New York gubernatorial hopeful Carl
Paladino attacked gay marriage in a speech to Orthodox Jewish leaders
on Sunday.
The Republican candidate made his
remarks at a synagogue in Brooklyn's Williamsburg section, the New
York Times reported.
In contrasting his views on gay
marriage with those of his opponent, Andrew Cuomo, the Democratic
state attorney general, Paladino said his opposition to the
institution stems from not wanting children “brainwashed into
thinking that homosexuality” is acceptable.
“I just think my children and your
children would be much better off and much more successful getting
married and raising a family, and I don't want them brainwashed into
thinking that homosexuality is an equally valid and successful option
– it isn't,” he said.
The Tea Party favorite added: “I
didn't march in the gay parade this year – the gay pride parade
this year. My opponent did, and that's not the example we should be
showing our children.” (Video is embedded in the right panel on
this page.)
According
to Newsday.com, Paladino omitted the following sentence from his
speech: “There is nothing to be proud of in being a dysfunctional
homosexual.”
The Cuomo campaign called Paladino's
remarks homophobic.
“Mr. Paladino's statement displays a
stunning homophobia and a glaring disregard for basic equality,”
the campaign said in a statement. “These comments along with other
views he has espoused make it clear that he is way out of the
mainstream and is unfit to represent New York.”
Paladion and campaign staffers both
insisted that the candidate wasn't anti-gay.
“Don't misquote me as wanting to hurt
homosexual people in any way,” Paladino warned reporters. “That
would be a dastardly lie.”
“Carl Paladino is simply expressing
his views that he holds in his heart as a Catholic,” campaign
manager Michael R. Caputo told the paper. “Carl Paladino is not
homophobic, and neither is the Catholic Church.”
A
Quinnipiac University poll released last week shows Cuomo holding an
18-point lead over Paladino.