Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy will be the honored
guest of the Indiana Family Institute at the group's
"Friends of the Family Banquet" in March. The organization,
among other things, fights the right of same-sex couples to
marry and the right of gay people to adopt children in
Indiana.
The
event's invitation (right, click to enlarge) features Dungy
in his Colts sideline uniform. There is no price listed but
the invitation reads: "An opportunity to financially support
the Indiana Family Institute will be presented."
IFI is affiliated with Focus on the Family, a rabidly
anti-gay organization that has made it its mission to oppose
gay marriage rights, among other issues of gay equality.
Focus on the Family hosts a conference series called
Love
Won Out, which asserts that gay people can be "cured" of
being gay. Among the group's online initiatives is
No Moo Lies, which claims that, because dogs can't moo
like a cow, people aren't supposed to be gay.
IFI's stated mission is to protect traditional marriage.
"We believe firmly that the family is the key institution of
society, and that the overall health of any city, state,
region or nation is largely determined by the health of this
bedrock institution," the group's Web site reads under the
heading, Our Mission. "Our objective is two-fold: Preserve
pro-family policy already within State Government and push
for additional policies that will strengthen Indiana
families."
IFI is one of the leading proponents of Senate Joint
Resolution 7, an initiative in Indiana to include a ban on
same-sex marriage in the state constitution.
"SJR7 is being debated today in Indianapolis," said Jay
Cook, an Indianapolis resident. "It's getting little to no
coverage because of the Super Bowl and Colts coverage."
SJR7 was passed on Wednesday by the Senate Judiciary
Committee, 7-4. If the bill passes the General Assembly as
it did two years ago, it will go to a popular vote for
adoption in 2008.
The reason for Dungy's support of this organization is
unclear. Repeated attempts to contact IFI and the
Indianapolis Colts were not returned. The team is presently
in Miami preparing for its appearance in Super Bowl XLI.
The Web site
bilerico.com did reach Nicole Duncan, director of
community relations for the Colts. She told the site that
she knew nothing about Dungy's involvement with the group.
"He does a ton of fundraising dinners," Duncan said. "I
can't comment. I haven't seen this."
Dungy brings Christianity to the Colts
Dungy has a long, vocal history as a devout Christian. He
has often made religious comments in his remarks to the
media, and after the Colts' AFC Championship victory over
the New England Patriots, Dungy said that God was
responsible for their victory.
When Dungy became the head coach of the Colts in 2002, he
created a plan with team chaplain Ken Johnson to instill
more religion into the team, including a Bible study with
the coaches every Tuesday morning, a Bible study with the
players every Thursday night, and chapel services four hours
before every game.
"Some of our past coaches had the perspective that, even
though God and religion are important, football comes before
your family and your religion. With a guy [Dungy] who
emphasizes Lordship you understand the Lord is first, then
your family, and then football," Johnson told the Florida
Baptist Witness in 2002.
Dungy told the same publication that he is very clear with
people that he is not just spiritual.
"Whenever I'm asked to talk about it I make sure people
understand my affiliation as a Christian, that I follow
Christ and Christ's teachings according to the Bible," Dungy
said in 2002.
That is that same Bible that many religious and anti-gay
organizations, including IFI, have used for decades to fight
gay rights, saying that the Bible makes homosexuality a sin.
While many in Indiana may be encouraged by Dungy's support
of IFI and his promotion of religion on his team and in the
media, others are discouraged.
"While I appreciate and like to see Coach Dungy being
recognized for his hard work as a great NFL coach, I'm
troubled by his upcoming appearance with the IFI," Cook told
Outsports. "Since Central Indiana taxpayers are, in a sense,
buying the new stadium for the Colts, it seems odd to me
that Coach Dungy would be attending an event sponsored by a
group that attacks a group of Central Indiana taxpayers who
are fans of the Colts and want to see Indianapolis be a
truly wonderful world-class city."
Lucas Oil Stadium is expected to be the new home for Dungy's
Colts as of the 2008 season.
Lovie Smith won't judge gays
Dungy's opponent in Super Bowl XLI will be his friend Lovie
Smith, head coach of the Chicago Bears and also a devout
Christian. Smith has said in the past that he does not
smoke, drink or dance because they are against his religion.
Smith was asked Tuesday if the NFL was ready to embrace a
gay player.
"We don't try to judge people's lifestyles and things like
that," Smith said, according to the Pittsburgh
Tribune-Review. "We don't get into people's personal lives
in that way. We judge players based on one thing: Can they
play football? If you can play football, you can get into
the locker room."
