Meyer recently apologized to a gay and lesbian rights group at Ohio State after it learned that he planned to distribute lavender shirts to players who are underperforming at practice.
Meyer’s letter to Scarlet & Gay, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Alumni Society, said that the practice of having underperforming student athletes wear purple-mesh jerseys “was never intended to be used to offend anybody. … Bias has absolutely no role in how we think or operate.”
The group said lavender is the predominant color associated with the gay and lesbian community.
Sometimes it’s easier to just stay away from culturally sensitive topics. The big three are politics, religion and sexuality. Just too controversial… you’re bound to offend half of everybody reading what you write. But this… this is too much. Must. Be. Addressed. This is a joke, right? No way Urban Meyer seriously apologized to Scarlet & Gay, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Alumni Society because he planned on having players that were underperforming wear purple jerseys? No way. I get why Meyer apologized… because if they’re making a big deal out of it, you just have to be politically correct and cover your ass in a situation like this. (see what I did there?) What I don’t understand is why the Scarlet & Gay is offended. Give me a freaking break. Purple? Some of his players are underperforming, so he wants them to stand out… so he makes ’em wear purple. So what. He’s not saying they are gay, or suggesting that they are less of a person by what the color purple. That’s asinine. I’m talking specifically to the Scarlet & Gay here, not the entire gay and lesbian community because I have to imagine that most rational people, regardless of their sexuality, agree with me on this one. This is all crazy talk. The apology, the need to apologize… all of it. Crazy.
What should Urban do? A different color jersey? God forbid he choose any color that any group of people could possibly be associated with and therefore be offended by, right? Green? Not unless Urban wants to finally profess his hatred of all Irish. Yellow? Sorry, that’s a bad Asian stereotype…nope. Red? No chance… bad Native American stereotype. Black? Uh-uh. Brown? Hispanics won’t like that. Blue? Sad people everywhere will throw a fit. Pink? Why? You hate supporting breast cancer, Urban? Orange? The citrus community will be in an uproar.
If this was the jersey he made his players wear… Scarlet & Gay has an argument. Otherwise? Shut the hell up, no apology necessary. You can’t claim a damn color.
-bp
[h/t uni watch]