Gay Republicans' ads oppose amendment

By Times staff and news Services

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive Most e-mailed articles

BELLEVUE — A group of gay Republican activists is airing TV ads locally opposing a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would ban same-sex unions.

The state chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans spent $10,000 to run the 30-second ads on cable news channels in East King County over the weekend.

President Bush and GOP leaders began pushing to amend the Constitution earlier this year when gay and lesbian couples in a few states were allowed to marry.

Local members of the Log Cabin Republicans set up a display table this weekend at the state Republican Convention, where they handed out fliers explaining the group's mission and showed samples of the new TV spot.

"As GOP leaders from across Washington state come together, this ad sends an important message — you can be a good and loyal Republican by opposing efforts to write discrimination into the Constitution," said Brian Ballard, a national board member from Seattle.

"To be the majority party in this state and this country, the GOP must continue to embrace its core principles: limited government, low taxes, a strong defense, personal responsibility and individual freedom. Extremism will lead to defeat."

But Ballard and others made no attempt to strike anti-gay provisions from the new party platform, which convention delegates approved yesterday.

"We're here to make our positions known," Ballard said. "We're not here to embarrass anyone. We're not here to cause trouble."

Aside from urging support for a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman, the platform plank also said, "We understand that a primary responsibility of government is to uphold and respect traditional institutions, such as marriage between a man and a woman, and family, which are its foundation."

State Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance welcomed the group, saying, "They are loyal Republicans who disagree with the majority of the party on this issue. Fine."

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

E-mail this article

Print this article

Search archive

More local news headlines...