Tony Dungy Stands for Pro Family Group Despite Attacks

Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy, who led his team to victory in this year's Super Bowl, is standing up for a pro-family group despite attacks against the group from homosexual activists it was announced today. Dungy is planning on speaking before the group next Friday despite the hate calls and obscene messages the group says it has been receiving since plans to have Dungy speak were announced. Corporate sponsors for the group, the Indiana Family Institute, have reportedly also been getting pressure from homosexual groups because the group opposes gay marriage.

The Indiana Family Institute is planning on giving the "Friend of the Family" award to Dungy. According to Indiana Family Institute President Curt Smith, the award is given to a family leader who "walks the talk," and Dungy is a fitting recipient. Smith called Dungy the "living embodiment of the family ethic" that the Indiana Family Institute tries to promote. He thinks such an ethic is "essential" for a healthy society.

Smith said that only because his group stands for marriage people in the group are called part of a "hate group, homophobes, and small minded bigots." He called such language "shocking."

According to the official website of the Indiana Family Institute at www.hoosierfamily.org, "we believe that the family is the key institution of society, and that the overall health of any state, city, region, or nation, is determined by the bedrock institution....Our objective is two-fold: Preserve pro-family policy already within State Government and push for additional policies that will strengthen Indiana families." The group is advocating a state constitutional amendment that prohibits gay marriage.