HOSCHTON, Ga. (AP) — One of the leaders of a north Georgia town says his Baptist church teaches him to oppose interracial marriage to “keep your races pure.”
Hoschton (HOOSH-ton) City Council member Jim Cleveland tells The Atlanta Journal-Constitution his comments on the topic have drawn scorn from as far as Canada, but he doesn’t regret them.
Mayor Theresa Kenerly also faces calls for her resignation.
In documents released by the city, Councilwoman Hope Weeks wrote that the mayor told her they had a strong candidate for the city administrator job “but he was black and we don’t have a big black population and she just didn’t think Hoschton was ready for that.”
Kenerly said she doesn’t recall saying that.
Faith leaders plan a vigil Wednesday in Hoschton, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Atlanta.
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Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, http://www.ajc.com
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