New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is defending his choice to appear in a public service announcement for Focus on the Family, an evangelical organization with a record of anti-LGBT legislation.
Brees filmed a 20-second PSA titled “Bring Your Bible to School Day” for the group.
“I want to encourage you to live out your faith on Bring your Bible to School Day and share God’s love with friends,” Brees says in the video. “You’re not alone.”
Brees has reportedly been connected to the organization since 2010. He is also a longtime friend of Ellen DeGeneres, and appeared in an anti-bullying PSA for teens in 2010, which aired on her show.
So @drewbrees – this picture encapsulates the spirit of New Orleanians. Your sponsorship of Focus on The Family definitely does not. You can choose the city that loves you OR the religious organization that sees you as a subhuman until you convert to their beliefs. Your call. https://t.co/23D08HH1JQ
— HellOrBywater (@HellOrBywater) September 2, 2019
And there goes all respect for @drewbrees. You know Focus on the Family is a bad group when chick-fil-no-gays distanced themselves from the anti-lgbtq bigots. #FTSaints now and forever.https://t.co/fXFc0mrurI
— Andrew Lessley (@themandrew95) September 4, 2019
I can’t believe that y’all are surprised out Drew Brees being attached to a religious extremist group. Have you not been paying attention? Dude has been problematic. Throwing TDs doesn’t make you a good person. Even doing some good things doesn’t make you a good person.
— David Grubb (@DMGrubb) September 3, 2019
However, Brees defended his decision to appear in the PSA saying that he wasn’t promoting the group.
“It was not promoting any group, certainly not promoting any group that is associated with that type of behavior,” Brees said during a post-practice media availability. “I know that there are, unfortunately, Christian organizations out there that are involved in that kind of thing, and to me that is totally against what being Christian is all about. Being Christian is love. It’s forgiveness, it’s respecting all, it’s accepting all.”
https://youtu.be/qPFEyeug99g
