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Metta World Peace Wears Cookie Monster Shirt To Support Jason Collins

(CBS) Metta World Peace thinks people should be able to do whatever they want, as long as it's not violent.

That's why he showed up for his end-of-season meeting with the Lakers brass wearing a Cookie Monster t-shirt.

But he wasn't simply wearing the shirt to be funny, World Peace was making a much grander point.

When asked about Jason Collins, who publicly announced he was gay Monday morning, World Peace said the following:

"Whether it's a free country or not, you should be free to act and do as you want to do, as long as it's not violent. I came here in a Cookie Monster shirt because I wanted to," World Peace told reporters at the Lakers' practice facility in El Segundo. "And I was going to wear the pants but I thought you [media] guys were going to judge me. And I was going to wear the hat, too, but I figured you guys would judge me.... I should have wore it. You should be free to do and act how you want to act.

"When you feel comfortable with yourself, not only does it make you a better person.... It's unnecessary stress, as we all know, if you're holding things in. It can just bring unnecessary stress to your heart, to your mind and when you can release it and talk about it, you feel better. And that's how it should be with anything, not just coming out if you're gay or if you have a mental issue and whatever other issue or stigma there is out there."

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