A Matter of Respect
by Geoff Wolinetz

Jeremy Shockey, NFL footballer, is a cracker.

This is something Shockey proves unequivocally in an interview due to hit stands in today's issue of New York magazine, in which he calls current Dallas Cowboys and former New York Giants coach Bill Parcells a "homo." After word leaked out last week and the slur appeared on the cover of the New York Daily News, Shockey claimed, predictably, that his remarks were taken out of context. He will likely be reprimanded by his team and fined by the National Football League. In the end, he'll be right back where he started. No harm, no foul.

Except this time there is harm.

For the gay community, "homo" is as offensive as "nigger" is to the black community. If Shockey had remarked on African-American New York Jets coach Herman Edwards, calling him "nigger" in the process, would the editors of the Daily News have been as quick to put that word on the front page of their newspaper? Probably not, given that the backlash from both black and white people and society at large would be tremendous.

The Daily News, though a tabloid, is a respected newspaper with a wide circulation. So its decision to put the word homo on the front page of its Aug. 8 issue raises serious questions, not the least of which is: Why is homo, though clearly an insult, not beyond the pale of print? And what does Shockey's comment mean for the status of gays in this country?

Clearly, Shockey's intention was not to smear Parcells as a gay man. His aim was to call Parcells weak, less than a man. There are a number of far more traditionally offensive expletives that could be substituted here and still maintain the intention behind Shockey's remarks; "wimp" comes to mind right away. But he didn't choose any other word. He chose homo. And that speaks volumes about where respect for the gay community stands.

Indeed, Shockey's comment comes at an interesting time in our national debate over homosexuality, and the prominence of gay issues in the media certainly plays a role in this. Between the Lawrence v. Texas decision, President Bush's announcement that he would not support gay marriage, a similar condemnation from the Pope, a rift among Episcopalians over confirming a gay bishop and even the exploding popularity of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," gay rights are a high-profile issue. And while Lawrence certainly boosted gay rights in America, the decision is engendering a public backlash. The decision was made by a Supreme Court that properly determined its role in interpreting the Constitution; however, a large majority of this country doesn't applaud the decision, and many flat-out disagree with it, which explains recent polls showing a drop in support for gay marriage.

True, gay people aren't widely hated. But fear of a way of life that is foreign to a large part of this country plays a huge role. A lack of understanding prevents empathy, which is why homo doesn't have the same taboo attached to it as "wop," "kike" or "chink." Had Shockey uttered one of those words, he likely would have found himself keeping cultural company with former Atlanta Braves reliever John Rocker, whose comments to a Sports Illustrated reporter managed to offend just about everyone a few years back. Instead, his words generated only mild shock.

Ultimately, it comes down to respect. If there were respect for the gay community, Shockey would likely not have used the word, no matter his intention. The Daily News would not have put it on the front page. And there would not be an issue.