A suburban mayor has defended comments he made during an Independence Day speech where he called the legalization of gay marriage and unmarried couples having children part of a “moral crisis” facing the nation.
Mundelein Mayor Steve Lentz wrote on Facebook that he was “saddened to learn” that his comments were “misconstrued into hurtful accusations.”
The post comes after his Fourth of July speech at the Fort Hill Heritage Museum sparked controversy in the northwest suburb.
“I’ll address the elephant in the room and that is some of us are kind of reeling after the Supreme Court decision a week and a half ago,” Lentz said in the speech.
He went on to say that the decision was just one part of a “decades-long adventure in a moral crisis that we’re in."
He also commented on unwed parents and alcoholism.
“Our nation is in a moral crisis and it’s something that needs to be talked about more,” he said. “The out-of-wedlock birth rate is just crazy high compared to our history.”
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Lentz, who posted audio of his 11-minute speech, has since been the target of social media criticism with some accusing him of “preaching” and others calling his words “inappropriate.”
“I listened to the whole speech and feel it was wildly inappropriate for a July 4th speech. While it wasn't obviously nasty, it definitely denigrated LGBTIQ and single mothers and you know in all the time he spoke, not one word on our nations heros,” one user wrote on Lentz’s Facebook page.
"So offensive. This is the United States of America," another post read. "All are created equal!!! You represent your village - all of the community - not just some!"
Some, however, were supportive of the mayor.
“I listened to the entire speech, it sounded perfectly acceptable, he spoke the truth, stated facts, and shared from his heart his hopes for our troubled nation,” one user wrote.
Lentz posted Sunday that “no offense was intended” in his speech.
“Please know, I would be among the first to honor the single parents in our community who are working tirelessly to support their households and sacrifice for their children,” he wrote. “Nothing I said was intended to disparage single parents, and it grieves me to hear that others spun my words to imply that I said otherwise.”
Listen to the full audio below.
