Phil Burress, president of Citizens for
Community Values, says “you can't allow same-sex marriage until you
destroy all religions.”
Burress and his organization led the
campaign to approve Ohio's 2004 constitutional amendment which
prevents the state from recognizing any relationship other than a
heterosexual marriage.
Backers of an effort to repeal the
amendment say Ohio Senator Rob Portman's recent endorsement of
marriage equality has re-energized their campaign.
“The senator's coming-out in support
of freedom to marry has absolutely re-energized the campaign,” Ian
James, co-founder of FreedomOhio, told the Cleveland
Plain Dealer. “This is a monumentally huge step in Ohio, a
battleground state, for the marriage equality movement.”
Burress disagreed, telling the paper
that “I just don't ever see it happening.”
“This nation was founded on
Judeo-Christian principles, and, like Judeo-Christian beliefs, every
major religion is opposed to same-sex marriage,” he said. “You
can't allow same-sex marriage until you destroy all religions.”
Burress also chided Portman for putting
the Republican Party “at risk.”
“He has definitely put himself in the
crosshairs for the next election,” he said. “You can't win an
election in Ohio without the evangelical vote.”