New Orleans Saints’ Scott Fujita Doesn’t Agree With Tim Tebow Super Bowl Ad

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Feb 5, 2010   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

New Orleans Saints’ Scott Fujita Doesn’t Agree With Tim Tebow Super Bowl Ad

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 5
, 2010

Miami, FL (LifeNews.com) — Most Americans and even many NFL football players are on board with their support for the Focus on the Family Super Bowl ad depicting Tim Tebow and his mother Pam’s decision not to have an abortion when pregnant with him. But New Orleans Saint’s player Scott Fujita is not one of the ad’s supporters.

Fujita, a linebacker for the football team representing the NFC in Sunday’s Super Bowl, told the New York Times he doesn’t exactly agree with Tim Tebow’s pro-life message or the FOTF ad.

"The idea of focusing on the family — who wouldn’t agree with that?" Fujita told The Times. "But the means of doing so, he and I might not see eye-to-eye all the way."

The opposition is surprising because, like Tebow, whose mother went against suggestions from doctors to have an abortion despite taking heavy medication for dysentery, Fujita comes from a situation where his life could also have ended in abortion.

Fujita’s biological mother decided to give birth even though she didn’t have the financial resources to raise her son — and he was eventually adopted by a Japanese-American father and white mother.

"I’m just so thankful she had the courage and the support system to be able to carry out the pregnancy. I wouldn’t expect that of everybody," Fujita said, appearing to realize he could have become a victim of abortion.

The opposition from Fujita may not be surprising considering he played in college at California-Berkeley, which has long been considered one of the most liberal colleges in America.

“There is a certain stigma that comes with being from Berkeley,” he admitted to the New York Times. “And I’m proud of that stigma.”

But other current and former NFL players are behind Tebow and his pro-life message.

Former NFL player Jay Riemersma, who had an eight-year pro career in Buffalo and Pittsburgh, is so supportive of the ads he is holding a rally to support Tebow.

Riemersma is one of four Republican congressional candidates running in Michigan’s second Congressional district and will host a rally Sunday in support of the Super Bowl ad.

"People of the 2nd Congressional District are strong social conservatives who believe in the right to life," he said, according to AP.

Riemersma said he sees parallels between himself and Tebow because he was told he didn’t have the ability to play football but overcome the criticism to have a good career in college and the professional league.

Previously, Christian players interviewed at the Pro Bowl expressed strong support for Tebow’s family and the ad.

David Garrard, quarterback for the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars, applauded Tebow for standing up for his convictions.

“I applaud him for standing up for what he believes,” he said. “More people, more athletes should do the same.”

David Akers, a kicker for the Philadelphia Eagles, added that he is “definitely pro-life," had adopted a child and he supports the ad and its support for unborn children.

“They have a life,” Akers said according to BP, “and if you take that away, that’s pretty cruel. If you get into the politics of what should and shouldn’t happen, I’m definitely biblically based. I think that’s creation and we shouldn’t harm it.”

Heath Miller, a tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers said he appreciates how the ad, which will have the tag Celebrating Life, Celebrating Family, encourages people.

“I think Tim has every right to use every stage to tell people what he believes,” Miller said, according to BP. “He’s a football player, he can relay what he believes just as much as anyone else can.”

Related web sites:
Support Tebow’s Super Bowl Ad – https://www.facebook.com/TebowSuperBowlAd

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