Latest news with #BenedictineCollege
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
City of Kansas City worker says she was targeted after viral Harrison Butker Tweet
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Andrea Watts, a Black woman employed as a senior administrative assistant and social media specialist with the City of Kansas City, is suing the city under the Missouri Human Rights Act (MHRA) and Missouri's whistleblower statute. Watts claims she was subjected to ongoing discrimination based on race, sex and disability. She claims she experienced a hostile work environment and retaliation and was wrongly blamed for a controversial tweet made from the city's official account referencing Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker and his residence. Download WDAF+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV Butker delivered a commencement speech at Benedictine College on May 11, 2024, which sparked significant controversy after he promoted traditional gender roles and conservative Catholic views. On May 15, 2024, the official City of Kansas City X account posted: 'Just a reminder that Harrison Butker lives in the City of Lee's Summit' After the tweet about Butker went viral, the lawsuit claims Watts was falsely accused online of posting it. According to the lawsuit, she became the target of racist, sexist and violent threats, including death threats and doxxing. Despite internal knowledge that Watts did not post the tweet, the city failed to publicly clear her name, the lawsuit claims. Her LinkedIn profile, personal address and pictures were circulated online, and someone even uploaded a picture of a Black woman who had been lynched outside of her previous home, along with her name. According to the lawsuit, Watts reported that she was being discriminated against and harassed through her employment, which is a violation of the law (the MHRA and the city's policy against discrimination and harassment). The lawsuit says that by the time Watts met with supervisors, dozens of news organizations had written stories about the tweet. Watts repeatedly asked the city to issue a public statement clearing her name. Watts said, despite knowing she wasn't responsible for the tweet, the city never publicly identified her as innocent. The mayor, city manager and assistant city manager made general statements but did not mention her by name, which she argues allowed the threats and harassment to continue. The lawsuit claims she was not offered protection, housing support or assistance to remove her personal information from the internet. View the latest headlines from Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas at According to the lawsuit, she was retaliated against at work, with her duties restricted, communications cut off by supervisors and her mental health accommodation initially denied. Watts said she was also excluded from social media team meetings. The lawsuit says she developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from the incident and the workplace hostility she experienced. FOX4 reached out to the city, which said they do not comment on pending litigation. Their response to the lawsuit is due on June 21. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas City Chiefs kicker meets with Trump
President Trump met Thursday at the White House with Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, a supporter of the president who sparked backlash last year with a controversial commencement speech. White House aide Margo Martin posted a photo of Butker and Trump in the Oval Office on social media with the caption, 'The GOAT of kicking @buttkicker7 meets the GOAT of Presidents @realDonaldTrump.' A White House official did not disclose the reason for Butker's visit, but said Trump 'couldn't have been happier to say hello.' Butker endorsed Trump during the 2024 campaign and has been outspoken about his views opposing abortion. The Chiefs kicker made headlines last May when he encouraged the women in attendance at the Benedictine College commencement ceremony to 'embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.' Butker was among the Chiefs players who visited the White House last year and met with President Biden after they won their second consecutive Super Bowl. The Chiefs lost their bid for a third consecutive Super Bowl victory earlier this month, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles, 40-22. Trump had picked the Chiefs, who were the betting favorite, to win the game. Updated at 12:12 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chiefs' Harrison Butker on controversial commencement speech: 'I don't feel the need to apologize'
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker is looking back at his controversial Benedictine College commencement speech with no regrets. In May, Butker made headlines for his remarks to the Catholic liberal arts college's graduating class. During the speech, he criticized Pride Month, IVF and the 'most diabolical lies' the women graduates have been told, adding that he guessed a majority of the female students were 'most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.' Almost a year later, Butker is addressing his divisive words again as he and his teammates prepare to face off against the Philadelphia Eagles in the upcoming 2025 Super Bowl. Days before the game, Butker and other players arrived in New Orleans — where the Super Bowl will take place at Caesars Superdome — for a media event. As he took questions from different reporters, the 29-year-old spoke about the backlash he has received for his stances over the past year. 'It was a surprise because I'd been saying similar things to that for many years now and it's funny what stuff gets picked up,' Butker said, according to the Associated Press. 'I said what I said. I believe in it. I don't feel the need to apologize for anything.' He added, 'I feel like God's prepared me for that moment to feel confident in who I am and what's most important in my life and I'm able to handle whatever comes my way.' The AP also reported that one journalist asked Butker, 'What do you think about gays?' He replied, 'I understand that this is a great evening and we're here to focus on the game. Maybe if I saw him without a camera, we'd have a great conversation.' Following his viral speech, fellow athletes like Serena Williams, a group of nuns associated with Benedictine College, the Los Angeles Chargers and multiple others weighed in to mock and reject Butker's remarks. Speaking about the extra attention he received, he said, 'There's been a lot that's gone on and I never expected to be this known, I guess, as a kicker.' Butker had previously reacted to the backlash in August, prior to the start of the season. 'I've been in the league now seven years and I do have a platform,' Butker said while speaking to reporters at a Chiefs training camp. 'So with that comes people that want me to state what I believe to be very important.' He didn't waver on the messages he shared in his speech. 'I'm going to stand behind what it is I'm saying. I kind of look at the offseason as a little bit of a maybe five-month period where I can just represent me as Harrison Butker, as a faithful Catholic,' he said. 'And then obviously when it gets to the season, I try to focus as much as I can on football and not being a distraction for the Chiefs.' Teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce also responded to Butker's speech last year. Mahomes said, 'I know Harrison. I've known him for seven years and I judge him by the character that he shows every single day and that's a good person. That's someone who cares about the people around him, cares about his family and wants to make a good impact in society.' He added that he didn't 'necessarily agree' with Butker's views. On a May episode of his 'New Heights' podcast, Kelce said, '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 and family that I've introduced to him with nothing but respect and kindness. And that's how he treats everyone. 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. 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.' Meanwhile, the NFL gave a statement clarifying that Butker's opinions did not reflect the league's beliefs. 'His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger,' Jonathan Beane, the NFL's senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, said in a statement. Beane also noted that Butker 'gave a speech in his personal capacity.' This article was originally published on
NBC News
05-02-2025
- Sport
- NBC News
Chiefs' Harrison Butker on controversial commencement speech: 'I don't feel the need to apologize'
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker is looking back at his controversial Benedictine College commencement speech with no regrets. In May, Butker made headlines for his remarks to the Catholic liberal arts college's graduating class. During the speech, he criticized Pride Month, IVF and the 'most diabolical lies' the women graduates have been told, adding that he guessed a majority of the female students were 'most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.' Almost a year later, Butker is addressing his divisive words again as he and his teammates prepare to face off against the Philadelphia Eagles in the upcoming 2025 Super Bowl. Days before the game, Butker and other players arrived in New Orleans — where the Super Bowl will take place at Caesars Superdome — for a media event. As he took questions from different reporters, the 29-year-old spoke about the backlash he has received for his stances over the past year. 'It was a surprise because I'd been saying similar things to that for many years now and it's funny what stuff gets picked up,' Butker said, according to the Associated Press. 'I said what I said. I believe in it. I don't feel the need to apologize for anything.' He added, 'I feel like God's prepared me for that moment to feel confident in who I am and what's most important in my life and I'm able to handle whatever comes my way.' The AP also reported that one journalist asked Butker, 'What do you think about gays?' He replied, 'I understand that this is a great evening and we're here to focus on the game. Maybe if I saw him without a camera, we'd have a great conversation.' Following his viral speech, fellow athletes like Serena Williams, a group of nuns associated with Benedictine College, the Los Angeles Chargers and multiple others weighed in to mock and reject Butker's remarks. Speaking about the extra attention he received, he said, 'There's been a lot that's gone on and I never expected to be this known, I guess, as a kicker.' Butker had previously reacted to the backlash in August, prior to the start of the season. 'I've been in the league now seven years and I do have a platform,' Butker said while speaking to reporters at a Chiefs training camp. 'So with that comes people that want me to state what I believe to be very important.' He didn't waver on the messages he shared in his speech. 'I'm going to stand behind what it is I'm saying. I kind of look at the offseason as a little bit of a maybe five-month period where I can just represent me as Harrison Butker, as a faithful Catholic,' he said. 'And then obviously when it gets to the season, I try to focus as much as I can on football and not being a distraction for the Chiefs.' Teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce also responded to Butker's speech last year. Mahomes said, 'I know Harrison. I've known him for seven years and I judge him by the character that he shows every single day and that's a good person. That's someone who cares about the people around him, cares about his family and wants to make a good impact in society.' He added that he didn't 'necessarily agree' with Butker's views. On a May episode of his 'New Heights' podcast, Kelce said, '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 and family that I've introduced to him with nothing but respect and kindness. And that's how he treats everyone. 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. 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.' Meanwhile, the NFL gave a statement clarifying that Butker's opinions did not reflect the league's beliefs. 'His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger,' Jonathan Beane, the NFL's senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, said in a statement.
Fox News
05-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Harrison Butker's faith has rubbed off on Patrick Mahomes, teammates, Chiefs owner's daughter says
Harrison Butker may have garnered criticism last year off the field, but according to Gracie Hunt, the daughter of the Kansas City Chiefs owner, his presence in the locker room is certainly felt. Butker became a rather polarizing figure last offseason after he gave a faith-based commencement speech at Benedictine College and urged women to embrace the title of "homemaker." The controversial speech garnered much praise and backlash. Butker also went after former President Joe Biden, adding, "Things like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for the degenerate cultural values and media all stem from pervasiveness of disorder." However, shortly after the speech, Butker's jersey became one of the most popular on the NFL's online shop. Butker has not shied away from embracing his faith, and Hunt said that has rubbed off on his teammates, including Patrick Mahomes. "Harrison is an amazing guy, and the most kind, genuine person. He is an awesome family man, they're so sweet and precious. I think what's been really cool to see this year, especially, is that it's such a sense of iron sharpening iron," Hunt told Riley Gaines on OutKick's "Gaines for Girls" podcast.. "Harrison and his boldness in his faith encourages other guys to be bold in their faith. You've seen Patrick be so bold in his faith and thanking God right off the bat when we won the AFC Championship. Boldness empowers boldness, and it's just so refreshing to see, and I think he's such a light to everybody around him." Before the 2024 season began, Butker and the Chiefs agreed to a four-year, $25.6 million deal, the richest contract ever given to a kicker. This season, he made all but two of his 31 extra-point attempts (he went 38-for-38 in 2023), and he was 21-for-25 (84%) on field goal tries. He connected on all of his tries between 30 and 49 yards, but has missed three straight from 50-plus. He kicked the game-winning field goal in Super Bowl LVII against the Eagles. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
