Craig James Makes Disturbing Equivocation On Interracial Marriage

Craig James during his Senate campaign (courtesy Texas Tribune)
Craig James during his Senate campaign (courtesy Texas Tribune)

When we last heard from longtime college football analyst Craig James, he was raising a stink over Fox Sports Southwest ending his stint as one of its college football analysts after just one show. James, for those who don’t know, was reportedly pushed out after anti-gay statements he made during his brief run in the 2012 Republican primary for Senate in Texas came to light. When James got wind that former Dallas mayor Tom Leppert had attended a gay pride parade, James read him the riot act, and later said that gays will have to “answer to the Lord for their actions.” James has since sued Fox Sports for religious discrimination, and joined the Family Research Council earlier this year as an assistant to longtime president Tony Perkins.


On Friday, James sat in for Perkins on the FRC’s radio show, “Washington Watch.” Like many religious right pundits, James took umbrage at federal judge Robert Hinkle’s decision a day earlier which ruled Florida’s same-sex marriage ban violated the federal constitution–throwing out a constitutional amendment approved by Florida voters in 2008. To James’ mind, Hinkle’s decision was yet another example of judges “overriding and striking down the will of the people” and eroding our nation’s moral compass. That prompted “Dave” to call in from Indiana in and ask James if bans on interracial marriage should also be upheld if adopted by the voters, even though bans on interracial marriage are blatantly unconstitutional. James replied that the definition of marriage is a man and a woman–and “the Bible doesn’t speak against” interracial marriage. Listen for yourself–the exchange starts at the 37:25 mark.

I have to admit, when I first heard this on People for the American Way’s Right Wing Watch, this was one of the few times where I hoped for once PFAW had taken something a right-winger had said out of context. But after listening to the whole thing, I hope I misheard what James said here. I really do. As we all know, the verses that appear to condemn homosexuality have been torn several miles out of context. If there was a verse that appeared to condemn interracial marriage, would James oppose it? And would he demand that any laws against it be upheld since they’re in line with the Bible? I’m a black man who has dated mostly white women–including my current girlfriend. But I’d be asking those questions every bit as loudly in any event. I know, I know–religious right hosts use the Bible as an excuse to equivocate where we in the reality-based world would never even dream of equivocating. While it looks like James has learned how to do that fairly well after almost a quarter-century in the secular media, I’m hoping he gets called on this soon–and before a non-fawning audience.


James was a part of my Saturday morning routine for most of my teenage and college years. Indeed, when ESPN’s “College Gameday” came to Chapel Hill for the Carolina-Florida State game in 1997, I hoped to meet him–but didn’t get the chance. But after this, what little respect I still had for him is gone. If James has anything left in him, he should realize that this is one issue on which there is no other side.

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Darrell Lucus.jpg Darrell Lucus, also known as Christian Dem in NC on Daily Kos, is a radical-lefty Jesus-lover who has been blogging for change for a decade. Follow him on Twitter @DarrellLucus or connect with him on Facebook.

Darrell is a 30-something graduate of the University of North Carolina who considers himself a journalist of the old school. An attempt to turn him into a member of the religious right in college only succeeded in turning him into the religious right's worst nightmare--a charismatic Christian who is an unapologetic liberal. His desire to stand up for those who have been scared into silence only increased when he survived an abusive three-year marriage. You may know him on Daily Kos as Christian Dem in NC. Follow him on Twitter @DarrellLucus or connect with him on Facebook. Click here to buy Darrell a Mello Yello.