America's Hungry for Mid-20th Century Values That Media Hates

A speech delivered a week ago Saturday by an NFL three-time Super Bowl winner brought out the media “crazies” like nothing else could.

Kansas City Chiefs placekicker Harrison Butker, a conservative Catholic, gave a conservative Catholic address to the 2024 conservative Catholic graduates, their conservative Catholic families, and the conservative Catholic faculty of Benedictine College, a Kansas conservative Catholic school, in which he promoted conservative Catholic values.

But to hear corporate media describe it, Butker delivered Nazi propaganda at a Hitler Youth rally.

He criticized President Biden for calling himself a Catholic while supporting abortion up to the moment of birth and making “the Sign of the Cross during a pro-abortion rally.”

Butker expressed his own preference for the traditional Latin Mass, something which the FBI claimed was practiced by “radical traditionalist” Catholics with possible ties to “the far-right white nationalist movement.”

He also criticized LGBT pride — “the deadly sin sort of pride that has an entire month dedicated to it.”

But it was Butker’s remarks directed to the women graduates that raised the loudest complaints.

He said, “Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”

He described his wife as “a primary educator to our children,” and “the one who ensures I never let football or my business become a distraction from that of a husband and father.”

He added that her “dream of having a career might not have come true, but if you asked her today if she has any regrets on her decision, she would laugh out loud, without hesitation, and say, ‘Heck, no.’”

Sixty years ago — maybe even 20 — no one would have thought anything of it. But not today.

The headline in a Kansas City Star opinion piece dated Friday said “The KC Chiefs should fire Harrison Butker and hire someone who kicks like a girl.”

They explained that this was "not a joke" and "for poetic justice after Harrison Butker’s Neanderthal outburst — and because the pipeline of talent is real — the Kansas City Chiefs’ next kicker should be a woman."

On Thursday, The Hill claimed that Butker was “telling women that their rightful place is in the kitchen.”

This earned a Community Note from Twitter/X, which said, “Butker did not tell women their place is in the kitchen. He said, ‘[A]ll of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.’”

Friday on CNN Jim Acosta asked, "is there a double standard here? I mean Colin Kaepernick … takes a knee to protest police brutality and gets banned from the NFL,” whereas “Harrison Butker gives this speech, goes wide right to so to speak and the NFL said ... no big deal. I'm sorry, what?"

The league didn’t ban Kaepernick. He left the 49ers to become a free agent, but no one wanted to hire a so-so quarterback with a chip on his shoulder.

However, the NFL issued statement condemning Butker’s speech against homosexuality, abortion and for allegedly criticizing women in the workplace.

But getting away from the media buzz the opinions change.

Gracie Hunt, the daughter of Kansas City Chiefs owner and Chairman Clark Hunt, was approached at a local Baptist church pickle ball game and asked for her opinion.

“I can only speak from my own experience,” she said. “I have the most incredible mom who had the ability to stay home and be with us as kids growing up. I understand that there are many women out there who can’t make that decision, but for me and my life, I know that this was really formative in shaping me and my siblings to be who we are.”

She added that she understood Butker’s message, and said, “I really respect Harrison and his Christian faith and what he’s accomplished on and off the field.”

Even left-leaning comedian and talk show host Bill Maher questioned the controversy.

"I don't see what the big crime is,” he said. “I really don’t."

But in addition to being a liberal, Maher is 68 years old — he comes from an era when people weren’t so easily offended.

Most telling of all, regular folks showed their approval where it counts — with their wallets.

As of Thursday, Butker’s Number 7 jersey was the top seller among both men and women, even outpacing Chief's star quarterback Patrick Mahones.

The problem with media may be that it lives within its own bubble — hearing only opinions from like-minded individuals.

Maybe they should do the “man-in-the-street” interviews that were popular back in the day. They could even learn something in the process.