Franklin Graham, the son of evangelist
Billy Graham, has criticized a federal judge's ruling striking down
North Carolina's ban on gay marriage.
In speaking with NBC affiliate WCNC,
Graham, head of the Billy Graham Evangelist Association, called the
ruling “sad.”
“It's sad when a judge is able to
overrule the will of the people,” Graham told the station. “This
is a democracy, and the people spoke, and we're seeing that activist
judges across the country are overturning the will of the people. We
saw that in California. We're now seeing it here in North Carolina
now. I don't know what will take place.”
U.S. District Court Judge Max. O.
Cogburn Jr. declared the ban invalid on Friday after denying GOP
legislative leaders the right to intervene in the case.
(Related: United
Church of Christ cheers ruling striking down North Carolina's gay
marriage ban.)
Graham strongly
backed passage of the state's 2012 constitutional amendment which
excludes gay couples from marriage.
(Related: Franklin
Graham prepared to have his head “chopped off” for opposing gay
rights.)