Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth has weighed in on a controversy this week after the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) made headlines by calling on the Auburn baseball program to stop praying publicly as a team and remove crosses from some versions of the uniforms they wear in witness to their faith.

One day after U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville blasted the FFRF by referring to them as one of the “woke groups that hate God and America”, Ainsworth has doubled down and backed up his close friend in head coach Butch Thompson.

“The Freedom From Religion Foundation that is attacking my friend, Coach Butch Thompson, and the Auburn baseball team for praying and wearing crosses on their uniforms also threatened me in 2019 for using my office to promote religion,” Ainsworth told Yellowhammer News this week.

“Just as I did then, I encourage all Alabamians to join me in praying that the foundation’s members will one day find God’s grace. As we say in the South – bless their hearts.”

Tuberville took a strong stance as well this week, telling Yellowhammer News in a statement that they foundation goes against everything America stands for.

“Our great country was founded on the freedom of religion, not freedom FROM religion,” he said. “It’s no surprise to see woke groups that hate God and America come after Auburn’s baseball team for displaying their faith on practice jerseys.”