For many football fans (including this one) coach Tony Dungy is a legend. Even though his career is marred by beating my beloved Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI as head coach for the Indianapolis Colts, I am one of millions who tune into NBC to hear his insights on games. He was the first African-American to win the Super Bowl as head coach and coached for 13 seasons. Now, however, this Hall of Fame inductee is a marked man after a flash mob has formed to force his termination. Why? Because Dungy is a religious conservative who has publicly shared his views against abortion and homosexuality, including a speech at the March for Life this week.
Even before he spoke at the rally, advocates called for Dungy to be fired. He was undeterred. He spoke at the rally and, to the outrage of some, referenced the recent emergency involving Damar Hamlin.
“An unbelievable thing happened that night. A professional football game with millions of dollars of ticket money and advertising money on the line, that game was canceled. Why? Because a life was at stake, and people wanted to see that life saved. Even people who are not necessarily religious got together and called on God… that’s exactly why we’re here today. Because every day in this country, innocent lives are at stake. The only difference is they don’t belong to a famous athlete and they’re not seen on national TV. But those lives are still important to God in God’s eyes.”
That triggered a round of outrage that Dungy would refer to the incident, including openly racist comments from the left. For example, Ameshia Cross a political analyst with SiriusXM tweeted: “This is vile, disrespectful to Damar Hamlin/ his family and quite frankly wildly out of order. @TonyDungy crossed the line repeatedly, but this might be the grossest attempt at flying into the culture wars. I’ll give it to the Repubs they always find a Black man to carry the water.”
There was no call for Cross to be fired, of course, despite using Dungy’s race against him. Whenever a black individual espouses opposing views, it is increasingly common for liberal commentators and writers to attack them for their race. We have seen such attacks in the New York Times, MSNBC, and other outlets without any response from their parent companies.
Moreover, there is a huge pro-life movement in the black community. While a 2020 poll showed growing support among African Americans for abortion, it was still less than a majority of those polled. Indeed, the New York Times recently wrote that “While Black voters remain overwhelmingly allied with the Democratic Party, some, especially older churchgoers, have a conservative streak when it comes to social issues like abortion.” The vast majority of black Americans support limits on abortion.
However, Dungy had the temerity to speak publicly about his faith and his pro-life values.
The response was fast and furious. Former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann tweeted “Dear @nbcsports – if you have any remaining concern for your operational reputation, fire Tony Dungy now. He is using you.” At least Olbermann is an equal opportunity cancel campaigner. He previously called for the entire Supreme Court to be disbanded because he disagreed with their abortion ruling.
Dungy has also been criticized for his faith-based opposition to homosexuality. Recently, he tweeted out that “some school districts are putting litter boxes in the school bathrooms for the students who identify as cats.” While he deleted that tweet, it was dumb and offensive.
Dungy has also said that he would not want Michael Sam on his team “Not because I don’t believe Michael Sam should have a chance to play, but I wouldn’t want to deal with all of it.” That is simply wrong. We have to deal with “it” when the “it” is discrimination against players for their sexual orientation.
So, I happen to disagree with some of Dungy’s past statements. Yet, those statements have been made as an individual without tying them to NBC. Many coaches and commentators on the left have made controversial comments without the mob forming against them. There is, however, an absolute intolerance for those who hold religious or political views that they oppose. Conservative coaches just remain silent rather than openly support causes as do their liberal colleagues.
It is admittedly a difficult line to draw in some cases. When do personal views become so racist or discriminatory to justify a firing? If a commentator is out spewing hate, they can damage a corporate image or brand. They could become (as Dungy said about Sam) a distraction. However, there is also room for controversy outside of the game in the expression of unpopular views. Dungy shares deep-seated faith-based objections to abortion and to homosexuality with many Americans.
However, tolerance is hardly a popular value in an age of rage. The left often treats any controversial comments on the right as hate speech and therefore terminal.
Previously, there was a campaign to fire University of Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh because he stated publicly that he is pro-life. Liberals were apoplectic when he said “I believe in having the courage to let the unborn be born.” That is all that it took. His distinguished career as a quarterback (including his stint with the Bears), a NFL coach, and college coach became immaterial. He said that he was pro-life. Of course, if he spoke out for pro-choice causes, he would be celebrated rather than condemned.
The same mob formed around Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio after he expressed concerns over the bias in the media coverage of the January 6th riot. After he asked why the media was not looking with the same intensity at violent protests on the left, he was relentlessly attacked until he withdrew his comment.
It was not the deleted cat box tweet that has led to the campaign to fire Dungy. He failed to yield to the demands of the left that he either support abortion or remain silent. Critics know that the NFL and NBC are notoriously fearful of such campaigns.
In the end, this is not about litter boxes or even pro-life views. It is about free speech. While the First Amendment protects us against the “Big Brother” dangers of government censorship and speech controls, free speech can be lost to a host of “Little Brothers” in the private sector.
Dungy knows football. He is not making the calls on the Pro Bowl for its pro-life plays. He will back on the air when the Chiefs face the Jaguars. The closest he will get to religion is a possible Hail Mary play and that is fine with most of us.
Coach Dungy gave voice to the doctrine of the Catholic Church which strictly prohibits abortions and Islam which imposes strict limitations on abortions. These two religions account for approximately 3 billion people worldwide and include President Biden and Nancy Pelosi (who admittedly ignore this core doctrine of their Catholic Church). How is it that a handful of zealots is not laughed into silence for trying to cancel an accomplished person who, unlike them, speaks about the core beliefs of so many. I think it is far more interesting to talk about the person who was next in line for the presidency after the Vice-President having priests come to her house to perform an exorcism after her husband was hit in the head with a hammer by a young man in his underwear.
Nancy Pelosi had an exorcism performed in her house. “The power of Christ compels you”. The power of Christ compels her to make more money in the stock market.
The above comment is the second I’ve read on this post that implies Tony Dungy is Catholic. He may have converted to Catholicism since this 2009 article was written by I cannot find any indication of it. https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/dungy-looks-forward-to-ministry/
I also cannot figure out from the comments about Catholicism why the commenters think Dungy’s denomination is relevant
Until we get to the root cause of why cancel culture works, then we should expect more of this. My guess?
Follow the money = ESG & DEI
Cancel Culture works only because it is given voice, they have the “microphone”. The mainstream media is the very reason they still have a voice and until we start treating some of these outlets as PAC’s and take away their blanket of protection from lawsuits nothing will change.
If the problem was merely whose voice is heard, why do conservatives self-censor?
Most people – particularly conservatives wish to be quietly left alone.
Most gay and trans people are not Drag Queens.
People want to be free to speak as they please – but most do not do so.
However they do strongly support those like minded who do speak out.
Ed, correctomundo.
Same question Bob,
If the problem was merely whose voice is heard, why do conservatives self-censor?
Olly, somehow I think conservatives are worried about being perceived as polite people. Left wing wack jobs are not polite and are not interested as being perceived as polite. They wear their rude behavior as a badge of honor.
Rude vs polite? Those are not new behaviors. What’s different now?
The protection of our rights by government is NOT supposed to require that we all Contantly rant about those rights.
I should be able to choose not to vote. to not post my views here. to NOT right my congressmen.
And still wake up tomorrow or in a year or a decade and find that woke loudmouth’s have gutted my rights because I was not actively speaking out to protect them.
The left is ranting about insurrection. None of us want an insurrection. Almost no one wants a civil war.
But that is where we will end up – in some form, if the abuse of individual rights continues to grow. If the left continues to do everything possible to hold power.
Cancel culture works because the squeaky wheel gets the oil.
That is close to universally true.
There is only one way to peacefully reject this woke nonsense and that is to stand firm and REJECT all this woke nonsense. Like spoiled toddlers, the left will keep pushing the limits of our tolerance until they have complete control over us. They will not be any more reasonable or willing to coexist than any islamic jihadist was. The sooner we equate the prog/left with the fervor, zeal and uncompromising and lethal fanaticism of the jihadist the sooner we can begin to deal with them in effective methods.
Alma—-Exactly. For several years I have thought of the Left as “The Toddler Taliban”.
Alma Carman,
I get what you are saying, but I think forming our own society in parallel in which the two never meet is a better, less taxing idea.
There is no dealing, debating or even having a conversation with a zealot. They will hold on to their woke dogma to the bitter end.
Better for everyone to politely agree to ignore each other, go our separate ways.
That is apartheid and one side WILL become dominant. You are falling for their fake concept of “coexist” which the fanatics do not want. Do you really think the greenies would let you pollute (according to their standards) in your half of the nation? No, there is no coexisting with fanatics – just look at history. The prog/left truly believe that they are superior and KNOW how to run everyone’s lives. They must be defeated and even then what do we do with a large portion of a nation whose method of thinking and misinformed brains cannot be undone – do we wait for them to age out?
Alma Carman,
I spent a year deployed to Afghanistan. I know what that looks like up close and personal. I would like to avoid something like that here on American soil. The idea turns my stomach.
However, if they chose to bring their zealotry to my door step, I will not hesitate to, as we put it, “To neutralize the threat in a loud, grotesque, yet efficient military manner.”
Again, I prefer we go our separate ways politely.
We have more and more talk of an unreconcilable divide.
Of a Civil war.
Of an insurrection.
I think it is wrong for all – whether Biden or Republicans to think that is going to be anything like 1860.\
we will not see F-15’s vs. AR-15’s. I am not sure we will see any use of arms.
Biden is insance if he thinks F-15 Pilots will strafe or bomb citizens armed or not.
I would suggest thinking more like the fall of the Berlin Wall, or Tianamen Square, or recent protestes in Hong Kong or China or Iran.
This is also why Democrats are so terrified by J6.
The J6 protestors did not want to stage a coup. They wanted to pressure Congress to not Certify the election through protest.
The left may not like that – but it is as legitimate as Kavanaugh protestors twisting the arms of Senators.
With better organization – they may have succeeded – and THAT is what scares the left.
And that is why it is essential to destory the J6 protestors – as an object lesson to any on the right who might think about protesting in the future.
I read recently that Hollywood has lost over 500 billion in market value. Good. Tom Cruise produces a movie that is entertaining (no agenda) and shows off American technology and it grosses 1.5 Billion dollars alone.,Who wants to go to a theater to watch a woke film? Disney has dropped revenue in the 40% range. Folks are voting with their wallet.
There is a devastating war occurring in Europe, hundreds of thousands are crossing the southern border every month, Fentanyl zombies crowd the street as homeless and criminals are not punished.
What do our politicians do? They push children (who should be playing hopscotch and jump rope) how to apply a condom and promote what is not natural when that precious time should be spent on core curriculum. They want to ban gas stove in our kitchen? Really?They are incapable of solving problems.
It is a race to the bottom.
E.M.
Well said.
Also read the top 10 grossing movies in 2022 were either reboots or squeals.
The author of the article noted the gross lack of original content compare to a decade before.
Politicians also pass dumb laws changing the words like manhole or mancover and call it progress or allowing men to shower with women.
Six more ITEMS with top secret docs found at Biden’s Wilmington home as the doofus in chief takes a rare weekend at his Rehobeth house. Watch as Svelaz still tries to tell us that Biden has done nothing wrong and that he isn’t a corrupt pol.
BTW, six items with docs could mean six cabinets with tons of docs.
Also classified docs going back to Biden’s time in the Senate.
This will open up his udel senate docs to search.
The finding of PRe-VP classified docs is building proof of a long pattern of mishandling of classified materials.
It also collapses the claim he had nothing to do with this – that it was staffers.
Patterns are evidence of personal conduct.
Tony Dungy’s comments simply referred to the amazing moment that Monday night when the entire nation of American sports fans came together to pull for Damar Hamlin. He certainly wasn’t proselytizing or passing the collection plate. The new Democratic party holds a special loathing hatred for any African-Americans who hold conservative values. And their loyal subordinates in the mainstream media use their many platforms to attack them relentlessly. Thank you Jonathan for an excellent article. Please keep them coming.
Reminds me how they skewered EX-coach DON CHERRY of HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA- a legend- like a ‘collective pulling the goalie’ mentality….but Canada is a bronze medal country so I expect less from them….
progressive clowns put on a good show, just laugh and enjoy the stupidity.
Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.
-William F. Buckley, Jr.
Tony Dungy seems to be a good person exercising his First Amendment rights. The best way to counter Freedom of Speech that you disagree with – is with “more” Freedom of Speech – not simply attacking the messenger demanding they resign. Debate Dungy don’t demonize him.
Maybe American schools need to invest in “Debate Clubs” again in high school and college? Teach the next generation how to agree to disagree and be civil to one another.
Another issue not always addressed is that too many Americans actually support a foreign model of government – blurring the lines between church & state.
Especially homosexuals, actually have some legitimate anger and resentment issues over private religious institutions (like Dungy supports) using “government” to impose it’s religious interpretation onto other Americans. Using government to deny tax benefits, financial benefits, hospital visitation and other benefits to LGBT couples. Religious institutions (partly subsidized by taxpayers) then lobbying Congress to impose foreign style theocracy. If churches want to lobby government policy, why do they get tax rewards?
Government institutions created this mess by using “social engineering” largely driven by religious interpretation. We give tax benefits for being married. We give tax rewards for having more children. Then we deny this “social engineering” (government rewards funded by taxpayers) to groups not popular with most churches. Historically, these LGBT-Americans paid higher tax rates than heterosexual Americans for services they were denied from having subsidizing public schools (denied adoption rates) and subsidizing heterosexual marriages (denied from marriage rewards).
Nothing is clearly more conservative and libertarian (small limited constitutional government) than staying out of someone else’s marriage and personal decisions.
As I understand the history, Libertarian and Conservative presidential candidate, Barry Goldwater, was not a racist or a bigot. Goldwater (with Jewish family members that escaped the Holocaust) was opposed to all forms of discrimination against both homosexuals and African-Americans.
Although Goldwater agreed with many of the end-goals of LBJ Democrats (opposed to bigotry), Goldwater didn’t agree with LBJ’s non-Libertarian “means” of reaching those goals. By and large, Goldwater was falsely viewed as bigoted for opposing the Civil Rights Act.
By contrast, although great in most other ways, Eisenhower’s worst decision was using “government” to purge homosexuals from the military and government employment. Using government to promote a particular religious interpretation. The polar opposite of Goldwater’s view on government.
If we are going to have real civil “debates” then we have to deal with “foreign style theocracy”. Using one religious interpretation to write government laws. This is where much of the anger towards Dungy is likely coming from.
It should be noted that while Dungy has a First Amendment right to his interpretation, he does not speak for the religious community. Devout Christians Jimmy Carter and Ted Olson (George W. Bush’s Solicitor General) don’t agree with Dungy’s religious interpretation.
Awwwww, F*ck’em if they can’t take a Joke.
A lot of the these speech problems are caused by the courts involving themselves as some sort of mystic, all powerful, National referee.
The very first ‘hate speech” should have been tossed by the trial judge, as an unconstitutional charge.
Then the notion of compelled speech was allowed by the courts, in the bakery decision. But the left spent decades getting like minded, judges in position, so its going to take some time for the right to bring the constitution back into these conflicts.
Hobbs did not overturn Roe. Hobbs, rightly returned power back to the People, through their elected Representatives. That the left objects to the people writing the laws they live under, exposes the lie, the left has any desire at all about democracy. Democracy as the left defines.
Rinse and repeat.
The left can only attempt to silence opposing view points. The left is wholly unable to use fact, to openly debate an issue.
Last week we also saw a Hockey player and refuse to participate in celebrating gay life style. The player revolted against compelled speech.
Mr. Turley, your column makes me wonder if you are aware of the current trend in many school districts of installing litter boxes in bathrooms for students who identify as animals. This happened recently near where I live in Ohio. Besides being absurd, this is a clear health hazard. You call Dungy’s tweet dumb and offensive. How so?
deboluccia– Several articles I’ve read state that this allegation is untrue, and that when school districts are named they flatly deny it. Also, one article had interviews people who “identify” and role-play as cats and other animals (“furries”) (there actually is a national organization of such people) who said they do not use or want litter boxes. Do you have a good source for the litter box claim? If so I would love to see it. Thanks.
Please do not confuse idiot woke young people with adults with fetishes.
The Teens and young adults assinging themselves wierd identities are not the same as usually much older actual adults who get pleasure from adult role play.
Keith Olberman is a No Where man. A man of No Conviction who in a sports term couldn’t hold Dungy’s Jockstrap. The LGBQT represents people of No Conviction. Initially recognized, now they want mind control? They had better think twice as retribution could come swift and the vast majority of Americans will consider them fanatics.
“In the end, this is not about litter boxes or even pro-life views. It is about free speech. While the First Amendment protects us against the “Big Brother” dangers of government censorship and speech controls, free speech can be lost to a host of “Little Brothers” in the private sector.”
I would view as a question of whether the minority can force everybody else to speak as they want them to — a question of a small number compelling a greater number to speak as they dictate, so compelled speech vs. free speech.
It’s that simple . . . . and whether you think something is dumb or gratuitous or impolite or out of place or gauche . . . all that is the essence of free speech — my opinion, your opinion, their opinion.
But it is difficult to disentangle and an easy issue to cloud by using terms like ‘hate speech.’ There is no such thing, there is hateful speech, which is unfortunate and usually offensive, but even hateful speech, while it may be evidence of mens rea, is not criminal until it is acted upon, and then only if it results in a crime. After all, I may find what social justice warriors say to be hateful, but I would not want an Antifa member jailed for spouting hateful things, even if I would like to see one or two charged by progressive DAs for hateful acts like burning down building, hitting old men over the head with hard objects, and other acts that are already criminal. No need to add a ‘hate’ charge . . . the act itself is evidence of their state of mind.
As for Dungy, if he is a good coach, he is a good coach. Who cares what his personal beliefs are, so long as they do not interfere with his coaching?
I don’t get it. If Dungy want to speak at a Pro Life event, so what? And why is it whenever a Black man doesn’t adhere to Leftist dogma he is always labeled an Uncle Tom or attacked as not ” Really Black”? Also, a good barometer for what is right and wrong is the position of POS Olberman. If he is for something, going the other way is always the wise thing to do. This guy truly needs to get some professional psychiatric help. My guess is he can’t cope with irrelevance. If you don’t like Dungy, don’t watch his broadcasts. Or if you don’t want to miss a game he is involved in, turn down the sound. This would be like me calling for the cancellation of the morons on The View. I just don’t watch. Why have a self- inflicted wound?
When will we finally see the massive pushback against the bigoted, intolerant hateful Leftists? SiriusXM needs to fire Ameshia Cross for racist and hateful attacks that reflect badly on SiriusXM.
I see nothing “wrong” about the litter box comment. It was obviously a joke. Babylon Bee-type satire. An effort (successful, IMHO) to highlight the stupidity of the Left with humor. Of course, the snowflakes can’t take a joke. Not even a small one to point out the insanity of putting tampons in Men’s bathrooms or Rachel Dolezall “identifying” as black, a wonderful example of cultural appropriation. The Professor is wrong to find that comment “stupid and offensive” but hey, he has a right to feel offended and join the snowflakes once in a while. Shouldn’t have deleted it Tony. Keep it up.
Wiseoldlawyer: the litter box comment is unfortunately not a joke. It refers to a growing trend in school districts where students who call themselves “furries” (they spell it differently) insist on the installation of litter boxes in the bathrooms, a clear health hazard among other things. It happened near where I live in Ohio but it’s happening all over.
deboluccia: First I heard of this “trend”. Hard to believe, but I believe you since the Left always exceeds my limit of insanity. These kids (and their parents) ought to be admitted to a mental hospital.
Actually, the litter box comment is an issue in many high schools now. They are called “furries” and wear floppy ears, collars and have their “masters” put a leash on them. And they are petitioning to have litter boxes in bathrooms. Fullerton High as an example.
I bet the same critics of Dungy private speech were fervent supporters of Kaepernack’s right to protest on compnay time.
“Dungy has also been criticized for his faith-based opposition to homosexuality. Recently, he tweeted out that “some school districts are putting litter boxes in the school bathrooms for the students who identify as cats.” While he deleted that tweet, it was dumb and offensive”…. AND TRUE!.
Tony Dungy is a hero. Olberman is a microcosim of failed hateful diatribe.