Brendon Ayanbadejo's marriage stance scares Emmett Burns

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo supports same-sex marriage, to the point where he made a video about it.


This has pastor and Democratic Maryland House of Delegates Emmett C. Burns Jr. rather upset, to the point where he wrote a letter, on official letterhead, to Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti basically saying the Bisciotti should make Ayanbadejo shut up. (I couldn't pull the quote off the letter itself, but I found it here.)

"I find it inconceivable that one of your players, Mr. Brendon Ayanbadejo would publicly endorse Same-Sex marriage, specifically as a Raven Football player. Many of my constituents and your football supporters are appalled and aghast that a member of the Ravens Football Team would step into this controversial divide and try to sway public opinion one way or the other.
Many of your fans are opposed to such a view and feel it has no place in a sport that is strictly for pride, entertainment and excitement. I believe Mr. Ayanbadejo should concentrate on football and steer clear of dividing the fan base."

Now, let me tell you what Burns is upset about.

Burns' "tell" is in two parts of the quote above -- "Many of your fans are opposed to such a view" and "dividing the fan base." Maryland has a referendum on its law legalizing same-sex marriage coming up, and Burns is counting on football fans to be on his side, against same-sex marriage.

But if a member of the Ravens, a 6-foot, 1-inch, 225-pound linebacker no less, playing America's favorite macho sport, can come out in favor of same-sex marriage, maybe some of the fans might think, "Hey, maybe it's not so bad."

And that scares Emmett Burns.