Republican Louisiana Governor Bobby
Jindal said Sunday that his state will comply with the Supreme Court
ruling striking down state bans on gay marriage.
During an appearance on NBC's Meet
the Press, Jindal said that his administration was waiting for
the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal in New Orleans to overturn a lower
court's ruling upholding Louisiana's ban.
“We don't have a choice. Our
agencies will comply with the court order,” said Jindal, a
candidate for the White House.
Louisiana Attorney General James D.
“Buddy” Caldwell on Friday denounced the ruling, calling it “yet
another example of … federal government intrusion into what should
be a state issue,” and said that he found nothing in the court's
order that made it a legal requirement for officials to implement it
immediately.
“I think it is wrong for the federal
government to force Christian individuals, businesses, pastors,
churches, to participate in wedding ceremonies that violate our
sincerely held religious beliefs,” Jindal said.
Host Chuck Todd noted that former
President Harry Truman's opposition to interracial marriage was based
on his faith.
“So, are you comfortable using
religion as a way to defend your position on marriage?” Todd asked.
“Chuck I am. I think it's offensive
to Evangelical Christians, to Catholics that are trying to follow
their church's teachings and millions of other Americans who believe
that marriage is between a man and a woman,” he
answered. “I think it's just offensive to equate the two.”