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Footage of a Fox Sports presenter making a homophobic comment has led to his dismissal.
Craig James, a former NFL who played with the New England Patriots in the 1980s, said during a debate that gay people would 'have to answer to the lord for their actions'.
He made the remarks in a debate in Texas during his failed run at the Senate in 2012.
The 52-year-old former ESPN sportscaster, who was only hired by rival Fox a month ago, told the debate that being gay 'is a choice' and that people who 'choose to do that' will 'have to answer to the Lord for their actions'.
The comments, which drew hearty applause from the audience, left Fox bosses with little choice but to cancel his contract 'with immediate effect'.
'Craig James will not be making any further appearances on Fox Sports Southwest's football coverage this season,' a Fox Sports spokesperson told Sports Illustrated.
Another Fox spokesman told the Dallas Morning News: 'We just asked ourselves how Craig’s statements would play in our human resources department. He couldn’t say those things here.'
James stepped down from his role as sports presenter on ESPN to run for the Senate as a Republican in 2012. He made the comments during a debate in April 2012 that was televised across Texas.
'People choose to be gay... I think its a choice, I do.' he said. 'Same sex marriage, if someone chooses to do that, that's done. And God's going to judge each one of us in this room for our actions.
 
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'And in that case right there, they're going to have to answer to the Lord for their actions.'
As the audience applauded, he went on: 'We should not give benefits to those civil unions. They should not occur. We have to stay strong on this, this is important, man.

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Homophobic: The 52-year-old former ESPN sportscaster, who was only hired by rival Fox a month ago, told the debate that being gay 'is a choice' and that people who 'choose to do that' will 'have to answer to the Lord for their actions'
Homophobic: The 52-year-old former ESPN sportscaster, who was only hired by rival Fox a month ago, told the debate that being gay 'is a choice' and that people who 'choose to do that' will 'have to answer to the Lord for their actions'
'I'll tell you what, we have a fiscal issue in this country... we also have a moral issue in this country.'
Hiring James a month ago, FSSW executive producer Mike Anastassiou said: 'We’re excited to add Craig to the FOX Sports Southwest team.
'He’s a talented broadcaster who I’ve admired throughout his career. His knowledge of college football and the experience he brings as an analyst will be a tremendous asset to our coverage.'
James is a polarising figure who was embroiled in Texas Tech University's 2009 decision to fire popular football coach Mike Leach over allegations the coach mistreated Mr James's son, a Red Raiders player, after he sustained a concussion.
He was also a member of the record-setting SMU football team in the early 1980s when the program entered a series of scandals that ultimately forced the NCAA to shut it down.
Former player: James carries the football on a two-yard touchdown run for the New England Patriots in a 1986 AFC Divisional Playoff Game
Former player: James carries the football on a two-yard touchdown run for the New England Patriots in a 1986 AFC Divisional Playoff Game
He later played for the New England patriots between 1984 and 1988.
From 1979 to 1982, Mr James was a star player at SMU and was part of the record-setting 'Pony Express' backfield with Eric Dickerson.
Though the Mustangs won Southwest Conference championships in 1981 and 1982, the team was also embroiled in several NCAA investigations.
In 1987, the NCAA hit SMU with the so-called 'death penalty' for repeated infractions, shutting down the program for a year after finding SMU had continued to pay players after promising in 1985 it would stop.
SMU also chose not to play in 1988 because the NCAA would have limited the Mustangs to only seven games, none at home.
The scandal is generally considered among the worst in college sports history. The sanctions levelled by the NCAA decimated the Mustangs program and SMU remains the only school to be given the 'death penalty'.
Mr James was never directly implicated in the NCAA transgressions and he has consistently denied any involvement.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2415860/Fox-Sports-commentator-Craig-James-fired-homophobic-footage-2012-emerges.html#ixzz2ePIXJ0t0
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What he said aside, Fox hired him after these comments had been made and they were made in a public forum so their research should have turned this up prior to any hiring. I really do not agree with their decision in this particular instance. Had this been something that was done during his tenure, maybe I feel different.

However, I disagree that the onus was on Fox to find out about the comments before hand and being they didn't they can't.      

If I ran the show I would not fired him for these comments, given the forum that they were made.  But informed him that he was on a very short leash to stay away from politics while employed by the show.

However, I disagree that the onus was on Fox to find out about the comments before hand and being they didn't they can't.  Particularly if as part of the hiring process they asked him something to the affect "we have a policy of non-discrimination at Fox Sports have you ever made any public comments that could be viewed as racist, sexist, homophobic, etc.?" And he replied, "no

I'm a bit confused by the grammar here but I think you are saying Fox isn't allowed to find out?

I'm a bit confused by the grammar here but I think you are saying Fox isn't allowed to find out? Employers do background checks on prospective employees all the time. This really doesn't even take much research as it was common knowledge he ran for office and this was widely televised by the article.

Where has he discriminated anyone?

Didn't say he did, but he certainly made statements that can be viewed as homophobic. 

Maybe classify it as hate literature?

Despite this being obviously facetious, it still represents the most rational statement I've heard from a Christian in years...

If that's the case then every single Christian is homophobic as it's in the book that they follow.

Outlaw the Bible then too are we?

It cracks me up that people pretend offense to his statements. I mean, when did not being politically correct become illegal?

Christianity has not changed so where was the outcry for the last 2000 years? Maybe they weren't as enlightened and liberated back in the day huh?

If that's the case then every single Christian is homophobic

If that's the case then every single Christian is homophobic as it's in the book that they follow. Outlaw the Bible then too are we? Maybe classify it as hate literature?

What is hateful?

"So the assembly sent twelve thousand fighting men with instructions to go to Jabesh Gilead and put to the sword those living there, including the women and children. 'This is what you are to do,' they said. 'Kill every male and every woman who is not a virgin.' They found among the people living in Jabesh Gilead four hundred young women who had never slept with a man, and they took them to the camp at Shiloh in Canaan."

"If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay the girl's father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives."

If that's the case then every single Christian is homophobic as it's in the book that they follow.

I mean, when did not being politically correct become illegal?

Christianity has not changed so where was the outcry for the last 2000 years?

Only some Christians interpret the Bible in a way to require that our government outlaw same-sex marriage.  Just as only some Christians interpreted the Bible in a way to require that our government outlaw interracial marriage.

There are many prohibitions in the Bible (e.g. worshipping false gods, coveting your neighbor's wife, taking the Lord's name in vain) that are not against U.S. law, and in fact are specifically protected by U.S. law.  Can you be a good Christian and allow the First Amendment to exist?  Why is "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (a commandment, mind you) an acceptable casualty to the First Amendment, yet some random verse in Leviticus must be protected at all costs?
As has been stated, no one is threatening to lock Craig James up, so the law is not in question.
Christianity has changed a great deal in the last 2000 years, sir.  I'm sure you're familiar with the Middle Ages...

You are purposely confusing the people say they are Christians.

The guy was fired for his religious beliefs.

he absolutely was NOT fired for his beliefs . .he was fired for giving his beliefs a public voice..

There is no freedom of speech when it comes to a private enterprise .. if you say something that reflects poorly on your employer they are within their rights to fire you no matter the source of that speech. That's all there is to it.. nothing more .. nothing less.

had he kept his mouth shut about the topic of gay marriage he wouldn't have been fired ..

Unfortunately this is correct.  It's the Fox news way of doing things - be a closet racist, homophobe, etc. with a wink and a nod, bring other people on to promote these topics, but stay just behind the curtain to avoid being labeled yourself.

You are purposely confusing the people say they are Christians.

Yawn ... you guys are so predictable. Another Christian attack on semantics instead of addressing the question. 


The guy was fired for his religious beliefs. Ironically his beliefs are the exact same as the majority of the company who fired him but he was in fact, fired for them. You can agree with them, or disagree with them but that what he was fired for.