Bill Maher Defends Harrison Butker

Janet Van Ham/HBO via AP

Harrison Butker set off many people with his very traditional commencement address to the graduates of Benedictine College. 

A record 485 seniors graduated at Benedictine College's May 11 Commencement. It is a private Catholic college in Kansas. The college was established in 1971 by the merger of St. Benedict's College for men and Mount St. Scholastica College for women. 

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Butker is the kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs. He's a popular member of the team. Butker's jersey is one of the best-selling jerseys in the NFL. His commencement address drew fire for his traditional vision of marriage. 

It is crazy that a traditional marriage-supporting NFL star is still getting blowback for the speech that he delivered last weekend. Butker boldly criticized President Biden, a self-declared devout Catholic, for making the sign of the cross during a pro-abortion rally. He spoke out against the transgender agenda. He praised his wife for embracing her role as a homemaker and mother. 

The graduates gave him a standing ovation.

Butker's words shouldn't have been a surprise at a Catholic college as he spoke to a Catholic audience. Yet, here we are.

Bill Maher wondered what the big deal was over Butker's speech. He said he doesn't see "what the big crime is." 

"I can't express how much this guy is not like me," Maher said during a panel discussion Friday. "He's religious. He loves marriage. He loves kids… And he's now history's greatest monster."

"Again, I don't agree with much with this guy, but I don't get the thing. He said… ‘Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world.' Ok, that seems fairly, like, modern. ‘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 don't see what the big crime is. I really don't." 

"And I think this is part of the problem people have with the left is that lots of people in this country are like this. Like he's saying some of you may go on to lead successful careers, but a lot of you are excited about this other way that people- everybody used to be. And now can't that be a choice too?" Maher continued.

"And I feel like they feel very put upon, like there's only one way to be a good person and that's to get an advanced degree from one of those a-- h--e factories like Harvard." 

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Maher is right. Harrison Butker is under fire for supporting traditional marriage and how stay-at-home moms contribute to family life. That's a no-no for many on the left. What has been disgusting are some reactions against Butker, like the NFL. 

"Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity. 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," said NFL DEI officer, Jonathan Beane.

 "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."

The NFL can take a seat. They turn a blind eye to players who abuse women and then criticize a player who praises women, especially his wife. Butker got choked up as he spoke about her, someone he met in middle school. 

There is an online petition in support of his termination from the team. He's been doxxed by the left. Kansas City got in on the action against Butker. Then the city apologized for its "error" when it got caught.

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How about this one from Eddie Vedder?

Stay-at-home moms and homemakers are strong women. It's insulting when the left shows their disregard for women. The whole point of the women's rights movement was supposed to be that women should be able to make choices in their lives, including working outside the home while raising children. 

Those of us who were fortunate enough to be able to stay at home to raise our children know that it is not a job for weak women. It is the hardest job around and the most gratifying. I'm college-educated. I have worked since I was 14 years old. When my late husband and I decided to start a family, we agreed I would stay home because it worked best for us. He traveled the world for work and it was important to us to have one of us stay home. Most of my friends were like me - college-educated and doing what was best for their families. It wasn't easy. The reason so many women work outside the home when they are raising children is that it takes two incomes to live comfortably. Most stay-at-home moms must make sacrifices and stretch the budget to make it work. 

The commencement address wasn't some kind of misogynist screed against women. He honored women and the importance of raising children. That is something sorely needed now. There is a decline in the fertility rate. 

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We'll see if this story continues this week. I think most people criticizing the speech didn't bother to listen to it. What is ironic is the reaction by the pro-Hamas left. They support Hamas but are ignorant of how Hamas treats women. Do they think women live as free human beings in Gaza? They are useful idiots for anti-Israel fanatics. 

Butker's jersey is currently marked as sold-out. Heh.


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