LeRoy Butler had one church cancel on him for publicly congratulating gay NBA player Jason Collins, but now the former Green Bay Packers safety has added a church to his speaking schedule.
This church, St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church in Madison, Wis., has agreed to host Butler because of his public stance regarding Collins.
"LeRoy walked away from a good amount of money ($8,500) in order to stand for what's right," St. Dunstan's rector Miranda Hassett said in a statement. "We just want to make that right, and to let him and everyone else know that most churches join him in extending the message of love and acceptance."
Butler's speech is about bullying and the obstacles he faced early in his life in overcoming it. The church that canceled on him — the name of which Butler would not reveal — told him he could deliver his speech only if he first publicly apologized for congratulating Collins, among other repentant measures.
"To hold me hostage like that (and only let me give the speech if I publicly apologize) is a form of bullying," Butler told FOXSportsWisconsin.com this week. "I can see canceling it if I got in trouble or did something stupid, but that's not what happened. I'm upset about this. I really am."
Butler confirmed to FOXSportsWisconsin.com that his speech at St. Dunstan's will be given on June 16.
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