Everybody Loves Raymond star Patricia Heaton is defending NFL athlete Harrison Butker against criticism after he delivered a commencement speech at Benedictine College promoting traditional gender roles and Catholic values.
In a recent Instagram post, Patricia Heaton argued that the Kansas City Chiefs player is entitled to express his views.
“The guy is espousing his own opinions and Catholic doctrine… um, so what? It’s his opinion. He can have one. He’s allowed. He’s not a monster for stating what he believes,” the actress said in the video.
During his speech at Benedictine, a Catholic school, Butker exhorted men to embrace their masculinity while encouraging women to pursue motherhood and homemaking. He also criticized President Joe Biden for his pro-abortion platform.
He also said that gay Pride month represented “deadly sins.”
This was apparently too much for some to handle, resulting in growing calls for the Kansas City Chiefs to fire him. Even the NFL has distanced itself from his remarks.
The NFL’s diversity and inclusion officer Jonathan Beane said that Butker’s values are not the NFL’s.
However, others — including some on the left — have publicly defended Butker’s First Amendment rights. These include The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg and comedian Bill Maher.
“He’s at a Catholic college. He is a staunch Catholic. These are his beliefs, and he’s welcome to them. I don’t have to believe them. I don’t have to accept them,” Goldberg said.
