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This is another installment of a series in which readers engage with USA TODAY Sports’ NFL Columnist Jarrett Bell. In some cases, the posted e-mailed letters have been edited for clarity, brevity and/or accuracy. Questions? Comments? E-mail: jbell@usatoday.com
This week, readers serve up feedback on the NFL’s decision to honor slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk with a moment of silence, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s brief tussle with a fan in Buffalo, and the classic comeback by the Bills in Week 1.
James Youngblood on Charlie Kirk: Regarding your comments that “Kirk’s platform routinely carried undertones of racism. Or homophobia. Or sexism.” Can you provide evidence of your accusations? Actual quotes. Not generalized interpretations. Unfortunately, you have allowed your biases to replace truth. Will you have the honesty and integrity to accept what Charlie Kirk actually said versus the twisted and hateful rhetoric you have unfairly accused him of? I hope you will be able to discern fact versus fiction. I pray you will be given wisdom and courage at this moment. May God’s love & mercy be with you.
JB: First, appreciate your prayers. And to that end, our entire nation is in need. I hope, regardless of where any of us spiritually or politically, we can agree in condemning Kirk’s death. The point of my column examined the NFL’s decision to incorporate a moment of silence for Kirk, and how I felt that it was insensitive to a significant number of players, coaches and staff. Did you see how he disparaged Black pilots, questioning their qualifications merely by sight? His comments were objectively verified. How he maintained that several prominent Black women didn’t have the brain processing power to be taken seriously? Also verified. His comments about Taylor Swift needing to “submit” to her future husband illuminated the message that he repeatedly delivered, that his best advice for women was to get married and have babies. In any event, it is not hard to find actual quotes attributed to Kirk by reputable sources. Yet it’s also apparent in this environment that misinformation and politically-charged narratives exist, including fuel from the White House. In writing my opinion about the NFL’s reaction, it was not prudent to whitewash Kirk’s complex legacy or ignore his offensive remarks.
Jim Stanton: I am a lifelong USA TODAY reader going back to my college days in the late 80’s. I appreciate how you cover the NFL. As for your article (about the messaging from the NFL associated with the moments of silence for Charlie Kirk), did the NFL do anything for the Minnesota lawmakers that were killed? I don’t recall seeing anything about that. I realize that it was not in-season. Just curious.
JB: The Minnesota Vikings indeed acknowledged the late Democratic Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman, who was slain with her husband, Mark, releasing a statement immediately after the tragedy in June that authorities regarded as a “politically motivated” assassination. There was not a specific moment of silence before a game. However, before their game against the Falcons on Sept. 14, the Vikings dedicated a moment of silence to the two children who were killed and the nearly 20 who were injured in the mass shooting at Annunciation Church and School in South Minneapolis on Aug. 27. While the team did not specifically name Hortman, Kirk, school children in Colorado or other victims of shootings in recent months, it referenced a moment of silence for all victims of recent gun violence in our country. Your point about the timing of the tragedy with Kirk and the NFL’s decision to have a moment of silence for Kirk before a Thursday night game in Green Bay is relevant, as it came before the first NFL game staged following his murder the previous day.
Dr. Steven Smith: You are either an idiot or a stooge. Not sure what is worse. Charlie Kirk invited discussion. Encouraged those that disagreed to sit in front. I’ve heard him speak, at least a dozen times. NO HATE SPEECH. He had 85 million followers (on social media), 3,500 high school, college chapters (of Turning Point USA), channeling Socrates. “Let’s talk about it.” He scared the left to death. He’s partly responsible for the Democrats self-destructing. Their reaction, the only play in their playbook, is dogma, scripted untruths. So, Mr. Bell...stupid, or stooge?
JB: Just two choices? I don’t disagree that Kirk inspired debate. And even though I disagree with many of his views – including his condemnation of Martin Luther King’s legacy and his position that the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination in public places, housing and employment, among other components, was “a huge mistake” -- I never attended any of his events. Yes, I am aware that he appealed to many people and acknowledge that he had a right to free speech. All that said, my opinion was not based on carrying water for a political party and certainly wasn’t in the spirit of spreading “scripted untruths,” as you put it. Your message, though, also underscored how personal insults are so often used by people in attempts to discredit certain points of view amid the spirit of debate. I’m not an idiot or a stooge.
Allen Millstein: Thanks for having the (courage) to write an accurate, objective column about the death of Charlie Kirk. It seems that in our current environment free speech doesn’t pertain to everyone. Always enjoy your columns, this one especially. Continued success.
JB: Appreciate your perspective. In covering the NFL over the years, the topics have gone beyond the game in many ways. One thing that’s apparent: The NFL means so much to so many people, which also speaks to the league’s opportunity as a social beacon and potential as a unifying force in our culture. While I don’t think the NFL always gets it right with its messaging, I sense that more often than it makes earnest attempts to appeal to its broad audience against the backdrop of its business model. Of course, part of my point in writing the column was to underscore the great responsibility the NFL has in its response to social and cultural situations that go way beyond the games that fuel the NFL’s standing as the most popular sports league in America.
Joseph Fish on Lamar Jackson’s celebratory shove: Clearly the Bills' fans were wrong tocontact any of the Ravens, but somehow the NFL has to stop massive celebrations, especially those taunting opposing fans in their vicinity. Again, the fans were dead wrong, but hey, keep it in the end zone. I'm a Giants fan, so I'm not used to seeing mass celebrations.
JB: The reaction of the Ravens quarterback, shoving a fan in retaliation after he was slapped on the helmet while celebrating close to the stands -- and after witnessing the fan similarly slap his teammate, DeAndre Hopkins – didn’t strike me as the impetus to ban mass celebrations. I certainly don’t think Jackson and his teammates were “taunting” the Bills fans. They were basking in their own moment, which happened to occur as they made their way back to the bench while playing a road game. That said, the fan, regardless of his state of mind and emotion attached to the team he rooted for, didn’t have the right to reach over the railing to strike the players. As Jackson concluded, it underscored a security issue – and what’s acceptable for fan conduct. Thankfully, the incident didn’t blow up and become a donnybrook. I’ve routinely seen security positioned on the field at many games, so maybe that’s where the emphasis should be focused in addressing the potential for incidents in the future. As for your Giants, maybe they’ll develop the proper etiquette for their celebrations as the “night-night” gesture from Malik Nabers surely proved to be premature optics during the latter stages of their loss at Dallas, leaving egg on his face after they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
Melissa H. on Buffalo’s classic comeback: You totally captured the thrill and excitement of the Bills-Ravens game. I’m from Buffalo and went to watch the game at a local favorite bar/restaurant with my friends. After lots of wings and disappointment, we left after the third quarter thinking the Ravens had it in the bag. A girlfriend asked if I wanted to catch the fourth quarter at another place. Well, what a total nailbiter and complete thrill the last five minutes turned out to be! The place was packed and going nuts with lots of beer and chants of “Hey-ey-ey-ey!” It reminded me of the thrilling 1990’s era back at Rich Stadium. We have been through it! I wholeheartedly agree that the game was so classic. And I LOL’d at “The Big Guy is a member of Bills Mafia? Who Knew?” Anyway, I just wanted to give you a shout-out and some Buffalove for a fun and well written piece. Go Bills!
JB: What a way the Bills to kick off their farewell season at Highmark Stadium, which is kind of like “Heartbreak Hotel” for the Ravens. Josh Allen, the Bills quarterback, made a point to the fans who left the stadium in the second half – have a little faith, he said – but it looks like you had the proper level of faith while not at the stadium. I feel the passion of Bills fans during each visit to Buffalo and expect that such a vibe will automatically transfer across the street to the new Highmark next year. In the meantime, the Bills’ quest to win the franchise’s first Super Bowl is so legit and as much as any team in the NFL, is so connected to the fan base. There’s also something to be said for the confidence that a team builds by coming through in crunch time. Will that be the case in January? We’ll see. Stay tuned.
Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on social media: On X: @JarrettBell
On Bluesky: jarrettbell.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: JB's mailbag: Readers sound off on Charlie Kirk, Lamar Jackson and a classic comeback
Reporting by Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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