GLAAD calls on CNN to fire Roland Martin for anti-gay Super Bowl tweets
Mon. February 6, 2012 10:34 AM by GoPride.com News Staff
Chicago, IL -
CNN's Roland Martin is under fire from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) for a series of anti-gay violence tweets made after the Super Bowl commercial featuring soccer star David Beckham.
"Advocates of anti-gay violence have no place at CNN or Time Warner," read a post on the GLAAD website.
The gay rights group is upset over a tweet Martin made following H&M's Super Bowl commercial featuring Beckham in his underwear.
"If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham's H&M underwear ad, smack the ish out of him! #superbowl," Martin tweeted to his nearly 95,000 followers.
Martin, who is a regular guest on CNN, later claimed that he was mocking soccer, not advocating anti-gay violence. Martin has not responded to requests for comment from GoPride.com andMetro Weekly.
GLAAD also took issue with another tweet sent from Martin, in which he made fun of a New England Patriot player who arrived wearing all pink. "Who the hell was that New England Patriot they just showed in a head to toe pink suit? Oh, he needs a visit from #teamwhipdatass," Martin tweeted.
"Martin's tweets today advocating violence against gay people weren't an accident -- they are a part of a larger pattern for Martin. Anti-gay violence in America is a serious problem facing millions of Americans. It's no joke. CNN should fire Roland Martin," said GLAAD in a statement.
Martin has made a number of anti-gay statements in the past. He has supported ex-gay programs and on his own website, Martin says he and his wife, who is an ordained Baptist minister, have "counseled many men and women to walk away from the gay lifestyle."
Martin is also founder and editor of BlackAmericaToday.com, executive editor of the Chicago Defender, the nation's only Black daily newspaper, and a commentator for TV One Cable Network.
An online petition calling on CNN to fire Martin has been posted at Change.org.
"Advocates of anti-gay violence have no place at CNN or Time Warner," read a post on the GLAAD website.
The gay rights group is upset over a tweet Martin made following H&M's Super Bowl commercial featuring Beckham in his underwear.
"If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham's H&M underwear ad, smack the ish out of him! #superbowl," Martin tweeted to his nearly 95,000 followers.
Martin, who is a regular guest on CNN, later claimed that he was mocking soccer, not advocating anti-gay violence. Martin has not responded to requests for comment from GoPride.com and
GLAAD also took issue with another tweet sent from Martin, in which he made fun of a New England Patriot player who arrived wearing all pink. "Who the hell was that New England Patriot they just showed in a head to toe pink suit? Oh, he needs a visit from #teamwhipdatass," Martin tweeted.
"Martin's tweets today advocating violence against gay people weren't an accident -- they are a part of a larger pattern for Martin. Anti-gay violence in America is a serious problem facing millions of Americans. It's no joke. CNN should fire Roland Martin," said GLAAD in a statement.
Martin has made a number of anti-gay statements in the past. He has supported ex-gay programs and on his own website, Martin says he and his wife, who is an ordained Baptist minister, have "counseled many men and women to walk away from the gay lifestyle."
Martin is also founder and editor of BlackAmericaToday.com, executive editor of the Chicago Defender, the nation's only Black daily newspaper, and a commentator for TV One Cable Network.
An online petition calling on CNN to fire Martin has been posted at Change.org.