NC reactions to gay marriage ruling

“I don’t support homosexuality ... the Bible says one husband and one wife. The forefathers who wrote the Constitution saw marriage as between a man and a woman.”

Celeste Howard,

of Raleigh, member of a local Pentecostal church

“I think it’s a step forward. ... Sometimes it takes people awhile to come around.”

Lance Golden,

of Raleigh, who works for the city

“The true definition of marriage cannot be redefined by courts – it remains the permanent union of one man and one woman, oriented to the procreation and raising of children.”

Bishop Michael F. Burbidge,

of the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh

“I have some close friends who would like to be married, and it’s good that now they can. And I think in general people should be treated equally.”

Allison Coleman,

a stylist of Raleigh

“Will, as the dissenting justices suggest, the Supreme Court’s decision to step in on this hotly-debated political question actually put an end to the rising tide in favor of equal rights? Or is the majority just siding with an inevitable push of history?”

Michael Rich,

Elon University law professor

“As we celebrate this victory, we know we have a lot of work left to do. It is more critical than ever that we harness the momentum borne from the marriage conversation to secure true full equality for LGBTQ people.”

Mark Kleinschmidt,

mayor of Chapel Hill

“Religiously, it’s not something I approve of. But according to the Constitution, the Declaration, you can express yourself the way you want to.”

Nathan Batchler,

of Raleigh

“People that have lived their whole lives with a partner shouldn’t have to go through the legal hurdles we take for granted. People have the right to live their lives the way they choose.”

Susie White,

of Raleigh

“Like many, I still believe the definition of marriage should be determined by states and it should be one man and one woman.”

Gov. Pat McCrory

“We’re catching up with the rest of the world. I feel like a normal person now. Having the same rights as everyone else in this country is pretty massive.”

Jaimon Howell,

of Raleigh, married his husband two weeks after the law passed in North Carolina

“I don’t have a dog in that fight. To each his own. ... I think I could see where the opposed are coming from.”

Ross Caudle,

of Raleigh

“Pleased that the right to marry is a right for all.”

Janet Cowell

N.C. state treasurer

“It’s about time. Everybody is created equally.”

Casey O’Neill,

of Raleigh

Compiled by staff writers Mary Katherine Wildeman, Rose Rimler and Anne Blythe

This story was originally published June 26, 2015 at 7:42 PM with the headline "NC reactions to gay marriage ruling."