Immediately after coaching his Indianapolis Colts to the Super Bowl championship, Tony Dungy gave thanks to God.
The same God that he says has been a source of strength for him to lead an athletically accomplished life- one in which he became the first African-American coach to win the Super Bowl.
But now, it kind of sounds as though while Dungy praises God's guidance in his own life, he seems to be taking specific action to further oppress those who God may have made a bit different. I am talking about gay people who choose to love, and want to sanctify their love by means of marriage. Or, to raise a child together.
As we learn from an article on Outsports NFL's website:
"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 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 (last) 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."
OK, now let me see if I get this straight. Pun not intended.
It would seem that Tony Dungy graciously accepts the hand of God in terms of winning the Super Bowl. But in terms of speaking at a fund-raiser for an organization that would deny God's handiwork in making people what they are, Dungy is not being consistent. The same God that directed the genes that would make Peyton Manning's great arm and Joseph Addai's quick feet has directed genes into a mix that would make many tens of thousands of Indianans love in a way that you, Tony Dungy, seem to think is a sin.
And one more thing, Coach. Wasn't there a time when African-Americans had marriage and adoption restrictions?