Whoopi Goldberg has spoken out in support of Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker following his controversial commencement speech at Benedictine College’s graduation.
Butker’s 20-minute speech, which touched on gender roles, LGBTQ+ rights, and abortion, sparked significant backlash, culminating in a petition for his removal that gathered over 115,000 signatures. Goldberg compared Butker’s situation to that of Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who knelt during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality.
“I like when people say what they need to say,” Goldberg stated. “He’s at a Catholic college, he’s a Catholic. These are his beliefs, and he’s welcome to them. I don’t have to accept them. Just as we respect Colin Kaepernick’s actions, we should respect those with different ideas. I’m OK with him saying whatever he said.”
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Goldberg’s cohost, Sara Haines, expressed her discomfort with calls for Butker’s removal from the Chiefs, despite her disagreement with his views. However, she criticized the comparison to Kaepernick, arguing that Kaepernick stood up for the rights of many, while Butker’s comments were seen as disparaging to others and divergent from mainstream Catholic beliefs.
Haines contended that Butker was not embodying Christian principles by using his platform to oppress others, according to ENews.com.
During his speech, Butker suggested that women might be more excited about marriage and motherhood than their careers. “I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you,” Butker said. “Some of you may go on to lead successful careers, 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 further commented on his wife Isabelle’s life, saying, “I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”
