Alan Keyes' Daughter Coming Out

(CBS) The 19-year-old daughter of Alan Keyes has a Valentine for the anti-gay rights conservative pundit and frequent Republican candidate.

Maya Marcel-Keyes will be making her first public appearance as a gay activist at a Valentine Day's rally in front of the Maryland State House, says Dan Furmansky, the leader of Equality Maryland, a gay rights group.

Last summer her father, a conservative pundit and frequent Republican candidate, caused a stir during the Republican convention by labeling Vice President Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter a sinner and calling homosexuality "selfish hedonism."

"It was kind of strange that he said it like a hypothetical," she told the Washington Post. "It was really kind of unpleasant."

Marcel-Keyes told the Post her parents have thrown her out of the house, stopped speaking to her and refuse to pay for college because she is gay. She said she loves her parents.

Keyes' Web site says he is against "the homosexual rights agenda, including same-sex marriage."

Marcel-Keyes grew up in Darnestown, Md., attended a conservative Catholic school for girls in McLean, Va., spent a year in the south of India advocating tribal rights, and plans to attend Brown University this fall, according to an Equality Maryland press release.

Furmansky told CBSNews.com that Marcel-Keyes would not be speaking to the media ahead of Monday's rally, and probably not afterward, either.

Bloggers have identified her Web site as http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=Xmisled0youthX. The author of the blog says it is public and she has nothing to hide.

Do you contend he lied in giving his answer?

A lie of omission IS a lie, no matter how you dress it up.

And "He gave his answer" to suit his own vote-getting agenda.

Dishonest AND hyprocritical.

I said you were only aware of bits and pieces. Am I wrong?

I also said your biases color and control what you know. Am I wrong? Are you superhuman, infallible in judgment?

Do you have any evidence that Dick Cheney has been inconsistent in his views on homosexuality? That's what was being discussed.

Try to keep up.

I have. I think especially of one young 20 something and a woman older than I am. They've had a lesbian relationship for a long time. I believe the younger woman, who had a terrible relationship with her own mother, just gravitated to this woman who was nice to her. The older woman was married a couple of times and had grandchildren! What a world we're in.

You are making a huge amount of noise about Keye's not telling us when he had a chance.

No, I don't have a gay son or a lesbian daughter.

What I have is a DEAD son -- my only child; I lost him in 2000 to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.

And I will state unequivocally that ANYBODY who turns their back on a child for whatever reason is a complete fool and hypocrite.

"Do you not understand that at that very moment he was asked that question whether it was baiting or not (leaving aside how stupid he was to take the bait), he KNEW that his OWN daughter was a lesbian and that rather than do the right thing -- keep his mouth shut and cast no stones -- he took the opportunity to make POLITICAL POINTS on Mary Cheney's back, while not bothering to expose his own vulnerability at the same time?"

I condemn the remarks Keyes made on that occasion. To have allowed himself to be interviewed by that radio station was sheer and utter stupidity and a complete lack of wisdom. Furthermore, I abhor the extreme rhetoric and self-righteous tone Keyes sometimes uses when he publicly discusses these topics.

However, the remarks to which you refer, were more the result of neglecting to think before he spoke. I would not characterize that momentary lack of judgment, as harshly as yourself. When so doing, you sound as bitterly judgmental and self-righteous as Keyes sometimes does.

Back up and answer the questions. Do you admit you have biases? Do you admit that you only have part of the picture?

Unlike you, I haven't made any foolish conjectures about the Cheneys or their motivations, good or bad. Their case is irrelevent except to illustrate that you tend cherrypick your evidence to fit your biases and personal animus against Alan Keyes.

I don't like hyprocrites, theirs or the ones who assume to be "ours."

It's dishonest.

And I guess I do sound harsh because I am, frankly, quite tired of being told repeatedly that we just aren't smart enough to understand what the great Alan Keyes really said.

It's as plain as day.

#299..I think this is the crux of it.

I admire, respect and appreciate Vice President Cheney, but have never thought of him as a religious person.
When in church, his wife and the Bush's will sing, but he doesn't.
Sure, maybe he doesn't have a good singing voice, but surely he could try.
But that's OK....that's his right.
And only God knows his heart...

...Alan Keyes, OTOH, has a strong faith, a huge intellect, and a fiercely adamant presence......no denying that!

If he has turned his daughter out of the home, he is practicing 'tough love'....

..This doesn't mean he has stopped loving her, but it does mean he is drawing the line as to what he will accept or not accept in his home.
He has the right to do this....as well.

Keyes is not perfect.....but surely we can cut him some slack....it has to be a heartbreaker when a child rebels.

Back up and answer the questions. Do you admit you have biases? Do you admit that you only have part of the picture?

Of course, we all do.

Unlike you, I haven't made any foolish conjectures about the Cheneys or their motivations, good or bad.

Do you have any evidence that Dick Cheney has been inconsistent in his opinions on homosexuality?

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.