John Hawkins, the former South Carolina lawmaker who backed the
state's gay marriage ban, has reversed course.
At a reception held at the Charleston Marriott on Wednesday,
Hawkins told members with the Alliance for Full Acceptance that he is
no longer opposed to gay nuptials.
In 2006, then Republican Senator Hawkins spearheaded the fight in
the Senate to amend the South Carolina Constitution to define
marriage as solely a heterosexual union.
“I honestly wish I hadn't been so strident against gay
marriage,” he said in addressing the group.
In comments to ABC affiliate News
4, Hawkins said that he wanted to make amends.
“I have two children, two girls, and I want them to grow up
knowing that their daddy, even though he stood up against this right
at one point in his life, that he tried to do something about it,
that he tried to basically make amends and make it right,” Hawkins
said.
“The biblical verses against homosexuality, I hope one day will
go the same way as the biblical verses that condone slavery or
genocide,” he said. (The video is embedded on this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)