Remember how dopey it was a generation ago when Dan Rather signed off his newscasts with 'Courage'. What on earth was he talking about? Nobody knows...but he took a word that at one time meant something real and honorably and noble and made it into a joke.
And a joke it has remained. We praise athletes for making a 'courageous' play...we laud actresses for their courage in taking off their clothes for a movie role (see Bates, Kathy)...and we laud politicians for 'courageously' making a vote on an issue that goes against what a high-spending donor would have wanted them to do. In truth, none of them act with anything like courage...we're just rather amazed that things have turned out the way that they did. Maybe 'surprise!' would be more like it.
So yesterday a future likely NFL player named Michael Sam came out and said that he was gay. The reaction? Overwhelmingly positive. We all knew that this was coming eventually, but in the past 24 hours we have seen countless stories praising him before he's played a single NFL down. Michelle Obama calls him 'inspirational.' His past success should be a 'guiding light' for all of us. And most of all? He's 'courageous'. His 'courage is unmatched'. And of course, he gets plenty of public support for all the courage he has shown and will show.
I've spent some time looking around the internet and have't seen a single negative story about Michael Sam. Yes, there is some thought that it will be a distraction, of course...but has there been a single story hating on him? Anybody come right out and said that it won't work? Any columnists demand that their teams not draft him because of his sexuality? Nope, nope, and nope.
Where, then, is the courage in this? Even as many Americans (including myself) still believe homosexual behavior to be a sin, there doesn't appear to be a single negative view of Sam portrayed in any legitimate media outlet. Even Fox News has reported it positively (even if they buried it enough that it took some time to find the link to this story). Nobody's going to lynch the kid for being gay. No fan will be allowed to scream something rude at him (like this idiot seems to have gotten away with). No teammate will be commended for saying he doesn't want him on his team (in fact, even the hint of bullying a kid based on sexuality got Richie Incognito suspended last season and means he will likely not play again, even as it appears the story wasn't really true).
In fact, this kid is now going to become a cultural icon. He may never be a great NFL player but he will always be the first openly gay NFL player, the Jackie Robinson of his time. I'd be certain that he will get at least a few select endorsements out of this, many more than a normal projected third-round pick might get. If nothing else he will continually be on the cover of SI, on given primary coverage by SportsCenter, and even make the front page of the New York Times?
Courage...it's really to throw that word out there, but where will the real courage be found? By somebody who still says that homosexual behavior is wrong, and endures the wrath of all those who will call him a bigot, a homophobe, or repressed. To speak what they believe to be God's will in this day and age...now that takes real courage.
