Tell us less: NPR interviews Bishop Jackson

Bishop Harry Jackson (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

As part of the coverage of two days of Supreme Court hearings regarding same-sex marriage, Michel Martin interviewed local anti-gay leader Bishop Harry Jackson for NPR’s ‘Tell Me More.’

Jackson first said that his strongest objection to extending marriage rights to same-sex couples stems from his belief in the connection between the institution and procreation. When Martin asked Jackson what he believed to be the worst harm to come from extending those rights, Jackson switched gears and invoked the prospect of curriculum changes.

“I think that the worst case from my perspective would happen is that we’re going to have to look at what’s taught in schools to children who have slightly different family concepts,” Jackson said. “I think we have to decide what should be the curriculum in the courts or in the schools. What should kids who’re raised in Christian homes be taught?”

“For me,” Jackson continued, “the issue has always been about — what do we teach the kids and are we going to have an imbalance in what’s going to be taught to them? That’s always been my concern.”

Last year Jackson — who vociferously opposed successful efforts to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples in both the District of Columbia and Maryland — was recorded claiming that a curse he’d placed on the Washington Blade had caused its former parent company — Window Media — to declare bankruptcy.

Listen below: