Feminists blitz CBS over pro-life Super Bowl ad

College football star Tim Tebow

College football star Tim Tebow is under attack by pro-abortion feminist groups after CBS agreed to air his 30-second Super Bowl ad celebrating life.

The commercial, paid for by Christian group Focus on the Family, tells the story of his mother, Pam Tebow, and her 1987 pregnancy with a theme of "Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life." The ad is scheduled to be aired on the Feb. 7 broadcast of the Super Bowl at Dolphin Stadium in South Florida.

Pam became sick during her mission trip to the Philippines, contracting amoebic dysentery. She took strong antibiotics to rescue her from her coma. Pam's doctors warned that her baby would be stillborn or seriously ill. They suggested she abort the baby, but Pam refused. She gave birth to Tebow, who would later win the 2007 Heisman Trophy and help his Florida team to two national championships.

Jim Daly, president and CEO of Focus on the Family said the ad comes at a time when "families need to be inspired."

"Tim and Pam share our respect for life and our passion for helping families thrive," Daly said in a Focus on the Family announcement. "They live what we see every day – that the desire for family closeness is written on the hearts of every generation. Focus on the Family is about nurturing that desire and strengthening families by empowering them with the tools they need to live lives rooted in morals and values."

Daly said the money for the commercial, which could run between $2.5 and $2.8 million, came from "very generous and committed friends," and that no money from the Focus on the Family's general fund was used.

The Tebows said they agreed to appear in the commercial because the issue of life is one they feel very strongly about.

"Now that the ad has been shot, we're excited to tell people it's coming because the Tebows' story is such an important one for our culture to hear," he said. "You won't want to miss it."

Now Tebow's ad is under attack by several pro-abortion groups.

Jehmu Greene, president of Women's Media Center, demanded that CBS refuse to run the ad.

"An ad that uses sports to divide rather than to unite has no place in the biggest national sports event of the year – an event designed to bring Americans together regardless of background, faith, ideology or political affiliation," she said in a statement today.

Several feminist groups are joining the effort to pressure CBS into pulling the commercial, including: the National Organization for Women, the Abortion Access Project, ACCESS/Women's Health Rights Coalition, , Advocates for Youth, AlterNet, By Any Media Necessary, California Council of Churches IMPACT, CAMI project, Choice USA, Civil Liberties and Public Policy, Equality Now, Feminist Majority Foundation and Feminist Press.

While the public has yet to see the ad or script., Terry O'Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, declared that the ad is "not being respectful of other people's lives."

CBS has stood by its decision to keep the commercial, saying it plans to air more advocacy ads during the Super Bowl.

"We have for some time moderated our approach to advocacy submissions after it became apparent that our stance did not reflect public sentiment or industry norms," spokesman Dana McClintock told the Washington Post. "In fact, most media outlets have accepted advocacy ads for some time."

Tebow, the 22-year-old former University of Florida quarterback known for writing Bible verses under his eyes, said at a news conference, "Some people won't agree with it, but I think they can at least respect that I stand up for what I believe, and I'm never shy about that, and I don't feel like I'm preachy about it."

Note: Concerned individuals may contact CBC Corporation.