The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) on Thursday
responded to David Tyree's comment that giving gay couples the right
to marry would lead to anarchy.
The
former Giants wide receiver made his comments during an interview
with Maggie Gallagher, board chair of the National Organization
for Marriage, the nation's most vociferous opponent of marriage
equality.
“If they pass this gay marriage
bill,” Tyree said of proposed legislation in New York, “what I
know will happen if this does come forth is this will be the
beginning of our country sliding toward, you know, it's a strong
word, but anarchy.”
(Related: Former
Giants Michael Strahan supports gay marriage in New York.)
“Anarchy? Hardly. Committed gay and
lesbian couples have been able to legally marry in five states and
the District of Columbia – not to mention a number of foreign
countries – for years now and cows are still giving milk, little
boys are still pulling little girls’ pig tails, and we still drive
on the right side of the street,” an HRC spokesperson told
celebrity website TMZ.com.
“Tyree’s statements are as
misleading as they are ridiculous, and do not accurately reflect the
growing acceptance that we're seeing from sports stars like Charles
Barkley, Steve Nash, Sean Avery, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Scott Fujita and
fellow former Giant Michael Strahan,” GLAAD said in a statement.