One Brave Player Was All It Took for the NHL to Rethink 'Pride Jerseys'

Jonathon Van Maren-Opinion : Apr 3, 2023
LifeSiteNews.com

...Consider what this episode tells us for a moment: A single player, citing his beliefs, declined to wear a "pride jersey," and did so calmly, firmly, and without apology. Others, noting his example, soon followed suit. Now, the cowards who decided that it was low-cost virtue-signaling are reevaluating – just because one guy stood up and said no.

[LifeSiteNews.com] ...Back in January, Ivan Provorov of the Philadelphia Flyers politely declined to wear a "pride jersey" during a warmup game, citing his Russian Orthodox faith. Sports commentators were apoplectic, demanding that he be fined and punished harshly to ensure that he was cowed into literally wearing the flag of an ideology he disagreed with on his body. (Screengrab image)

Provorov played anyway, but barely had the foaming sports pundits toweled themselves off when players from the Minnesota Wild also decided that they didn't want to wear the LGBT flag during warmup. This time, the media response had a shrill, panicked edge to it. Was the herd moving? 

As it turns out, that may be the case. Last week, Florida Panthers players Eric and Marc Staal also turned down the "pride jerseys," stating: "We carry no judgement on how people choose to live their lives, and believe that all people should be welcome in all aspects of the game of hockey. Having said that, we feel that by us wearing a Pride jersey, it goes against our Christian beliefs."

So did James Reimer, the goalie for the San Jose Sharks, who wrote in part: "In this specific instance, I am choosing not to endorse something that is counter to my personal convictions which are based on the Bible, the highest authority in my life."

As the number of players refusing to wear "pride jerseys" continues to grow, some in the NHL are now beginning to think that the low-cost virtue-signaling may now be getting costly. From The Post-Millennial: 

League commissioner Gary Bettman said in an interview with CTV News when asked about the players that have refused to wear Pride-themed jerseys this season, 'This is the first time we've experienced that, and I think it's something that we're going to have to evaluate in the offseason.'

Citing religious beliefs, several players have declined to participate in pre-game warmups while wearing Pride-themed jerseys. Bettman told the outlet, 'This is one issue where players for a variety of reasons may not feel comfortable wearing the uniform as a form of endorsement.' The commissioner continued, 'But I think that's become more of a distraction now, because the substance of what our teams and we have been doing and stand for is really being pushed to the side for what is a handful of players basically have made personal decisions, and you have to respect that as well.'

The sports pundits and the LGBT movement, of course, have no respect for the consciences of these players whatsoever, and the reaction has been predictable. But consider what this episode tells us for a moment: A single player, citing his beliefs, declined to wear a "pride jersey," and did so calmly, firmly, and without apology. Others, noting his example, soon followed suit. Now, the cowards who decided that it was low-cost virtue-signaling are reevaluating—just because one guy stood up and said no... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

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