Denver Rockies reliever Todd Jones stands by his threats last month against gay baseball players.
Jones’ original remarks, as reported by The Denver Post:
Colorado Rockies pitcher Todd Jones, a 6-foot, 3-inch pitcher from Marietta, Ga., said an openly gay player would create a hostile locker-room environment, and that opposing pitchers would likely throw intentionally at his head.
“I wouldn’t want a gay guy being around me,” Jones said. “It’s got nothing to do with me being scared. That’s the problem: All these people say he’s got all these rights. Yeah, he’s got rights or whatever, but he shouldn’t walk around proud. It’s like he’s rubbing it in our face. ‘See me, hear me roar.’ We’re not trying to be close-minded, but then again, why be confrontational when you don’t really have to be?”
Exodus already claims to support the criminalization of private sexual expression — and, implicitly, the resulting imprisonment. It would make sense, then, for Exodus to support the exclusion of gay players from baseball — if not because they’re already going to jail, then no doubt because gay men are no good at sports anyway, and nobody wants to see them get hurt.
Jones and Exodus might be surprised, however, at how many gays play sports and how controversial the sports closet has become. If they were aware of the numbers, they might have more to say about the subject.
Gay ballplayers have an unwitting (and unwilling) ally in Exodus speaker Dr. Joseph Nicolosi. The doctor maintains that sports help men become ex-gay.
Play ball!
Comments submitted to XGW’s former blog location:
“sports help men to become ex-gay”
I played hockey from kindergarden through high school, and I’m a Kinsey 6. Do these people just make up everything? Is there a kernel of truth anywhere in their claims?
—CJ • 5/9/03; 8:20:05 AM
Especially wrestling. Would really recommend this sport to anyone seeking a path out of homosexuality. Grappling with another sweaty male body, feeling the muscles next to yours, rubbing your crotch in your opponents face, just man against man. Totally heterosexual sport.
—Dale • 5/9/03; 8:57:36 PM
I have yet to see a study by Dr. Nicolosi or NARTH that is methodical, rational and thorough in approach. (If someone can recommend a well-done NARTH study, please do so.) Much of their work seems to consist of biased samples, personal anecdotes, and assumptions.
—Mike A. • 5/9/03; 9:23:18 PM
their thoughts on women are methodical and well worked out. the exgay man is simply to use them to work on his male image and understanding. see the article at NARTH on the next frontier for the exgay man:woman. Women exist solely to affirm masculinity. the exgay man starts with ugly fat women and works his way up to beautiful ones. really neat system of thought.
—Dale • 5/9/03; 11:39:16 PM
Since straight athletes apparently don’t want anything to do with gays, the only people left to teach ex-gay men sports are ex-gay lesbians. They can show ex-gay men how to throw in between make-up lessons.
—Norm • 5/11/03; 5:06:29 PM