By CNN Political Unit
(CNN) — The controversial comments about homosexuality made by “Duck Dynasty” star Phil Robertson have come up in conversations across the country in the past two weeks and may make its way to the Alabama state legislature next month.
Republican state Sen. Jerry Fielding told CNN affiliate WBRC he plans to introduce a symbolic resolution in support of the Louisiana family’s patriarch.
“Biblically speaking, what Mr. Robertson had to say is completely supported. I just think it’s time that the overwhelming majority of people begin to speak up and speak out on these issues,” Fielding said.
The senator said the resolution was not meant to portray anti-gay themes, WBRC reported.
“We just don’t want people running over people that believe in the Bible and standing up for Jesus and God and doing those things the Scriptures teaches us to do,” he said.
A&E suspended Robertson after he told GQ magazine in its January edition that homosexuality is a sin and put it in the same category as bestiality and promiscuity. The network’s actions came after gay rights groups, such as the Human Rights Campaign, called on Robertson to step down.
The suspension ignited an uproar among those backing Robertson. An online petition against A&E, for example, surpassed its goal of gathering 250,000 signatures.
Alabama state Rep. Patricia Todd, the only openly gay lawmaker in the Alabama state legislature, agreed Robertson has a right to express his religious beliefs, WBRC reported.
But the Democrat added, “it’s not one of the most important things facing Alabama that we need to be taking time to even discuss in the legislature.”
A fan of the show, she also said she wasn’t surprised at all by his remarks.
“Yes, I’ve watched “Duck Dynasty.” I thought it was quite amusing. I liked it. I still will continue to watch it,” she said. “(For) most of us, it was like no big deal. Who cares? Yes, of course he thinks that.”.
Todd told WBRC she expects Fielding’s resolution to pass the state legislature.
CNN’s Ashley Killough contributed to this report.
The-CNN-Wire
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