The View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck insists she supports gay marriage after coming to the aid of former New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree, who has been criticized for saying that passage of a gay marriage bill in New York would lead to “anarchy.”

Tyree's remarks in opposition to marriage equality were discussed during a Tuesday segment of the show.

Panelist Whoopi Goldberg, a supporter of marriage equality, opened the discussion: “Tyree has been making headlines for coming out strongly against gay marriage, saying it will lead to anarchy in the U.S., and that gay couples shouldn't even be allowed to raise children.”

Hasselbeck, who is married to former Giants player Tim Hasselbeck, dismissed the claims Tyree is acting out of animus toward gay men and lesbians.

“He will always be respected and always was by his teammates, not just for that Super Bowl catch … but for being a man who stands by his convictions in a way that's respectful,” Hasselbeck said.

“I know David Tyree. I know his heart. He has no hate. He loves everyone. He believes everyone's created by God and should be loved as such. And he doesn't have bigotry. He truly is just a man who is not a part-time guy following God.”

Goldberg, however, had a different take, saying: “Let us be real now. To say that people should not be allowed to raise children because they feel or act differently than you do seems slightly not God-like to me.”

“If you do not believe in gay marriage, do not marry a gay person,” Goldberg added to the delight of the audience. (The video is embedded in the right panel of this page.)

Responding to angry tweets, Hasselbeck insisted she was only endorsing Tyree's right to hold an opinion and said she's gay marriage supporter.

“for everyone who wants to TELL me what I believe: you r wrong. Fact: I support gay marriage. Fact: I defend no such hate,” she tweeted to her nearly 200,000 followers.

Hasselbeck has previously said she supports gay marriage – both on The View and in interviews – but its also appears that her conviction might not be that strong, and that other conservatives principles – such as religious freedom – most often override her support for marriage equality. And in 2008, Hasselbeck supported passage of Proposition 8, California's voter-approved gay marriage ban.