Dabo Swinney will not honor his invite to a fundraising event hosted by a conservative organization in South Carolina due to heavy criticism on the organization.
According to ESPN, the Palmetto Family Council invited Swinney to their fundraising event on June 2 to recognize him in some manner. Swinney confirmed he will not attend and said he believed his invitation was only in relation to his All In Foundation.
The Palmetto Family Council lists various issues they are involved in on their website, including: "South Carolina's Partial Birth Abortion Ban, the defeat of Video Poker, preserving marriage as between one man and one woman, defending religious liberties (i.e., school prayer, release time, etc.), and many other issues."
Zeke Stokes, vice president of programs at GLAAD and a South Carolina native, and the state's House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford were among those publicly asking Swinney not to attend the event. William Ta'oma, a student at Clemson University, where Swinney is the head football coach, started a petition on Change.org asking the same.
"(A)fter much thought, in order to avoid a distraction for the team and the entire football program, I've decided it is in the best interests of all involved that I not attend the event," Swinney said in a statement. "I had no idea that I was being invited into a political controversy.
"It was my understanding that the nomination and selection for this award was based on the work done by our All In Foundation, and the difference it is making in our community."
The Palmetto Family Council acknowledged they were only planning to honor Swinney for his foundation, the State reported. S.C. Equality, a South Carolina based gay rights activist group, said Swinney made the right choice.
"Clemson students, alumni, faculty and staff come from all walks of life," S.C. Interim Director Jeff Ayers told the State, "and we rely on role models like Coach Swinney to show the world that South Carolina's community leaders will not stand for intolerance and hate."
