Ex-NBA Star Hardaway: "I Hate Gay People"

46. Gotta agree with Matty there - to a point. Gays I have no problem with. But I too am not fond of blacks - NOT because of their skin color, but because of their false sense of entitlement, constant whining about slavery, and their hip-hop culture that glamorizes immorality and criminal behavior. Basically, they just annoy the hell out of me. Therefore, I choose not to live around them. That's my right. If I want to live around people white as snow, then the burden is on ME to pick up and move, not to start a petition to get blacks out of my neighborhood or hurl hate speech at them.

I have never been rude to a black person, went out of my way to hurt them with my fists or words, I have never tried to deny them food, shelter or opportunitues. I just choose not to have them in my life and there isn't anything wrong with that.

There is however, something wrong with Hardaway's comments. Using the word 'hate' and suggesting that other teammates go out of their way to make gays feel unwanted and unwelcome and singled out for something they cannot change about themselves, is wrong. We all have an obligation to get along with everyone else, but that doesn't mean we all have to like each other - we just have to be nice, even if we don't mean it.

Posted at 1:04PM on Feb 15th 2007 by Concietta

47. Doesn't it AMAZE you that he is a college graduate? He sounds mentally retarded to me. To hate people because they're gay? He sounds like he's just a stupid idiot.

Posted at 1:48PM on Feb 15th 2007 by Paul Kline

48. FIRST AMENDMENT BABY, FIRST AMENDMENT! HE SAID WHAT HE FEELS. GOOD FOR HIM.
SHOW YOUR TOLERANCE "PEOPLE OF THE ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLE". IF YOU'VE GOT THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS YOUR VIEWPOINTS, SEXUALITY AND YOUR FREEDOM, SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE.
PARDON THE PUN BOYS BUT, "SUCK IT UP".

Posted at 1:08PM on Feb 15th 2007 by ANDY FILKINS

49. WHAT A COMPLETE FOOL!
I LOVE how he says that there shouldn't be any gays in the U.S.
I say throw his black ass back on the boat to Africa!!

Posted at 1:19PM on Feb 15th 2007 by I HATE YOU!

50. 'It's how he feels and even if it's not politically correct, it's his opinion and he's allowed to have one.'

Sure, people are allowed to have an opinion; even an incredibly Neanderthalic, pig ignorant and bigoted one.

He made these statements on a radio interview show, and should have every reason in this day and age to expect people to react adversely to such an anachronistic and hateful viewpoint.

What good is honesty without compassion?

F*** him and his lame-ass apology.

Posted at 4:40PM on Feb 15th 2007 by pjramphal

51. what gives him the right to hate people hes thinking only of himself and not the people hes hating by saying this racial remark... he should go straight to h***!!!!!!!!! now people on this blog is going to piss everyone off by expressing their self on hating (gays straights blacks hispanic whatever) THANK YOU TMZ YOULL LOVE STARTING SH** ON BLOGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ANYTHING YOU WANT THATS AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 11:07PM on Feb 15th 2007 by melissa

52. ~ Sorry, ya bright bulb, but being gay isn't a CHOICE. Have you completed grammar school yet, because you should KNOW that. If you can't believe the "media", than believe "THE SCIENTISTS". No one would choose to be one of the MOST discriminated people around based soley on who they LOVE, if they could CHOOSE it. Get a clue. How about treating all Humans like HUMANS. Now that's an original thought. If you support bigotry & racism, than you won't find anything wrong w/ this loser's statement, if think bigotry & racism are bad things, than you're probably apalled at the comments. Yes he has a right to say them, and I guess people have a right to burn crosses and where white hoods. That doesn't make it a good thing! Peace:)
14. I think it's funny. Now a days if you say anything negative about the gays you get beat up pretty bad. Just goes to show you the power of the media and hollywood trying to make it normal which it isn't. His use of the word hate is the only thing that I think he said that was wrong. If you don't like gay people that's fine. But to say you hate them yes that's wrong. Remember being black isn't a choice, gay is!

Posted at 1:15PM on Feb 15th 2007 by Middle America

53. What a piece of sh*t

Posted at 1:16PM on Feb 15th 2007 by Jon

54. Well I never herd of him. Black men are more homophobic than red neck white boys! I will think twise the next time. an African American Church is raising money for whatever reason. The church hates gay people and so whenever some church is selling crap at my door I will say NO THANK YOU.

Posted at 1:18PM on Feb 15th 2007 by stan

55. Considering the stigma placed on gay Black men/Afro American men I can see where the rant originated. I can also see that this guy is probably so far in the closet that he'll soon reach China.

Have you heard the term "on the down low"?

"Me thinks the brother does protest too much"

Posted at 1:21PM on Feb 15th 2007 by Just an average black girl..

56. Here we go again, another black man practicing his freedom of speech and he gets slammed by the white population. If it were a white man it would probably not have ended up on tmz.com. It really disgusts me that a man is degrated because of his skin color. The media tries to brainwash and convince everyone that homosexuality is natural and gays should have all these personal rights. Just because some of us are still sane and not deluted by the media and increasing disorder of homosexuality does not give you the right to challenge our beliefs. We gave you homos a finger and you want the hand, I live for the day when you're robbed of all your rights and put in mental hospitals.

Posted at 1:18PM on Feb 15th 2007 by TheTruth

57. if anyone in the public eye had said what matty above said. he would be destroyed. gay bashing is an allowed prejudice, still in this day and age.!

matty, that is the first thing i thought too, good for you for saying it!

Posted at 7:54PM on Feb 15th 2007 by kat

58. if anyone in the public eye had said what matty above said. he would be destroyed. gay bashing is an allowed prejudice, still in this day and age.!

matty, that is the first thing i thought too, good for you for saying it!

Posted at 2:05PM on Feb 15th 2007 by kat

59. 'I have never been rude to a black person, went out of my way to hurt them with my fists or words, I have never tried to deny them food, shelter or opportunitues. I just choose not to have them in my life and there isn't anything wrong with that.'

Uhhhhh........yes there is something wrong with that; it's called 'Racism' and it senslessly entails that one blindly despise a race different from one's own and baselessly suggests superiority over them.

Jesus Christ, what century is this?

Posted at 4:39PM on Feb 15th 2007 by pjramphal

60. I feel sorry for all the ignorant racists and homophobes out there. Truly, over 90% of them are at the bottom of the education and intelligence scale. But, the ones who voice their opinions in public show that they lack compassion, sympathy for others who are different from themselves, such as the poster who claimed how perfectly acceptable it is to hate street people, many who are mentally ill.

Posted at 1:34PM on Feb 15th 2007 by Requisite intelligence