Politician who blamed Hurricane Katrina on gays hits back at MBE criticism
A politician who blamed Hurricane Katrina on gays has hit back at actress Ellen Page, after she criticised him receiving an MBE.
In the New Year’s Honours list, the Queen awarded an MBE to Northern Irish Councillor Maurice Mills, who blamed the spread of AIDS in Africa on gay people engaging in the “filthy practice of sodomy”.
The DUP councillor also claimed that the 2005 Hurricane Katrina – which killed 1,300 people – was “God’s revenge” for an annual Pride event held in New Orleans.
Juno star Ellen Page – who came out as a lesbian in an emotional speech last year – tweeted her anger at the controversial award, writing “f*** this”.
Mr Mills told the News Letter: “I welcome the scrutiny of anybody. These people are making judgment on a person when they haven’t a clue about his background or what the position is.
“I’m not getting into a mix about that. My position is taken from the word of God and I’ll obviously not be moving from that, it’s as simple as that.”
Of calls to hand back his award, he said: “Why should I? That’s a silly question. It’s been conferred upon me by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”
He added of his original comments: “I said this could be a warning, just as God has done countless times through the ages.”
