Much Ado About Nothing

CNN's Roland Martin

CNN commentator Roland Martin had taken to Twitter during the Superbowl to share his thoughts with his followers but it got him in trouble. Martin has been suspended by CNN indefinitely for tweeting the following:

 "real bruhs" would not purchase underwear advertised by Beckham, and that people should "smack the ish out" of a male supporter of the ad"

and this:

"Who the hell was the New England Patriot they showed in a head to toe pink jumpsuit? Oh he needs a visit from #teamwhipdatass"

Though I don't know what Martin's intentions were when he tweeted these comments but I know that what a public figure puts out on Twitter can get them into a lot of trouble.  The gay and lesbian watchdog group GLAAD raised a whole lot of fuss about Martin's tweets which they called homophobic and anti-gay.

Of course Martin has to apologize because he wants to go back to CNN but I've heard worse things said about gay men and lesbians and have not heard a word from GLAAD. I don't think Martin's comments were homophobic at all.

First of all, I watched the Superbowl with a male friend and happened to see the David Beckham underwear ad. Jokingly I asked my friend "Are you going to buy some of those?" He gave me the side eye. He wasn't impressed with the Beckham ad either. The fact that my friend dismissed Beckham's underwear ad doesn't mean he is homophobic, he just doesn't like David Beckham. There isn't much more to it than that.

Secondly, pink isn't one of those colors that men can wear. It looks fine on pubescent girls but not so much on grown-ass men of any age.  Nothing homophobic about that. You couldn't get any man I know, okay maybe one, into pink let alone a pink jumpsuit. Just because I believe this doesn't make me homophobic or anti-gay either.

Sometimes I think people read too much into what other people say  especially when it comes to race, gender and sexual orientation. Sometimes we just need to step back. I'd like to see the GLAAD folks channel their energy into what they do best, being a watchdog and advocate for gay men and lesbians. I think they made a mountain out of a molehill with Roland Martin's Twitter comments.  If you don't like what someone says you always have the opportunity to turn the channel, turn the page or hit the off button. I hope Roland Martin gets to go back to CNN soon.