Kobe Bryant Gay Bashing or Not Thinking?

Was Kobe Bryant bashing gays or just not thinking? A combination of both? If you haven't heard, NBA star Kobe Bryant opened mouth and inserted foot big time recently during a televised NBA game. If you watch the Kobe Bryant alleged gay slur video, it does appear that Kobe voices his approval of the ref by calling him a phrase that can't be written here. If you want to see the words, with certain letters blurred out, check this story out on TMZ. If you want to see the actual Kobe Bryant alleged gay slur video, click here. So what was Kobe thinking? Or was he thinking at all? I am sure that question has crossed the minds of many people-straight or gay over the past several hours as ESPN Sportscenter and TMZ blast the story to millions.

Kobe was mad and tossed out a phrase that can only be described as homophobic. In these ultra sensitive times, perhaps a packed NBA game that was on television wasn't exactly the forum to throw out those words. That's a silly understatement. There probably isn't a good time to ever say what Kobe said. But if anything, maybe it provides a moment where many of us who saw the incident or have read about it can discuss it and what it meant or didn't mean. Maybe we can all learn something from this incident.

Kobe was visibly upset. He was ticked at a ref. In basketball or any other sports, one of the lowest verbal blows a competitor can do to his fellow male is belittle his manhood. The term Kobe used is a horribly politically incorrect term that has been tossed around for ages by young men. It's the kind of term that makes it hard for people who are gay to grow up and come out early. It's the type of "macho" man insult that is meant to make a fellow man feel like a girl. Perhaps Kobe and others have tossed around this phrase for years without thinking of the repercussions of his actions. In other words, he used it as his game to trash talk at times. He would have been better off if he would have used the first curse word and followed it with "idiot." Instead, Kobe tossed out a word that doesn't make life easier for homosexuals. Sure, he probably didn't mean anything by it other than to lay a verbal blow on a ref who just called him for a foul. In the end, perhaps all of us will learn that this is a word that needs to be removed from our vocabulary.

But Kobe said it--and what's done is done. Bryant already apologized and I believe him that it wasn't meant in any relation to homosexuals. I think it was just one of those childhood things that Kobe should have left in childhood. It doesn't mean Kobe is a homophobic--just a horribly bad choice of words at an inopportune time.
It wasn't the right thing to say and I think the fine by NBA commissioner David Stern of $100,000 dollars was the right punitive action in such a case. Kobe plans to appeal the fine as standard protocol. Does that mean that Kobe doesn't realize the significance of what he said? It's probably more than likely just an attempt to get the amount of the fine reduced. $100,000 may seem like an insignificant amount of money to a guy like Kobe but is that amount of money ever insignificant?

Back to the heart of the story-I don't think Kobe is bashing gay people but his poor choice of words will certainly make a lot of people think about what they say. Perhaps that word will finally be dropped from the vocabularies of many. I never liked the term when I was younger because it seemed so hateful to such a large group of people. Kobe probably should have known better than to throw out that word. But it's done and let's face the fact that he said it and has apologized for it.

Nobody ever said pro basketball players were supposed to be spectacular with their words. They dunk, shoot and play incredible defense. That's just another reason why we shouldn't put stars on a pedestal for being great athletes. That doesn't mean Kobe should be considered a basher from this point forward and it certainly doesn't mean he can't be a great role model for kids. What does it mean? It just means, just like everyone else, Kobe is human and prone to mistakes and not entirely thinking through his word choice during the heat of the moment. He's also subject to hearing that word as a kid, repeating it and never questioning what the true meaning is.
If anything, maybe kids growing up who idolize Kobe will realize it isn't cool when they see this story wherever they tune in. The story will most likely always be attached with the fact that Kobe apologized and admitting he was wrong to use the term. I think in the long run that more good than bad will come out of this incident.
Hopefully the majority of homosexual community will see it that way, too.