A writer at a major golf publication has resigned after claiming that his editors demanded he exclude the pro-Christian and pro-life views of golfer Amy Olson, who is competing while pregnant.
According to writer Steve Eubanks, formerly of Global Golf Post, his editors “went ballistic” after learning of the content of the interview and vowed that the piece would not get published unless Eubanks removed the pro-life and pro-Christian portions.
After his editors revealed their demands, Eubanks claims he quit.
Eubanks’ involvement with Olson began when he was assigned to cover the U.S. Women’s Open Golf tournament that was taking place in July. Eubanks chose to interview Olson, who was competing in the tournament while seven months pregnant.
During the interview, the unpublished version which has been obtained by The Blaze, Eubanks asks about the reaction she’s received about her decision to compete in the later stages of pregnancy.
Amy Olson of the United States plays a shot from a bunker on the 14th hole during the first round of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give at Blythefield Country Club on June 15, 2023, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Raj Mehta/Getty Images)
“I’ve been honored that people have picked up the story and been interested,” Eubanks said. “I feel like everyone has been supportive. Nothing but goodwill has come toward me, and I’ve so appreciated that.”
Olson then highlighted what she felt was the irony of competing while pregnant so close to the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
“I will say that the irony is not lost on me that, one year ago, when Roe v. Wade was overturned, I was playing in a major championship outside Washington, D.C., and women from around the world, and even on tour, were outraged.”
Olson added, “Now, a year later, people are celebrating that I’m going to be playing a major championship with an unborn child that they recognize as a life.”
The golfer also highlighted her faith and the challenges of being a Christian who speaks Christian values publicly.
“It’s very tough. Being a Christian has always been political because Christianity is supposed to touch every aspect of your life. I believe in comprehensive Christianity. It dictates how you treat people, how you think about the world, and the decisions that you make.”
Olson added, “But over the last decade it’s become extremely difficult because a lot of the things that Christianity stands for have become political battlegrounds. Christ hasn’t changed His view on any of those things, but the culture has changed.”
Amy Olson of the United States looks on from the 15th green before the 78th U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links on July 05, 2023, in Pebble Beach, California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
As Eubanks explained to The Blaze, after reading the comments, it didn’t take his publication’s senior staff long to go “ballistic.”
“About five hours into the editing process, I got calls from the editor saying, in his exact words, ‘The staff is going nuts. They’re saying we can’t run this.’”
Eubanks protested, “I was fighting very vociferously to get it run, saying, ‘It’s news; we’re a news outlet.’ And the point I wanted to make — if she had said exactly the opposite, I still would have fought to put it in.”
After several battles over the phone, Eubanks claims he was given an ultimatum: “The only way we will run this piece,” the editor explained, “is if we take out the abortion and the Christian stuff.’”
“That last line did it for me,” Eubanks explained, adding that he then “resigned on the spot.”
Eubanks said, “The last line showed me that not only were they anti-news, but they were decidedly anti-Christian. And I just couldn’t accept that.”
Global Golf Post is reportedly not the only outlet that refused to publish his interview with Olson. Eubanks claims that a writer from USA Today Golfweek also attempted to pick up his story. According to Eubanks, the writer wrote up the story, and got approval from that reporter’s editorial staff, but was then overruled by other editors.
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