The Black Republican

It has just this minute been announced on ESPN, former All-Pro NFL defensive end Reggie White has died of a massive coronary.

This is clearly a very beloved man, as witnessed by the emotional reaction of the ESPN staff. And his death comes as a shock.

Andrea Kremer is now reporting that she recently spoke with Rev. White and he had explained how he turned away from his Christianity,had not been to a church for four years, and had begun studying Judaism; as she related, he was a spiritual man who was exploring another religion in an effort to get it right.

In March 1998 Mr. White created a controversy with this comment:

In comparing the gay rights movement to the civil rights movement, he said, "Homosexuality is a decision. It’s not a race."

His reaction to the controversy:

Reggie says that despite the problems he’s faced since that speech in Wisconsin, he will continue to speak out. "The greatest lesson I’ve learned is that too many of us don’t want to suffer, and we let people back us down from what we believe in," he says. "The Bible constantly says that we should rejoice in suffering that comes against us.

"I understand that if I’m not stirring the pot up, if people are not mad at me because of the way I live and the things I say, that means I’m doing something wrong."

Godspeed Reggie White.

Update: Jerry Brewer has a curious take on the above comments.

Certainly, we should be wise and know that, regardless of our religious beliefs, there is nothing holy about condemnation of others.

Where is the condemnation in White's remark? Surely Mr. Brewer doesn't believe that homosexuality is a race, does he? And, why would it be a condemnation to point out this obvious fact? The debate is open on whether homosexuality is a choice or is born into a person; neither position seems a condemnation though. Very curious.

FTR: Now comes news that the original word on cause of death was wrong, his death is now attributed to respiratory problems.