The NFL has condemned a speech given by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker as "not those of the NFL as an organization." The statement from the NFL comes as a left-wing activist has started a petition attempting to have the team get rid of him claiming the religious NFL player made "hateful remarks" when he slammed President Joe Biden over abortion.
An NFL spokesman told People, “Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity,” Jonathan Beane said. “His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”
Willard Harris, the one who started the petition, seeking to oust Butker from his team, wrote that the player made "sexist, homophobic, anti-trans, anti-abortion and racist" comments in his commencement speech at the Catholic-affiliated Benedictine College.
He referred to Butker's commencement speech at the school, saying, "These dehumanizing remarks against LGBTQ+ individuals, attacks on abortion rights and racial discrimination perpetuate division and undermine human rights."
"We call upon the Kansas City Chiefs management to dismiss Harrison Butker immediately for his inappropriate conduct," Harris concluded in the write up for his petition. So far, the petition has gained over 100,000 signatures. Prior to this, Harris partnered with ActBlue in order to fund a left-wing campaign in the state of Missouri.
Harris's website linked to an inactive ActBlue donation page called, "The People's Future." Harris wrote a note on the page that says, in part, "The future of Missouri, the nation, and even the world may look bleak at the moment. It may seem like things are getting worse, living is becoming harder, and humanity is fading into the distance. However, there is a bright light on the horizon, and it's not the end. The only end we are witnessing is the end of elitism, corporate slavery, political corruption, and economic inequality."
During Butker's speech, he slammed Biden on the topic of advocating for abortion while the president has declared to be a devout Catholic.
"Our own nation is led by a man who publicly and proudly proclaims his Catholic faith, but at the same time is delusional enough to make the Sign of The Cross during a pro-abortion rally," he stated. "He has been so vocal in his support for the murder of innocent babies that I'm sure to many people it appears to many people you can be both Catholic and pro-choice."
Butker also spoke about what women are told in society about their career ambitions as opposed to motherhood.
"I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you," Butker said in the speech as well. "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. 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."
