A veterans' group is delivering 5,000 petitions to MCRD San Diego and other Marine Corps recruiting stations around the country, calling on the Corps to stop sponsoring the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). They say the UFC is sexist, racist, and homophobic.
On the website UnfitForTheCorps.com, the Veterans Committee of Unite Here (a group representing union workers in the airport, manufacturing, and food service industry) urges the Marines to stop supporting the UFC immediately:
The U.S. Marine Corps has spent more than $2 million promoting the UFC through commercials during televised cage fighting events, online videos and other promotional advertising. Taxpayer money should not be used to support homophobia, misogyny and hate speech, in any form.
Interestingly enough, a bill making its way through Congress would stop the Marine Corps from funding the UFC by banning the military from sponsoring professional sports organizations like the UFC and NASCAR.
UnfitForTheCorps.com created a video clip montage of homophobic statements and sexist behavior by UFC fighters. I've posted it up top. A warning: lots of bad language and behavior you wouldn't want your kids to see.
