La Grande Oregon Mayor Pokorney Posts To Facebook That In Passing Same Sex Marriage Bill Washington Becomes “Latest State To Transition To Sodom And Gomorrah” And Calls Same Sex Civil Unions “Abomination;” Offers Awkward Policy; Calls Continue That He Resign

In eastern Oregon, La Grande Mayor Daniel Pokorney said it was not his intention to offend anyone when he posted on Facebook his opinion that same sex marriage is an abomination, but he quickly learned that in the Internet age, he is speaking to a world far beyond the rural university town. "Man-oh-man, it has come back to bite me, big time," Pokorney said Tuesday of his Facebook posts. "I am just being lambasted." According to The Oregonian, the 58-year-old Pokorney is in the cross hairs of an online, 800-signature petition demanding he resign from the mayor's job. Most petition signers so far are from out of state, he said, but one person complained to his church and others said they are ashamed he is mayor of La Grande, population 13,000. Pokorney offered an apology Monday to a standing-room-only audience of Eastern Oregon University students, staff and others. "I thought it was important that I face those people," he said. "I believe I did it with strength and humility, and I apologized for the words that bothered them, but I kept my core values." Nicholas Corter, a 19-year-old EOU freshman who attended Pokorney's face-off with his detractors, said he felt "the mayor got the message and will make an effort to change his stance on certain issues ... It's not always intent, but perception. Not what you mean to say but how people hear it." Corter believes the issue is church-state separation, because Pokorney is La Grande's mayor. "This is a very strong, conservative area of the country and people here believe the Bible should influence what laws are made," Corter said. "I don't agree with that at all. ... If he screws up again, then he should resign." Pokorney's Facebook posts included: "Well, New Jersey continues the abomination of same-sex unions. Hopefully the governor will veto the bill." (February 16) "Washington State. The latest state to transition to Sodom and Gomorrah. The attack on the marriage between a woman and a man continues." (February 8) A self-described pro-life conservative Republican and father of three who served two terms on the local school board, Pokorney insists he's never criticized any individual's sexual orientation. His Facebook posts were directed to the federal Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, which defines marriage as a union between a man and woman, he said. Until the law is changed or ruled unconstitutional, "DOMA is the law of the land, and I believe that is what we should follow," he said. "My views are mine and I have a First Amendment right to express my views. But I have to be more cognizant of the words I use." That his posts were labelled hate speech upsets him, said Pokorney. "Hate speech? Excuse me. I don't think so. I don't hate anyone," he said. "They have no idea how I feel about a lot of issues." EOU freshman Jacky Sheoships, 19, who attended the Monday night meeting, said she was "a little angry that he said it on a public forum. He is the mayor." Megan Baker, 18, an EOU freshman and co-president of EOU's Gay-Straight Alliance, hasn't decided whether she wants Pokorney to resign, she said. Sexual orientation is a volatile issue among some young people, and one of her high school friends committed suicide over his concerns about his sexual identity, she said. "I fear for the teens and kids who don't yet know if they want to be gay and bisexual," she said. "If they don't feel safe, they won't live here." One of Pokorney's Facebook posts said, "To all that use social media like Facebook and others, please be careful of the content and routing of your posts. I have just learned the hard way that one little mis-directed message is hurtful."