen you?”
Harrison Butker also targeted President Biden without naming him: “Our own nation is led by a man who publicly and proudly proclaims his Catholic faith, but at the same time is delusional enough to make the sign of the cross during a pro-abortion rally. He has been so vocal in his support for the murder of innocent babies that I’m sure to many people, it appears that you can be both Catholic and pro-choice. He is not alone. From the man behind the COVID lockdowns to the people pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America, they all have a glaring thing in common: They are Catholic.”
One graduate who was in the audience claimed on social media she was among a number of women who booed the footballer during his speech. “It was definitely horrible and it definitely made graduation feel a little less special knowing I had to sit through that and get told I’m nothing, but a homemaker,” she said, while admitting she was in a tiny minority: “There was a standing ovation from everyone in the room except from me, my roommate and about 10-15 other women.”
A former NFL cheerleader for the Chiefs posted: “The best part of your speech was when you said ‘stay in your lane’ ten plus times. Bro, take your own advice.” The sisters of Mount St. Scholastica who describe their group as a founding institution and sponsor of Benedictine College, said Butker’s comments “don’t “represent the Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college that our founders envisioned and in which we have been so invested.”
The petition calling for the Chiefs to sack their star kicker stated: “These comments reinforce harmful stereotypes that threaten social progress. They create a toxic environment that hinders our collective efforts towards equality, diversity and inclusion in society. It is unacceptable for such a public figure to use their platform to foster harm rather than unity. We demand accountability from our sports figures who should be role models promoting respect for all people regardless of their race, gender identity or sexual orientation. We call upon the Kansas City Chiefs management to dismiss Harrison Butker immediately for his inappropriate conduct.”
A variety of alternative petitions in support of Butker have emerged, but they have failed to gather large numbers, either individually or in total.
Neither the player nor his team have publicly reacted to the outcry over the comments or the petition. The NFL said it was a “personal” matter. The footballer is probably lying low after the City of Kansas City revealed details of where he lives on its social media account ‘in error.’ It has apologised.
A year ago the footballer had similar ‘life advice’ for graduating students at his alma mater, the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he spoke about the joys of marriage and family and the ‘war on truth.’ “I can offer one controversial antidote that I believe will have a lasting impact for generations to come: Get married and start a family,” he advised.
Harrison Butker has played for the Chiefs since 2017. He broke their franchise record in 2022 with a 62-yard field goal and helped the team win its first Super Bowl in 50 years in 2020. According to the official NFL Shop, sales of his No. 7 jersey have surged since his speech to become the top selling Chiefs merchandise, surpassing the jerseys of star quarterback and fellow Christian Patrick Mahome, and Taylor Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce.
Photo: Screenshot of speech from Benedictine College via YouTube
