Whoopi Goldberg compares Harrison Butker controversy to Colin Kaepernick taking a knee

Harrison Butker has become a rather controversial figure for his remarks at a recent commencement speech.

Last week, the Kansas City Chiefs kicker told the women of a graduating class at Benedictine College that he believed that they were more excited about becoming wives and mothers than getting jobs - even using the term "homemaker". The comments, which became public knowledge only recently, have been widely condemned by many, including the NFL itself.

“I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you,” Butker said.

“How many of you are sitting here now, about to cross this stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.” he said.

Whoopi Goldberg, however, believes Butker deserves even just a modicum of respect and understanding. Speaking on The View on Thursday, she had an analogy in mind:

"I like when people say what they need to say. He’s at a Catholic college, he’s a staunch Catholic. These are his beliefs and he’s welcome to them. I don’t have to accept them. In the same way, we want respect when Colin Kaepernick takes a knee, we want to give respect to people whose ideas are different from ours. I’m OK with him saying whatever he said."

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Harrison Butker gets defenders over "homemaker" comments

There has been great growth in the anti-Harrison Butker camp regarding his comments - NBC Today hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush-Hager, former Chiefs cheerleader Stefanie Hills, and even graduation attendee even attendee Susannah Leisegang. Columnists for various news outlets like MSNBC have also joined in the condemnation, but not all of them.

One of the defenders is the New York Post's Kirsten Fleming. She opines that his comments have been misconstrued:

"Butker wasn’t saying women can’t work. He was reminding them that family and children can usurp job satisfaction. And let’s be honest, a career doesn’t always love you back or send you Mother’s Day cards or guarantee you get into the good nursing home at the end of your life."

USA Today's Nicole Russell, meanwhile holds that the critics do not understand that a healthy view of "homemaking" can only mean good things for the demography of both the United States and the world at large:

"For women who want to be homemakers and are married to kind, selfless and humble men who aren't obsessed with submission as a means of control, this lifestyle could be healthy for dedicated partners. It is certainly good for society for women to have babies, given the declining birth rate.

"It's disheartening to see such a harsh reaction to traditional Catholic views. The extreme petition to 'cancel' Butker or have him fired shows incredible ignorance and a lack of tolerance."

As of now, Butker has not yet commented on the matter.