A little over a week ago, Demario Davis, a linebacker and captain for the New Orleans Saints, wore a headband that read “Man of God.” It was visible even during the game.
Because he wore a personal message — and that’s a violation of the NFL’s extremely strict uniform policy — Davis was fined $7,017 for the infraction.
Was he punished for being Christian? Of course not. He was punished for breaking the rules regardless of the message. Obviously. Between stars taking a knee in prayer after a touchdown and attributing every successful pass or kick to the guiding hand of God, the NFL is nothing if not pro-religion. But the fine didn’t stop some people from treating Davis like a martyr for the faith.
Why so many empty seats at NFL games? Players who show disrespect for flag & Anthem are defended by NFL & get Nike contracts, but players who express their faith get fined big $$ for “personal messages.”
https://t.co/qvxyXEDUUe— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) October 2, 2019
It wasn’t just typical right-wing blowhards. At St. Louis King of France Catholic School (in New Orleans), students showed their support for David by wearing headbands that said “Child of God.”
If those headbands read “Child of Xenu” or “Child of Allah,” maybe more people would understand why it’s troubling. The bigger problem, though, was that this act was meant to show solidarity with Davis… even though he broke the rules. The adults at that school were teaching the kids the wrong lesson.
And yet it may have had an impact. Davis said yesterday that his appeal was successful. He won’t have to pay the fine.
I don’t mind the fine going away; it’s an idiotic rule for the NFL to enforce. But why did his fine get overturned? If his headband said “God doesn’t exist” or “I <3 Colin Kaepernick,” would the NFL be as lenient? Not a chance. That hypocrisy needs to be explained.
Davis is at least making the most of the situation. He’s donating the amount of the fine to a Catholic hospital in Louisiana (where his mother used to work) — on top of another $30,000 he raised from sales of that same headband. Not a bad way for him to look like the good guy in a story that really should be about how he wants special treatment.
But we still have no explanation from the NFL as to why Davis is allowed to break the rules while other players with personal messages on their uniforms would be punished. That’s Christian privilege for you.
(Thanks to Kealoha for the link)
