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A Gay Conservative’s Reaction to the Supreme Court Decision Legalizing the Right to Gay Marriage
The Journal by IJReview ^ | 06/27/2015 | Bruce Carroll

Posted on 06/27/2015 7:35:43 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

It’s tough to be a gay conservative. I’m not complaining – it’s just true. I normally “politically identify” myself as an American first, conservative second…And I happen to be gay. But today is one of those days that really shines a light for me on being a living contradiction (in most people’s eyes).

I find myself very conflicted. I’m pleased with the outcome – though this has been an evolution for me. Yeah, I know – just like Barack Obama.

Truth is, before I started the GayPatriot blog, I wrote an op-ed about a decade ago for the Washington Blade, DC’s gay newspaper, and admitted that I was very ambivalent about “gay marriage.” I don’t remember much of the specifics of what I wrote and the article doesn’t appear online anymore. I did caution that the path toward same-sex marriage (I preferred civil unions) should be a long one and the people, not the judiciary, should decide.

I’ve been able to find only one excerpt from that op-ed:

“The backlash over gay marriage (in 2003) doesn’t come as a surprise to me. Since two-thirds of Americans (in 2003) oppose gay marriage, and the same percentage support legal protections for gays in the workplace, then why… are the radical gay groups forcing marriage down the throats of America at this time?”

As I’m sure you can guess — that didn’t make me a popular invitee to the fancy gay cocktail parties in D.C. where I lived at the time. I pointed out that before the 2004 Federal Marriage Amendment push, the gay activists were not taking the marriage issue seriously.

“We have Rosie O’Donnell who says she’s getting married in front of TV cameras merely because President Bush is opposed to it. Well, that’s one sure way for opponents to question the sincerity of the true commitment to gay marriage, isn’t it?”

And that is the point that I think has changed for me. It’s a generational change, you see. When I “came out” at age 26 in the mid-1990s, my friends and I would have laughed at anyone who suggested we have gay marriage. We were living in a subculture, separate from the mainstream, and we liked it. We also had very different concerns, as it was the peak of HIV/AIDS. My friends and I were probably the last age cohort to see friends die en masse.

And yes, the radical gay leftist groups originally didn’t talk about love and commitment. They talked about “fairness” and “getting back at the straights.” That all fell flat with me.

So it was left to a younger generation, who grew up in different circumstances than I, to lead the country on this issue. That’s the way life evolves.

What is frustrating for me is how incompetent the Republican Party handled this issue. Karl Rove – the progressive voice of illegal amnesty for demographic reasons – led the charge for the 2004 Federal Marriage Amendment. I have argued for years that the GOP should have led on the issue by supporting civil unions with strong religious liberty protections. Yes, the Supreme Court may have eventually sided toward “marriage” – but at least one political party would have been in the game and not alienating Millennials along the way.

So one can be happy at the outcome of today’s court decision, but not happy with the process or the rationale that it took to get there.

This morning, my partner of 15 years and I looked at each other and jokingly realized that perhaps – under common law – we were already legally married. So, like any good American, I immediately called our lawyer.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: conservative; gaymarriage; supremecourt
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To: SeekAndFind

He is a confused guy. He is a homosexual republican, but not conservative.


41 posted on 06/27/2015 9:19:00 AM PDT by vpintheak (Call the left what they are - regressive control-freaks)
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To: SeekAndFind

I would like to point out the current religious affiliations of each member of the U. S. Supreme Court:

There are six Roman Catholics currently serving on the court (Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy, John Roberts, Antonin Scalia, Sonia Sotomayor, and Clarence Thomas) and three Jews (Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Elena Kagen).

Nary a Protestant Christian.


42 posted on 06/27/2015 9:47:25 AM PDT by Resettozero
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To: CodeToad
-- I was trolling for that exact answer! Congress approves of what the court has been doing, is too cowardly to do it themselves, and can no focus the blame on the court. --

You play a good straight man!

I don't think Congress necessarily agrees with the policy result, Congress as a whole that is. What Congress appreciates is that is does not have to decide the issue, and thereby own it. Same principle applies to executive actions (See Bush's unconstitutional creation of courts), administrative rule and government corruption and criminality, and so on.

Congress can play the game of "good cop" without ever deciding a sticky issue. Debate camp, but on an issue decided by SCOTUS.

43 posted on 06/27/2015 9:52:25 AM PDT by Cboldt
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To: Cboldt

“I don’t think Congress necessarily agrees with the policy result, Congress as a whole that is. “

As a whole, yes, maybe not 100 members or so, but the rest do.


44 posted on 06/27/2015 10:13:14 AM PDT by CodeToad (Islam should be outlawed and treated as a criminal enterprise!)
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To: CodeToad
-- As a whole, yes, maybe not 100 members or so, but the rest do. --

A good estimate in this case (maybe a little low), and certainly on the SCOTUSCare case. But in general, even if a majority of Congress disagrees with the ruling, it appreciates being taken off the hook.

45 posted on 06/27/2015 10:24:04 AM PDT by Cboldt
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To: Cboldt

“, it appreciates being taken off the hook. “

Yes, it does. The political expediency of this ruling was worth far more than their concern of the issue.


46 posted on 06/27/2015 10:35:51 AM PDT by CodeToad (Islam should be outlawed and treated as a criminal enterprise!)
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To: SeekAndFind
The Supreme Court didn't “Legalize” Gay Marriage, they Federalized it.

The Decision had nothing to do with Gay Marriage, it had everything to do with States Rights under the Constitution.

Just as the States have Laws regarding Age of Consent, Incestuous Marriage and I assume Polygamous Marriage, the State should be deciding if they want Gay Marriage.

Now, I assume the Federal Government has to come up with a National Age of Consent and I would think that all Laws pertaining to Incestuous Marriage which vary from State to State must also meet a National Standard. (I KNOW, NEVER ASSUME) Senator Ted Cruz had it right when he said Gay Marriage is a State Issue. The wonderful thing about America is that you can choose to move to another State if you feel the State Government does not reflect your Values through its Laws. SCOTUS took away that option in Yesterday's Ruling.

47 posted on 06/27/2015 11:20:38 AM PDT by Kickass Conservative (Obama speaks, Fools Listen and Bootlickers Obey..)
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To: Jagdgewehr

No, it is not. What are the reasons this fellow identifies as a conservative?


48 posted on 06/27/2015 11:30:24 AM PDT by kanawa
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To: elengr

I like the points you have put forth and intend to incorporate some of them into my description and defense of Marriage.


49 posted on 06/27/2015 11:39:58 AM PDT by kanawa
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To: VictoryGal
Gay... Conservative...?

Paging Dr. Oxymoron.

I live in a town that has a large gay population. Of the gays I've met over the years, most have been generally conservative in most aspects of life.

The few radicals I've met would be radicals in all areas of human experience anyway. They'd protest, march & destroy their way through life with enthusiasm.

The squeaky wheel that squeaks the loudest gets the oil

50 posted on 06/27/2015 12:49:48 PM PDT by Joan Kerrey (The larger the government, the smaller the people)
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To: kanawa
What are the reasons you think other folks think being conservative means being perfect, without sin?

There is a huge difference between struggling with sin and brazenly embracing and celebrating an abomination as a lifestyle. I seriously doubt you would find too many conservatives who believe they're perfect.

51 posted on 06/27/2015 1:02:12 PM PDT by Jagdgewehr (It will take blood.)
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