In a piece for USA Today, Domonique Foxworth, president of the NFL Players Association, says that it would be in the best interests of all Americans for the Supreme Court to strike down discriminatory legislation that denies gay and lesbian couples the right to marry. And he argues that the tradition of athletes means standing up for what's right.
Athletes have long been among the most prominent agents for social change. We are proud of our role on the front lines of civil rights. We have stood up for issues that are bigger than the game we play, and though the topics debated may change over the years, the principle is the same: We fundamentally believe that all people deserve equal rights.
That is why, as president of the NFL Players Association, I'm standing with the majority of Americans who support the freedom to marry.
This simple endorsement of equality might surprise some people. After all, recent headlines around the NFL have focused on a preoccupation with draft eligible players' sexual orientation. And, of course, we have yet to count an openly gay player among our teammates. Nonetheless, many NFL players see what everyone else in this country sees — the growing support for marriage equality. We believe that denying people basic rights and protections simply because of who they are and whom they love is wrong. It's an unconstitutional breach of our right to equal protection under the law.
Read Domonique Foxworth's entire piece at USA Today.
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