After over a week of bashing, mudslinging and insulting everyone who takes a stand on the ongoing same-sex marriage controversy, a five-week moratorium is now in order to shield Manny Pacquaio from training distractions leading up to his April 9 fight.
The same-sex marriage controversy stemming from Manny Pacquiao’s recent statement in a recent TV interview, drew widespread outrage from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community prompting major sponsors of Pacquiao to drop him as their product endorser. Sports and film celebrities including Magic Johnson, who is the father of an openly-gay son and Dave Bautista, whose Filipino mother is a lesbian have joined the cause of the LBGT community. In his controversial statement on same sex marriage, Pacquiao had this to say: “It?s only common sense. Would you see any species of animals who engage in male to male, female to female [sexual] relations? Animals, then, are better than humans [in that sense]. They know how to distinguish males from females,” said Pacquiao in an analogy. “If people then engage in male to male, female to female relations, then they are worse than animals,” he added. Pacquiao has since made a public apology but reiterated that his stand on same-sex marriage remains. Read more: Usually a popular or controversial issue that become viral on the Internet would remain a top topic for discussion in just about a day or two but the controversy created by Pacquiao’s homophobic statement remains on top of the most commented topics of the day. It appears the the issue will remain a hot topic as some politicians in the Philippines are riding on the issue for a wider media reach to enhance their public awareness. Pacquiao has repeatedly said that he isn’t affected by the criticism stemming from his controversial statement saying his stand is based on what he learned from the Bible. But it cannot be denied that Pacquiao is distracted by the “below the belt” attack by some members of the LBGT community which now clearly encroaches on his privacy and those of his immediate family. Pacquiao will be lying if he isn’t affected by the “razor-sharp attack” even by those who do not belong the the LGBT community whose agenda is to benefit from the ongoing controversy.
Manny Pacquiao MP-FB Mental conditioning is one of the ingredients of a well-orchestrated training. Surely, Pacquiao’s long-time trainer Freddie Roach won’t say that his fighter is bothered by the controversy but he knows that training distraction has no place in his camp as he had shielded Pacquiao in the past by cutting short his training in the country and spend more time in his Wild Card Gym in Hollywood. Filipinos, regardless of their gender want Pacquiao to win on April 9 because it will benefit the country in so many ways. But to attain victory, there should be unity among the contending parties. Moratorium on the lingering same-sex marriage issue appears to the the real solution even for just five weeks or until after the night of the fight. Since everyone is entitled to say his piece on this delicate issue of same-sex marriage, intelligent discussion can resume right after Pacquiao’s April 9 fight. Still, a moratorium isn’t easy to implement and monitor in order to achieve its purpose. But a trusted person or group representing both parties would be able to handle the situation. A pastor or religious group espousing the LBGT cause as well as Pacquiao-appointed pastor or group of pastors would be most ideal to forge a mutually-beneficial arrangement.
