Harrison Butker is speaking out after his commencement speech went viral.
While speaking at the Courage Under Fire gala in Nashville, Butker addressed the response is speech received, saying, “If it wasn’t clear that the timeless Catholic values are hated by many, it is now,” Butker said, according to CNN.
“Over the past few days, my beliefs, or what people think I believe, have been the focus of countless discussions around the globe. Many people expressed a shocking level of hate. But as the days went on, even those who disagreed with my viewpoints shared their support for my freedom of religion.”
He continued, referencing the Book of Daniel.
“I can’t help but tremble at the thought of the courage many saints have shown in their lives. Would I be so bold if the repercussion was what Daniel faced in being fed to lions?”
“Any courage I’ve shown will lead to some small suffering. And it will lead to some people maybe never liking me, but that could be God’s will,” he added.
Butker’s remarks comes after Travis Kelce opened up about his teammate’s infamous commencement speech.
Earlier this month, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker gave a commencement speech at Benedictine College, in which he made controversial statements toward equality and women.
Now, in the newest episode of his and Jason Kelce’s podcast, Travis is speaking out on Butker’s statement.
“I’ve known him for eight-plus years and I cherish him as a teammate. I think Pat said it best where he is every bit of a great person and a great teammate. He’s treated family that I’ve introduced to him with nothing but respect and kindness. And that’s how he treats everyone,” Travis began.
“When it comes down to his views and what he said at Saint Benedict’s commencement speech, those are his. I can’t say I agree with the majority of it or just about any of it outside of just him loving his family and his kids,” he continued.
“And I don’t think that I should judge him by his views, especially his religious views, of how to go about life. That’s just not who I am.”
Travis added that it was because of his upbringing that he feels this way. “I grew up in a beautiful upbringing of different social classes, different religions, different races and ethnicities, in Cleveland Heights, and that’s why I love Cleveland Heights for what it was. It showed me a broad spectrum, just a broad view of a lot of different walks of life.”
“And I appreciated every single one of those people for different reasons, and I never once had to feel like I needed to judge them, based off of their beliefs.”
Travis then praised his parents for being both homemakers and hard working parents while raising him and Jason.
“They were unbelievable at being present every single day in my life,” Kelce said. “That was a beautiful upbringing for me. I don’t think everyone should do it the way that my parents did, but I certainly, thank my parents and love my parents for being able to provide and making sure that home was what it was, because I’m not the same person without both of them being who they were in my life.”
Jason in large part agreed with Travis. He also spoke on behalf of his wife Kylie Kelce saying that she found parts Harrison’s speech frustrating.
Jason went on to respond to a question he received a lot from people following Harrison’s speech, asking him how he would feel if his three daughters were subjected to Harrison’s words after earning a degree.
To which Jason said if his daughters stop following their dreams after listening to some person on a stage telling them what they can’t do, then it was he who failed as a parent.
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