Totally insults what that barrier meant and stood for. Jackie Robinson had to perform and perform well amongst toxic racial tensions.

I don't think Jason Collins will get any death threats anytime soon.

Stupid comparison.

ChuckBuck wrote:Very very disrespectful to call Jason Collins the "Gay Jackie Robinson".

Totally insults what that barrier meant and stood for. Jackie Robinson had to perform and perform well amongst toxic racial tensions.

I don't think Jason Collins will get any death threats anytime soon.

Stupid comparison.

Dude was a fringe player that only remained in the league as long as he has because of his size, not his ability. Mainly bench fodder.

He will receive far more accolades this way than he ever earned as an NBA player. Players like him tend to fade quickly from our memory. He has found a way to stay relevant and likely gain more attention than he has ever experienced. No Jon Amechi can STFU because he now has Collins to point to.

blkexec wrote:

ChuckBuck wrote:Very very disrespectful to call Jason Collins the "Gay Jackie Robinson".

Totally insults what that barrier meant and stood for. Jackie Robinson had to perform and perform well amongst toxic racial tensions.

I don't think Jason Collins will get any death threats anytime soon.

Stupid comparison.

I agree.

If Collins plays again he might, wouldn't surprise me. I do agree that the Jackie Robinson comparison is way off.

ChuckBuck wrote:I don't think Jason Collins will get any death threats anytime soon.

Amechi received death threats when he was retired.

AnubisADL wrote:Who cares. From a money point of view it probably better to stay in the closet to get that endorsement money.

in HIS case, he will get more attention now than he EVER received as an NBA player.

DurzoBlint wrote:

Nalod wrote:

jrodmc wrote:I've now heard that Jason Collins is the next Jackie Robinson.

Seriously? Does that bother anyone?

Making a sacrifice for the embetterment of others who will follow.

He is the "Gay" Jackie Robinson. Jackie is a hero to the black community. Maybe Jayson is also.

We have all seen when some players get "squeezed" out on the court and what it can do to a career. No imagine because a man is gay he loses his endorsements and the trust of his team because of "ignorance". That is why no major athlete in a major league has come out. Like SupremeCommander wrote is true and while it shoudl nto be a big deal, it is!

Jackie was a hero but he also profited from being the first. He was not killed. He put himself in front of uglyness and was a Pioneer. Collins is a Pioneer as well. Jackie was no superstar player, others that came after him were.

Collins paved the way for another and at some point that player will be as good as the others and will do more.

Bottom line is we are far more comfortable in our 2013 integreated society than we were in the 1940's. People were uncomfortable with being around Black people for many ignorant reasons.

Not all Gay men want to be with all men. Just like a hetero wants to be with all women.

Not even close to Jackie Robinson. The comparison is likely disrespectful to Mr. Robinson's descendants.

both men were/are in a position to break down barriers based on deep-seated prejudices. robinson as a black man was trying to gain acceptance in a white-dominated society that feared integration. collins as a gay man is trying to do the same thing with a nation of all colors that clearly harbors the same fears and prejudices.

it's honoring jackie robinson's legacy and his family and descendant's are surely admiring jason collins's courage.

dk7th wrote:

DurzoBlint wrote:

Nalod wrote:

jrodmc wrote:I've now heard that Jason Collins is the next Jackie Robinson.

Seriously? Does that bother anyone?

Making a sacrifice for the embetterment of others who will follow.

He is the "Gay" Jackie Robinson. Jackie is a hero to the black community. Maybe Jayson is also.

We have all seen when some players get "squeezed" out on the court and what it can do to a career. No imagine because a man is gay he loses his endorsements and the trust of his team because of "ignorance". That is why no major athlete in a major league has come out. Like SupremeCommander wrote is true and while it shoudl nto be a big deal, it is!

Jackie was a hero but he also profited from being the first. He was not killed. He put himself in front of uglyness and was a Pioneer. Collins is a Pioneer as well. Jackie was no superstar player, others that came after him were.

Collins paved the way for another and at some point that player will be as good as the others and will do more.

Bottom line is we are far more comfortable in our 2013 integreated society than we were in the 1940's. People were uncomfortable with being around Black people for many ignorant reasons.

Not all Gay men want to be with all men. Just like a hetero wants to be with all women.

Not even close to Jackie Robinson. The comparison is likely disrespectful to Mr. Robinson's descendants.

both men were/are in a position to break down barriers based on deep-seated prejudices. robinson as a black man was trying to gain acceptance in a white-dominated society that feared integration. collins as a gay man is trying to do the same thing with a nation of all colors that clearly harbors the same fears and prejudices.

it's honoring jackie robinson's legacy and his family and descendant's are surely admiring jason collins's courage.

Nobody's trying to kill Jason Collins now...last I check there wasn't Gay only bathrooms, water fountains, restaurant sections or buses.

Bad comparison.

jrodmc wrote:

GustavBahler wrote:

blkexec wrote:

ChuckBuck wrote:Very very disrespectful to call Jason Collins the "Gay Jackie Robinson".

Totally insults what that barrier meant and stood for. Jackie Robinson had to perform and perform well amongst toxic racial tensions.

I don't think Jason Collins will get any death threats anytime soon.

Stupid comparison.

I agree.

If Collins plays again he might, wouldn't surprise me. I do agree that the Jackie Robinson comparison is way off.

So if he gets death threats, he's Jackie Robinson?

Is there any difference between Jackie Robinson's race and Jason Collins' sexual preference? Are they really the same thing? Did Jackie Robinson wake up one day and decide, hey, I've decided I'm a black man! Look at me everybody, I'm out of the closet!

Racial tensions? What is the heart of bigotry, as opposed to moral judgements? Is there any difference?

Jason Collins has made a decision on moral grounds. That's all it is. He gets his rocks off in a certain manner. Did he bother to tell us what religion he happens to prefer?

Does he get to decide what morals are to be acceptable for everyone else?

Yeah, I'm biased, but I'm honestly just asking.

You're reading too much into my comment. Getting death threats for taking a somewhat unpopular stand, doesn't instantly make you Jackie Robinson. Robinson was playing in the big leagues before the civil rights movement, the voting rights act, MLK, we still had segregation. Gays have made great strides recently as far as civil rights go so I don't believe the comparison is apt.

I do believe it was a courageous thing for Collins to do, I don't believe he as any other motive than to "start a conversation" as he put it. I'm sure it wasn't an easy decision for him to make.

I agree that Jackie Robinson comparison is journalistic hyperbole.

Doesn't take away that Collins represents a wider community of people who live in fear as targets for beatings, murder, and discrimination.

dk7th wrote:

DurzoBlint wrote:

Nalod wrote:

jrodmc wrote:I've now heard that Jason Collins is the next Jackie Robinson.

Seriously? Does that bother anyone?

Making a sacrifice for the embetterment of others who will follow.

He is the "Gay" Jackie Robinson. Jackie is a hero to the black community. Maybe Jayson is also.

We have all seen when some players get "squeezed" out on the court and what it can do to a career. No imagine because a man is gay he loses his endorsements and the trust of his team because of "ignorance". That is why no major athlete in a major league has come out. Like SupremeCommander wrote is true and while it shoudl nto be a big deal, it is!

Jackie was a hero but he also profited from being the first. He was not killed. He put himself in front of uglyness and was a Pioneer. Collins is a Pioneer as well. Jackie was no superstar player, others that came after him were.

Collins paved the way for another and at some point that player will be as good as the others and will do more.

Bottom line is we are far more comfortable in our 2013 integreated society than we were in the 1940's. People were uncomfortable with being around Black people for many ignorant reasons.

Not all Gay men want to be with all men. Just like a hetero wants to be with all women.

Not even close to Jackie Robinson. The comparison is likely disrespectful to Mr. Robinson's descendants.

both men were/are in a position to break down barriers based on deep-seated prejudices. robinson as a black man was trying to gain acceptance in a white-dominated society that feared integration. collins as a gay man is trying to do the same thing with a nation of all colors that clearly harbors the same fears and prejudices.

it's honoring jackie robinson's legacy and his family and descendant's are surely admiring jason collins's courage.

it MIGHT be loosely comparable had he come before his career was already over. Better yet, while in his prime.