Maryland Official Drops Bid to Silence Baltimore Ravens Player

Emmett C. Burns Jr. wrote to the owner of the Ravens to aks him to stop Brendon Ayanbadejo from speaking on gay rights

A Maryland official has backed down in his attempt to stifle an NFL player's advocacy for gay marriage, The Baltimore Sun reports.

Del. Emmett C. Burns Jr., a Baltimore County Democrat, wrote a letter last month asking Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti to order Brendon Ayanbadejo to "cease and desist" his support of gay rights, the newspaper said.

Burns, however, tempered his position yesterday.