Scott Fujita on How To Really Focus on the Family

by Michael Jones · 2010-02-03 07:16:00 UTC
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Scott FujitaTim Tebow's not the only one who knows how to focus on the family. But from New Orleans Saints linebacker Scott Fujita's point of view, focusing on the family doesn't mean buying into an agenda that's anti-gay or homophobic.

Fujita, who will play in this week's Super Bowl, has emerged as one of professional sports' biggest allies when it comes to LGBT rights. He signed on to support last year's National Equality March. He's spoken up on behalf of marriage equality. And he's talking this week about the Focus on the Family advertisement scheduled to run on CBS that has hurt the network's reputation with equal rights advocates.

What does Fujita have to say about the Focus ad, which will star Tim Tebow?

"The idea of focusing on the family — who wouldn’t agree with that?” Fujita said, according to the New York Times. “But the means of doing so, [Tebow] and I might not see eye to eye all the way.”

Agreed. For Tebow, he's attached his name to an organization -- Focus on the Family -- that has worked tirelessly to take civil rights away from LGBT Americans, has called homosexuality evil, and has said that gay people could end civilization. A few of Focus' close friends even want the U.S. to criminalize homosexuality, and send gay folks to prison.

For Fujita, focusing on the family has less to do with hating on gay folks, and more to do with living a life that treats everyone with human dignity and respect.

“To me, the right to marry is a right that all men should have,’’ Fujita said. “To me, it’s more a human issue than just a gay/straight/political issue.’’

And then the kicker quote (football pun intended).

"By and large in this country the issue of gay rights and equality should be past the point of debate. Really, there should be no debate anymore."

Anyone know who they'll be rooting for during this week's Super Bowl game?

Photo credit: thehage55

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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