Why Did Roland Martin Make Fun of the Gays?

If Roland Martin wears one of his signature ascots for Valentine’s Day, don’t be surprised if some mischief-maker notifies #teamwhipdatass.

Call me a sentimental Caucasian lesbian, but I’ve got a real soft spot for an African-American dude in a magenta silk ascot whose personal interests include men’s underwear and pro football players’ wardrobes. Did I mention he is not a homosexual? And that his wife, Jacquie Hood Martin, is chief spiritual officer of her own ministry?

Until last week, Roland Martin was a regular contributor on CNN. Two homophobic tweets during the Super Bowl earned him the wrath of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), which led, three days later, to an indefinite suspension.

Martin has more than 100,000 Twitter followers. In case you missed it, his first post was about a sexy H&M underwear spot featuring David Beckham, in all his chiseled, bare-chested glory, posing in white briefs. “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”

For the urban-impaired, “ish” means “shit.” I looked it up.

Martin’s second post: “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”

Several issues here. When, exactly, did Martin graduate from fashion school? Seriously, when the Chicago-based analyst showed up in a woven-silk ascot on The Daily Show in May 2010, host Jon Stewart compared the look to “a seductive Don Knotts.”

Ascots, as everyone knows, should be worn during the day. Dating back to the Edwardian Era, they were originally favored by England’s royalty and upper classes, like the Duke of Windsor. Over in the Colonies, Frank Sinatra wore one. So did Al Pacino, as Michael Corleone in Godfather: Part II. (“I know it was you, Fredo.”)

As for the pink ensemble, it was modeled—proudly—by second-year linebacker Brandon Spikes, 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, and a two-time All-American at the University of Florida. Good luck whipping dat ass, Uncle RoRo.

Martin’s invitation for violence against men with an appreciation for pink and/or a great male torso (read: homosexuals) is as puzzling as it is abhorrent.

Yes, I know about black men and homosexuals, and black men on the Down Low who think they are not homosexuals. Martin, however, has a master’s degree in Christian Communications from Louisiana Baptist University. He once hosted a series for CNN titled, What Would Jesus Really Do?

I don’t know much about Jesus, but I cannot imagine for a moment that he would advocate beating up gays, any more than he would advocate beating up straight men who wear silk ascots and pay close attention to men’s underwear.

Methinks the gentleman doth protest too much.