Daniel Pokorney, the mayor of La
Grande, Oregon, has apologized for several anti-gay marriage Facebook
posts, The
Observer reported.
Pokorney came under heavy criticism and
calls to resign after he posted several anti-gay comments on his
personal Facebook page, including describing gay marriage as an
“abomination.”
“I sincerely apologize for my choice
of words in the two Facebook posts last week. My choice of words was
harmful and hurtful,” Pokorney told a crowd of about 150 people
attending a forum Monday on the Easter Oregon University campus.
“I don't hate anyone. My intent was
not to be hurtful, but to express myself on important issues. I
understand there is a right way and a wrong way to address the
issues.”
In his posts, Pokorney criticized
recent marriage equality gains in Washington state and New Jersey.
Washington had transitioned to “Sodom
and Gomorrah,” he wrote in one post.
“Well, New Jersey continues the
abomination of same-sex unions,” he wrote in another post.
“Hopefully the governor will veto the bill.”
While several who attended the forum
defended Pokorney's right to weigh in on the issue, no one defended
the mayor's comments.
“I appreciate the apology, but when I
look at the mayor of La Grande, I see the representation of La
Grande,” said student Michael Cooper. “If I work for a bank and
go out and state my opinions in the street, I know I'm representing
my company.”
Pokorney is not the only mayor called
on to resign his post after posting anti-gay marriage comments.
Troy, Michigan Mayor Janice Daniels offered
a tepid apology for saying on Facebook that she was going to
throw away her I Love New York bag “now that queers can get married
there.”