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Tim Hardaway's quiet turnaround
Tim Hardaway was was a five-time NBA All-Star, and finished eighth all-time in average assists per game. And yet now when most people think of the former Miami Heat player, what first springs to mind are his February 2007 "I hate gay people" comments. His virulently homophobic rant occurred on a radio show. The interviewer brought up the recent coming out of John Amaechi and asked Hardaway how he would deal with a gay teammate. Said Hardaway, "I wouldn’t want him on my team." He added that he would shun a gay teammate and would not want him in the locker room. When the former basketball star was asked if he realized that his remarks were homophobic and bigoted, Hardaway responded,"Well, you know I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it." Who knows what he was expecting, but it is clear that Hardaway did pay a price for what he'd done. The NBA moved to distance itself from Hardaway, and Hardaway's employer Trinity Sports fired him.
Now comes news that maybe Hardaway is earnestly repentant about his hateful comments. He's been quietly showing up at the YES Institute, a children's advocacy group based in South Miami. The organization's mission statement: "To prevent suicide and ensure the healthy development of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and all youth by initiating dialogue, providing education, and creating support systems." One wonders if Hardaway's motives for developing a relationship with YES are entirely altruistic. (He was trying to launch a coaching career and his ugly homophobic ranting and seeming lack of contrition made him a less-than-desirable coaching candidate.) But the YES Institute does very good work and Hardaway's involvement helps to draw attention to the issue of LGBT teen depression and suicide.
And if all this is is just a PR move, it's a very smart one. The man deserves points for that. He's saying all the right things. When asked by AP why he began attending YES Institute discussion groups... "I just wanted to go in and get educated, that's all. Get educated on what I said and why I said those things. I'm working on understanding it now. I'm not really trying to make amends. I've been there trying to get help." Will this be enough to resurrect his tarnished image? What do AfterElton.com readers think? Submitted by on Fri, 2007-09-28 08:19. |
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Time will tell for Tim
I think only time will tell if Tim is serious about getting educated.
The cynic in me says it's a PR stunt but, over six months since the scandal, he's probably left enough time for it to be considered an altruistic move.
I don't want to skew this topic but people always seem to be surprised when gay men have prejudices. Some people seem to think that because we are in a minority that we don't have any. In my experience that is not the case.
What do you think? Have you experienced this reaction when/if you have displayed your own prejudices? Would you get educated about the people you are prejuduces against, to better yourelf?
It's funny that you would
It's funny that you would ask these questions because i was just thinking about Rosie's comments when she said that all Black people must support people like OJ because we don't have any other role models.
I'm also reminded of the flack that I recieved from some on this site when I compared her and Hardaway, after Hardaway explained that he was brought up to think he should be afraid of gay people. He was brought up with certain prejudices and preconceived notions about gay people, and it is up to him to become educated and to work to change those notions. That doesn't mean that he has to embrace all gay people, but it does mean that he has to start seeing gay people as actual people, and not some group where everyone acts and thinks the same way.
I think he is honest when he says he wants to learn, that's the same thing that he said in his last interview after the radio interview occured. So, at least he is open to learning, unlike a certain former talk show host.
I don't buy it for a second,
I don't buy it for a second, nor should anyone else. A priest wouldn't give a murderer five hail mary's and pronounce him forgiven. Hardaway probably received much pressure from the NBA and his sponsors and was forced to do something to remedy the damage he had done. One doesn't change his belief system in a matter of months.
All the money in the world couldn't buy him class and tact, so a few months of "penance" isn't going to remedy a lifetime of hate. He's not a man that I want on my side any way.
He doesn't work for the NBA,
He doesn't work for the NBA, and he doesn't have sponsors. He hasn't played for years, and at the time of his remarks, he was just doing appearances for the NBA during the all star game.
You really have a lot of venom built up against a person who you don't even know.
I might have a lot of venom
I might have a lot of venom but I don't think that you have enough. You might be the type of person who gives others the benefit of the doubt. I'm more cautious and perhaps more jaded.
I don't see the relevance, either, in questioning why I have such distaste for someone I don't even know. He's a public figure who made a career off of the public. He has some responsibility to be a decent human being and he's done very little to prove that he is. This wasn't some random schmuck who spread his hate in a room full of other schmucks. This was a celebrity...a public figure...a role model who expressed in no uncertain terms his hatred for gays in a public forum. Forgive me if I don't believe that a few meetings "cured" him of such hate.
Time may tell...but it might not either.
Long Term Commitment Needed
Believe me, he has no
Believe me, he has no pressure from the NBA to do this. David Stern (NBA commissioner) has pretty much banned him. He might be getting pressure from his agent or someone else, but he has to know his chances at working in the NBA are almost zero. I have a lot of problems with Stern, but he’s good about stuff like this. And it wasn’t like Hardaway was in a good position to be a coach, anyone who has ever heard his TV analysis knows why. Really, it just wasn’t that shocking that he said something that stupid.
Whatever happened to forgiveness?
If someone is trying to make amends for a past offense, shouldn't we give them the benefit of the doubt - at least until they demonstrate that it wasn't authentic and they aren't deserving of exoneration after all? >cough<isaiahwashington>cough<
After all, isn't that how we would hope to be treated ourselves?
Redemption and forgiveness
Redemption and forgiveness take a long time to achieve as I'm not of the notion both should be given automatically when someone requests so. However, this is a decent first step and he seems to have some understanding for the gravity of his words. As the author notes any contribution to the YES Institute is welcomed.
There's no need to give him an award or throw a parade for him but I'll give him credit where it's due. Time will tell if he has a true commitment to change for the better.
Many who earn money under the spot llights are.......
Many who earn money under the spot lights are.......