PhoboQuotable - Rev. Floyd Flake

“I don’t care what the politicians think. Ain’t nothing perfect about laying down and signing a license with somebody who got the same body parts you got.” - The suitably named and grammatically challenged Rev. Floyd Flake, pastor of Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral in Queens, where NY Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith attends services.

The New York Times notes:

Mr. Flake went on for about two minutes, much to the delight of many in the pews, who cheered and applauded as the church organist punctuated the reverend’s words with notes from “I’ve Got a Woman,” by Ray Charles.

Smith says that while he considers Flake to be his spiritual mentor, he disagrees with the reverend on marriage equality.

“He knows what my position is. I know what his position is,” Mr. Smith said. “He looks at it as a religious matter, and I look at it as a legal matter. People being together, you know, has no implication on most other people’s lives. I think people deserve to be with who they want to be with. Who am I to dictate?”

Smith went on to compare himself to former NY Gov. Mario Cuomo, who supported abortion rights despite being a devout Catholic. He says he's not sure he can muster the necessary support for a marriage equality bill to pass in the Senate during the current session, which ends in June.