Discussion of Ron Brown's Political/Religious Views - 2015 Edition

[Elf]

 

 

 

 

An authority of the state? He was a running backs coach.

 

His evangelizing wasn't crap. Overdone? perhaps. Depends on who you ask. But make no mistake that he made players better. The proof was on the field every Saturday.

 

Who employed him? Was he not in a position of authority in his capacity as a coach? It's inappropriate for a person to use their position of authority to evangelize. It's not OK from a lowly bus driver for an elementary school, much less a teacher / coach.

 

I dare say that Ron Brown could have counseled the young men in his charge in a secular manner and you would have no problems with that but once he includes his faith, that's when the outrage begins.

 

Take a minute and think - really think - about what you just said. He was employed by a secular institution that is a part of a secular state to instruct student athletes. Explain why I would have an issue with a person in that position instructing in a "secular manner?"

 

Oh, I thought BEFORE I typed it. Maybe you should think, really think, about what I said before.

[Dbqgolfer]

Question: Would those who have an issue with Ron Brown mentioning his position at the University of Nebraska before the Omaha City Council have the same issue with a professor or other coach/staff member at the University stating his/her position with the University before speaking in the same forum but in favor of the ordinance banning discrimination based upon sexual orientation?

[Bowfin]

_{It's inappropriate for a person to use their position of authority to evangelize.}

 

You have "Freedom of Religion" confused with "Freedom from Religion" One exists in the Constitution, the other one comes from the Political Correctness of which Brown speaks.

[ShawnWatson]

I don't agree with much he says but he uses words instead of violence or intimidation to convey his thoughts so I respect that. I wish him and his family only the best in the future.

[bulletbait]

RB always seemed to be about what was best for the young men in his charge. He still has something to give and took and opportunity where he knows the HC will let him do just that makes sense to me. I wish him the best he's always been a class act!

 

While I ultimately agree with you, I think there's a distinction to be made in that Ron Brown was about was he thought was best for the young men in his charge. I happened to interact in a coach/young person way with Ron Brown several times ages ~10-17 while growing up in Nebraska and I definitely felt uncomfortable with his overt Christianity at the time. I know that you can be both a good person and non-Christian (specifically a non-believer), but I got the sense from Brown that he didn't agree with that on a fundamental level. It never came up overtly, to be sure, but all of his lessons were heavily couched in Christian moral terms. I understand why Riley, being from a more traditionally liberal part of the country, wouldn't have offered Brown a position with the team. Ron Brown is not a bad man. I think he holds incorrect views on homosexuality among other issues, but I also believe he is very similar to Tom Osborne in that he truly wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of young men, many of whom were troubled.

[Guy Chamberlin]

Question: Would those who have an issue with Ron Brown mentioning his position at the University of Nebraska before the Omaha City Council have the same issue with a professor or other coach/staff member at the University stating his/her position with the University before speaking in the same forum but in favor of the ordinance banning discrimination based upon sexual orientation?

 

Honestly? I would have less of a problem with a UNL professor speaking in defense of gay marriage because that's my personal viewpoint.

 

But I honestly wouldn't want Ron Brown fired for speaking his mind, either. I assume every university runs the full spectrum of personal viewpoints, and can't afford to hitch the institution to any single one. Ron Brown would, of course, be more famous than any UNL professor, and willfully played his Husker association for the attention it would bring, but that's another story. If a fellow Husker footballer had spoken in support of gay marriage, I would have found it pretty courageous. It won't be in a few years. Things are moving fast.

 

Key word remains freedom. Ron Brown is free to express his disapproval of gay marriage. But it is 100% not his business who marries who. Wasn't that long ago Ron Brown could have been thrown in jail for looking crooked at a white woman, and only the "politically correct crowd" would have come to his defense.

[knapplc]

Question: Would those who have an issue with Ron Brown mentioning his position at the University of Nebraska before the Omaha City Council have the same issue with a professor or other coach/staff member at the University stating his/her position with the University before speaking in the same forum but in favor of the ordinance banning discrimination based upon sexual orientation?

I'm guessing this was meant to be some "gotcha" deep-thoughts moment. Considering that is the policy of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, no, I would not have the same reaction. UNL specifically prohibits discrimination based on, among other things, sexual orientation:

 

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a public university committed to providing a quality education to a diverse student body. It is the policy of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln not to discriminate based on gender, age, disability, race, color, religion, marital status, veteran’s status, national or ethnic origin, or sexual orientation. This policy is applicable to all University administered programs including educational programs, financial aid, admission policies and employment policies. This policy is enacted in accordance with University of Nebraska Regent’s policy and with various federal and state discrimination laws including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

 

 

If a UNL professor spoke out against discrimination and cited their position as a member of the UNL faculty in the process, that would not be the antithesis of UNL's policy or mission. What Ron Brown did was the antithesis of that policy, and he was very rightly rebuked for it, very publicly. And that was the only response UNL could have had to Brown's asinine stunt of giving his address as Memorial Stadium, erroneously speaking as though he was imbued with the authority of the college he coaches for.

 

He wasn't. He was doing exactly the opposite of what his employer would want him to do, exactly the opposite of what his god would want him to do, matter of fact.

 

Now, if that professor spoke without the express authority of the University of Nebraska, and gave their address as Hamilton Hall, or Andrews Hall, yes I would have a problem with that. They would not be speaking for the University, they would not have permission to say those things with the implied authority of the school. That would be uncool. But uncool in support of human rights is a far cry from uncool in the suppression of human rights. Very different animals, the difference between jaywalking & drunk driving.

[zoogs]

I guess a more applicable thought experiment would be to imagine if a Nebraska coach citing his football platform and using Memorial as his address went to that city council meeting and advocated against something on the basis of Sharia Law.

 

Fine as a private citizen to speak your mind; not OK to affiliate the school with it.

[hskrNmo]

It sounds like Ron Brown should have joined Turner Gill at Liberty University.

 

There are jobs where a coach can be also be a minister to the young adults of the team but I don't think that place is at a state university.

I am surprised that University wasn't knocking his door down, now that you mention it.

[hskrNmo]

I cannot understand how a black man could testify in favor of allowing discrimination for anyone. Wasn't religion used as an excuse by some to separate the races? Some extreme evangelicals still majorly frown upon interracial relationships. So that's all very weird to me. Arent you supposed to hate the sin but love the sinner?

[tschu]

lol religion

[walksalone]

So, if he had to coach a kid that was gay, would he?

[strigori]

 

That interview reinforced my feelings about Brown. He's a good coach, but that sort of evangelizing crap isn't appropriate as an authority of the state. I'm glad he's gone, and I wish he'd been jettisoned by the university years ago.

 

As for feeling like his religious beliefs made him unwanted, I'm not surprised Brown feels that way. I do think he could have learned a new offense, too, but so can others who are on board with the recruiting grind.

 

Fundamentalists have an almost pathological need to feel like they're being persecuted, and they invent it when there is none.

An authority of the state? He was a running backs coach.

 

His evangelizing wasn't crap. Overdone? perhaps. Depends on who you ask. But make no mistake that he made players better. The proof was on the field every Saturday.

 

More people in this state recognize Brown than the Governor or their State Senator. And being a State employee that changes the dynamics. There are many businesses where he would have been outright fired after the appearance before the Omaha City Council.

 

I would also ask the question of how many players were driven off because of his zealot persona. I would not be able to work around Brown on a daily basis.

 

He was asked in the interview about non-religious players and his style. And his answer makes him a horrendous hypocrite. It amounted to "usually the player keeps his thoughts to himself" and was delivered in a manner than made it clear that was also the expectation if a player had a different opinion. Which by his own comments would make that player a coward. And people pick up on that sort of thing.

[strigori]

So, if he had to coach a kid that was gay, would he?

If the player met him during the recruiting cycle, there is no chance he would ever come here.

[chamrocck]

For some of those being surprised RB followed Bo to Youngstown, I am not too surprised. Turner Gill is at Liberty (a seemingly perfect fit) and I bet he'd say that is where God has called him to be. RB is going with Bo (a head scratcher didn't see that coming) and I bet he says that is where God has called him to be. Both are right.