Ben Shapiro dismisses Jason Collins: Wearing a yarmulke on TV like coming out as gay

Breitbart.com's editor-at-large Ben Shapiro on Thursday argued that NBA player Jason Collins was neither courageous nor heroic for coming out as gay, comparing it to wearing a yarmulke on television.

CNN host Piers Morgan questioned Shapiro about a tweet in which he disparaged those who had praised the basketball player.

The conservative columnist replied that heroism involved taking a risk, which Collins had not done by becoming the first active professional athlete to come out.

Shapiro alleged Morgan's belief that it was brave for Collin's to reveal his sexuality was proof the CNN host "hated America so much." He said Morgan believed that America was a homophobic country. But the CNN host ignored the accusations.

"You're British and a lot of folks have said you should leave the country because you're British," Shapiro remarked. "You come on here every night and you speak in a British accent. That doesn't make you a hero, that makes you being who you are."

"I'm Jewish," he continued. "I wear a yarmulke on TV. There is a lot of anti-Semitism. There are people who are killed in anti-Semitic attacks -- you know, per capita as many hate crimes against Jews as against gays in this country. America is not an anti-Semitic country and I am not a hero for wearing a yarmulke. Being who you are in 2013 in America is what America is about. It is not heroic to be who you are publicly. I'm glad for Jason Collins if he feels he is going to live a happier life now, but it does not make you a hero to be who you are."

Watch video, uploaded to YouTube by CNN, below: