Republicans and the conservative coalition are known as many things. Republicans are known as the party of Lincoln,which focuses on economic issues, and the current majority in the House and Senate. However, we are not known as the party of tolerance, particularly when it comes to LGBTQ issues.
Republicans, it’s 2017. We are the party of desegregation under President Eisenhower, the party of the 19th Amendment, and the party of Lincoln. So why are we, a party that has always been supportive of equality for all people, born and unborn, leave this group of people on the outskirts of our support? Why abandon a marginalized group who, in some countries, face laws trying to ban their existence?
I can understand the religious aspect of being anti-LGBTQ. But isn’t the Bible’s message also about tolerance and love? Should we not treat people as people, regardless of sexual orientation? Why are pundits like Matt Walsh targeting gay male makeup artists on Twitter, attributing their sexuality to their father not being involved in their lives (which isn’t even true)? Can’t we just accept people as they are?
Why was marriage equality even a debate? Why propose legislation like the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of Indiana that permits religious individuals and small businesses to cite religious beliefs as a legal mechanism of defense in court in response to government lawsuits and private charges of discrimination. We should do better, especially when we ARE better than this. We are one group of people and should support each other!
Conservatives, the proponents of life both born and unborn, must apply the same principles to ALL life. Unfortunately, mistreatment of LGBTQ communities in America violates those principles. Suicide is the leading cause of death in LGBTQ youth. 30% of gay and lesbian youth attempt suicide by the age of 15, a statistic that we should aim to change through tolerance and love. Conversion therapy, an attempt to change the sexuality of an LGBTQ individual through unsanctioned practices, has been discredited and discouraged through various mental health professionals and groups for decades. These practices are known to increase the rate of attempted suicides, depression, drug use, and STD’s from unsafe sexual practices in LGBTQ youth. And yet our Vice President is a proponent of these inhumane and baseless practices.
It wasn’t that long ago that I, a black Republican, could have been denied services just based on my skin color. It’s time to protect the rights of all–black or white, gay or straight–and really prove that we believe “All Lives Matter.” Because they do.
Whether or not the GOP accepts marriage equality will not affect who these people support. Most LGBT oppose the values and traditions that conservatives hold in high regard. In general, they are militant atheists, hateful of conservative Christians, and hypocritical in their intolerance. I speak from experience. There is no reason why conservatives should succumb to pressure from society to give up our values, whatever they may be. Most conservatives oppose gay marriage on religious grounds, and support those business owners who do not wish to participate in activities that can be construed as support for something that their religion is very clearly opposed to. Gay marriage, acceptance of homosexuality, and other activities of the state and imposed by the state will not solve the issues you suggest are a result of opposition to behaviors and progressive laws. For example, rejection of homosexual behavior and gay marriage does not necessarily correlate to a cause for the fact that 30% of lgbt youth attempt suicide by the time they are 15. And there is woefully little understanding of the neurological and psychological causes of homosexuality, because it is treated as an acceptable behavior.
I do not reject your premise because i hate lgbt people. I reject your premise because of three reasons: 1.) it seems part of your reasoning for this article is to open LGBT individuals to the GOP, and in a larger sense, to conservative principles. This will not happen because of weaker principles among conservatives. 2.) LGBT “rights” have consistently been shown to conflict with normal civil and state rights. Whether it’s a baker being fined or shut down because she won’t bake a wedding cake celebrating gay marriage, or a district court overturning the will of the people, or a legitimately instituted amendment to a state constitution, these protections contradict concepts found within our own Constitution 3.) and most importantly: i believe that, while homosexuality does not harm members of society (except for the transmission of STD’s that are mainly prevalent within the gay community are transmitted outside of that community), there is an underlying, negative cause of homosexuality and gender identity disorders. To suggest that these psychological or neurological issues, which are most likely the cause of the disproportional suicide statistic, are not harmful to the individual and are “ok” is doing more harm to these individuals than good. If we truly care about people, and want to live out conservative values, we wouldn’t be saying that it’s ok.
Muh current year