Colts' Dungy: 'I embrace' same-sex marriage ban
Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy said he knows some people would rather he steered clear of Indiana's gay marriage debate, but he clearly staked out his position nonetheless.
The Super Bowl-winning coach "embraced" the stance of an Indiana organization supporting an amendment to the state constitution that would ban gay marriages, and he added Tuesday night at a gathering of the Indiana Family Institute that he's "on the Lord's side."
"We're not trying to downgrade anyone else," said Dungy, coach of the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. "But we're trying to promote the family  family values the Lord's way," Dungy said. "IFI is saying what the Lord says. You can take that and make your decision on which way you want to be."
Asked about Dungy's comments, the NFL provided the following response through spokesman Greg Aiello:
"Coach Dungy is speaking for himself and expressing his views, which he is fully entitled to do. No doubt there are people in our league that have a different view. We respect the right of employees to have and express their views and don't regulate the political or religious views of team or league employees."
Local and national gay-rights organizations had criticized Dungy for accepting the invitation to appear at the banquet. The institute, affiliated with Focus on the Family, has been one of the leading supporters of the marriage amendment, currently in the hands of the Indiana House.
The coach said his comments shouldn't be taken as gay bashing, but rather his views on the matter as he sees them from a perspective of faith.
Bil Browning, managing editor of Bilerico.com, a blog that focuses on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues in Indiana, was surprised to learn of Dungy's remarks.
"It is unfortunate that coach Dungy has chosen to align himself with the Indiana Family Institute," he said. "The Colts were supported this season by all of their fans  gay and straight."
Among those not surprised was the Rev. Clarence C. Moore, Dungy's pastor at Northside New Era Baptist Church. Moore said Dungy previously voiced support after Moore's sermons proclaiming the Bible's opposition to homosexuality.
Debbie Huskins of Zionsville, Ind., who attended the speech, said Dungy's comments square with her views of the Bible, and she welcomed the coach's public statement on the topic.
"I guess I just consider him more in this arena as a man and a father and a man of God, not just a coach. That's his job, but who he is, is a man of God. And that's how he was speaking tonight."
Link posted for authorship, the full text has already been posted.
USA today article</font>