In a roundtable discussion today discussing NBA player Jason Collins coming out as the first active gay athlete in a major sport, CNN booked liberal columnist Dave Zirin who, unprovoked and at the end of the segment without rebuttal, attacked ESPN columnist Chris Brousard who voiced opposing views to Collins.
Most discourse about Collins has been healthy with each view, something that was missing in Jake Tapper’s program. Broussard and his comments have been ritually attacked, but columnists such as Matt Welch have come to Broussard’s defense, stressing the importance for a free and open discourse.
Open discourse was absent on The Lead.
View Broussard's comments: