Michael Sam, the 6’ 2”, 255-pound defensive lineman from the University of Missouri, made National Football League history by becoming the first openly gay athlete to be drafted by the NFL several weeks back. As if that weren’t enough to get our attention, the African American celebrated the moment by kissing his white boyfriend, former Missou swimming star Vito Cammisano, as the ESPN cameras rolled. And as historic as the draft pick was, it is the kiss—no, make that multiple kisses–that the emotional pair shared that has continued to make headlines around the world.

While the vast majority of the feedback has been positive, there have been those in the testosterone-world of über-masculinity known as the NFL who found it difficult to stomach. Miami Dolphins safety Don Jones tweeted “OMG” and “Horrible” seconds after the kisses were aired live on ESPN. Jones was called on the carpet by the Dolphins, removed from team activities, fined an unknown amount of cash, and sent to “educational training” for his actions, in addition to taking the tweets off-line.

Derrick Ward, who was part of the New York Giants squad when the team won the Super Bowl in 2008, wrote, “Man U got little kids lookin at the draft. I can’t believe ESPN even allowed that to happen.” Digging in his heels several hours later, he tweeted “I’ll continue to speak my mind because it’s my god given right and supposedly u can do it without being frowned upon here in America.”

In a similar ignorance-is-bliss-fashion, Marshall Henderson, a guard with the University of Mississippi basketball team,tweeted, “Boycotting Sportscenter til this Michael Sam nasty ass s**t is off …. My brothers are 7 and 11 and saw that!!! #Sickening.”

Yes, Derrick Ward, you may speak your mind in America; but you can’t speak your mind without consequences. Yes, Marshall Henderson, your little brothers saw those kisses, just as we’re certain the boys saw your homophobic reaction. And therein lies the problem.

Michael Sam and Vito Cammisano have every right to cry and hug and kiss their gay hearts out any place they want in America. This is, after all, the land of the free and home of the brave. There is nothing wrong with showing affection in public or in private. What is terribly wrong is suggesting that children of any age should not be allowed to see it. But why is that?

No child instinctively thinks hugging or kissing is horrible between two men. Someone has to teach them that. And you, Marshall Henderson, and you, Derrick Ward, by posting your outdated, bigoted comments on-line for the world to see have made yourselves out to be the homophobes you are. What is #Sickening is that many children are not being taught that equality and affection are universal gifts we can give one another without regard to gender or sexual orientation.

Sadly, as we continue to discuss “the kisses,” what isn’t getting any airplay is that Michael Sam has picked up this first endorsement deal. The smart folks at Visa negotiated the contract with Sam’s agent, in whose home the famous kisses were filmed. Watching that footage, it becomes painfully obvious that everyone in the surrounding crowd is white.

Sam’s family in Texas wasn’t present because they disowned him—not so much because he’s gay, but more because they are horrible parents. Vito’s family wasn’t there either. They are Mafia folk, don’t you know. Vito’s late grandfather was William “Willie the Rat” Cammisano, head of the Kansas City Civella family. Willie the Rat would have labeled the kiss “bulls**t.” We call it love.