Roland Martin Issues Statement — But No Apology For Anti-Gay Comments

Roland Martin, the CNN contributor who last night attacked the LGBT community by advocating violence against gays after watching a David Beckham underwear ad, has now posted both on Twitter and on his website, his response — but no apology.

Note the title: “Roland Martin’s Statement Regarding The H&M David Beckham Ad.” Not, “Roland Martin’s Statement Regarding My Anti-Gay Comments About The H&M David Beckham Ad.” And certainly, not, “Roland Martin’s Apology Regarding My Anti-Gay Comments About The H&M David Beckham Ad.”

Here is Martin’s statement in full:

Fam, let me address the issue that some in the LGBT community have raised regarding some of my Super Bowl tweets yesterday.

I made several cracks about soccer as I do all the time. I was not referring to sexuality directly or indirectly regarding the David Beckham ad, and I’m sorry folks took it otherwise.

It was meant to be a deliberately over the top and sarcastic crack about soccer; I do not advocate violence of any kind against anyone gay, or not. As anyone who follows me on Twitter knows, anytime soccer comes up during football season it’s another chance for me to take a playful shot at soccer, nothing more.

Note that Roland Martin did not apologize, rather, he said he is sorry that “folks took it otherwise.”

In other words, Roland Martin says he did nothing wrong, and it is the people who were offended by his comments who are to blame.

Martin similarly blamed the listeners of Tracy Morgan‘s anti-gay diatribe in which Morgan said if his son told him he were gay he would stab him.

That, too, apparently, was the fault of the listeners, not the fault of the speaker. Martin offered his support even after Tracy Morgan apologized.

Last night, Roland Martin wrote via Twitter, “Ain’t no real bruhs going to H&M to buy some damn David Beckham underwear!,” and then, “If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham’s H&M underwear ad, smack the ish out of him!” Sunday night, GLAAD began a campaign calling on CNN to fire Martin: “Advocates of anti-gay violence have no place at CNN or Time Warner.”