Rick Perry: “No, I Really Am Against Gay Marriage, I Swear!”

Even though Texas governor Rick Perry is having an homophobic hoedown in Houston this weekend, conservatives are still all huffy about his comment supporting New York’s decision to legalize gay marriage. But Perry doesn’t want you to think he’s goin’ all soft on the homos.

He told hate group leader Tony Perkins today on a radio interview:

“I probably needed to add a few words after that ‘it’s fine with me’ — it’s fine with me that a state is using their sovereign rights to decide an issue. Obviously gay marriage is not fine with me. My stance hasn’t changed. I believe marriage is the union of one man and one woman, and my record as governor of Texas reflects a very strong commitment to defending traditional marriage, including those efforts to pass the Texas Defense of Marriage Act, which — you were at some of those events where we were promoting the people of the state of Texas to go and defend traditional marriage. And I might add that it overwhelmingly was adopted by 75 percent of Texas voters. My comment reflects my recognition that marriage and most issues of the family have historically been decided by the people at the state and local level, and that is absolutely the state of law under our Constitution.”

Perkins then asked Perry whether that wouldn’t lead to states like New York imposing same-sex marriage on Texas.

“Right, and that is the reason that the Federal Marriage Amendment is being offered,” Perry said. “It’s a small group of activist judges and frankly a small handful, if you will, of states and these liberal special interest groups that are intent on a redefinition, if you will, of marriage on the nation, for all of us, which I adamantly oppose. Indeed, to not pass the Federal Marriage Amendment, would impinge on Texas and other states’ right not to have marriage forced upon them by these activist judges and these special interest groups. Our Constitution was designed to respect states, including the amendment process.”

Yeah, so get off his back, you guys! C’mon… let’s have a big group hug between all the men who oppose gay marriage. Allllrighty then… OK, pardner… you can let go now. There… that’s enough.