What’s less “Republican”, making a sex tape or supporting marriage equality?

Timothy Kincaid

November 16th, 2009

meghanThat’s the question that Meghan McCain, daughter of Sen. John McCain, has for the Republican Party.

Meghan has been feeling the ire of those within the Party who think that her ideological support for equality disqualifies her as a Republican. So she’s a bit pissed about the priorities of some of the stalwart conservatives who don’t like her but welcome Carrie Prejean with open arms.

After watching several of Prejean\’s media appearances this week, it was not her incredibly uncomfortable threat to walk out on Larry King that had me most unnerved; it was actually her appearance on Sean Hannity’s show. This was Prejean\’s first stop on her book publicity tour, and when the sex tape came up, he proceeded to ask her if she was “in love with her boyfriend at the time that she made [it].” I\’m sorry, why would being in love matter when it comes to filming yourself in a sexual context?

Meghan notes the hypocrisy of those who are quick to forgive you of anything if you are adequately anti-gay.

The problem I have with my fellow Republicans is why gay marriage is the trump card in any situation. It seems that as long as you are against gay marriage, any scandal in your life can be overlooked or overcome. When you are in favor of it, however—and I have been very vocal about my support—that position defines you.

Sometimes I wonder if I were against marriage equality, whether it would make it easier for some Republicans to accept my place within this party. I have to constantly remind people of my pro-life, pro-small government stance because the only view that seems to matter is the fact that I believe my gay friends should have the same right to one of our founding ideals—that all men are created equal with certain inalienable rights. I think if Republicans truly believe in keeping government out of our lives—that should include not dictating who one can marry.

Many believe that it was Carrie Prejean\’s anti-gay marriage views that cost her the Miss USA pageant earlier this year. My question is: When it comes to Republicans, is your position on gay marriage what determines your fate within the party?

Personally, I think the party needs to ask itself whether it wants to be a party that the Meghan McCains of the country can join or whether it wishes to only appeal to those with the perception, character, and intellect of Carrie Prejean.

Ben in Oakland

November 16th, 2009

“…Meghan McCains of the country can join or whether it wishes to only appeal to those with the perception, character, and intellect of Carrie Prejean.”

Ummmm, sorry to be so snarky, but what perception, character, and intellect are you referring to?

Lindoro Almaviva

November 16th, 2009

Wow, any way that we can get rid of her daddy and put her on his place?

Andrew

November 16th, 2009

Not just the Meghan McCains — don’t forget the George W. Bush captured 50% of the gay vote in 2000. There are plenty of gays who’d like to see competition for their vote — and let’s be frank, how much action are we seeing right now out of the Democratic leaders — the best they can muster is to attach pro-gay legislation to troop-spending bills because they know the opposition won’t dare oppose military spending. There’s no courage from them on LGBT issues because there’s nothing to fear from the LGBT community.

There are plenty of libertarian, small-government, fiscally-conservative LGBT people in this country who don’t feel they have a party they can truly stand behind, but line up behind one party because anything else means sacrificing any sense of self-worth. If the GOP would get out of the habit of telling everyone how to live and get back to policies about how to govern, they’d have a lot more appeal. Ask Bill Weld… a little flexibility and common sense can lead to big landslides when you realize the public is already ahead of you.

Timothy Kincaid

November 16th, 2009

Andrew,

No, George W. Bush captured 24% of the gay vote in 2000. Less in 2004.

Ben,

I have the same question.

Transplanted Lawyer

November 16th, 2009

Count me as one of the small-government, libertarian Republicans cheering on the Meghan McCains of the party today. I can’t think of a more principled Republican stance on social issues than letting same-sex couples marry — it’s pro-family, pro-child, and pro-stability in the social sphere. But the party has sold out to the wingnuts, for the time being, and I fear this process will need to run its course through 2012 before it gets better.

Burr

November 16th, 2009

My answer to her question: Dede.

As an unaffiliated libertarian I really hope folks like Meghan can get the Republican to start walking the walk of limited government instead of just squawking it, but let’s face it: as much as they are hypocrites for calling for big government nanny stating our sex lives and relationship contracts, they are equally hypocritical about their so-called fiscal conservatism as well.

There’s hardly anyone out there sticking up for liberty in all realms of our lives any more.

Timothy (TRiG)

November 17th, 2009

As much as libertarians annoy me (and that’s a lot, by the way), most do seem to be principled people and fairly consistent in their views. They’re misguided, and they clearly haven’t read enough Dickens, but they aren’t actually prejudiced.

Libertarians merely annoy me. Many other right-wingers disgust me.

TRiG.

Timothy (TRiG)

November 17th, 2009

(Oh, and what’s wrong with making a sex tape?)

Désirée

November 17th, 2009

It would be nice if all the people like Meghan, instead of trying to create a big tent in the GOP, simply abandoned it to the fundies and joined the libertarians, which they in effect already are.

Some high profile defections could actually get the Libertarians some traction and create a viable third (or better yet replacement second) party in America.

Priya Lynn

November 17th, 2009

Trig said “(Oh, and what’s wrong with making a sex tape?)”.

Nothing, its the hypocrisy of having a wild and crazy sex life and then trying to deny other’s their rights because you think their sex lifes are out of line with the religious ideas of morality that also preclude you from premarital sexual activities, making sex tapes and posing nude.

Priya Lynn

November 17th, 2009

Hooray for Meghan Mccain. She truly is a person of integrity and principles that stands as a shining example for all. What a breath of fresh air in the Republican party.

andrew

November 18th, 2009

Tim, I definitely seem to recall “50%”, but after 9 years, it could have been “50% of gays in Florida voted for W” for all I know. I went back to check and all my demographic references are no longer online. It sounds like you have a precise value, which suggests an awesome resource. Can you share?

werdna

November 18th, 2009

@andrew-Google.com is an awesome resource. A search there located this, this, this, and this among others.

All these sources (except the last, which uses 23% for both 2000 and 2004) agree with the estimate that GWB got 25% of the LGBT vote in 2000 and 23% in 2004. The source for these figures seems to be the CNN poll.

Robert in San Diego

November 19th, 2009

There is nothing wrong with making a sex tape, especially if you are of legal age and not lying to make yourself 17 when she was really 20. I make many and post them all the time, the thing about her is that she seems to of forgotten about that “moral” against pornography. Just like everything else in the bible, christians pick and choose which things to like and which things to dislike, and gays they do not like.

Regan DuCasse

November 21st, 2009

She was right about a few things:
That any kind of individual transgression IS forgiven as long as you’re against gay rights.
But if you’re supportive it defines you altogether.

Note all those family values politicians caught in sex scandals who have held their offices. Whereas gay politicians have left under clouds, with one exception in OR.

Note those politicians, while simply running for office or who were incumbent, lost because of their support for marriage equality.
Brian Brown so much has rejoiced that those supporters have lost in the elections.

Several writers and more commenters at TownHall, the two editors of WND have been vicious in their attacks on me. I support gay equality and I’m very conservative in all else, but you’d think I was a flaming liberal lefty on ALL things just because of the issue of gay people.

So, Ms. McCain is right about the hypocrisy, and it’s not really a Democrat/Republican issue anymore. It’s gay vs. straight, conservative Christian, vs. moderate people of faith or secular.
Any suggestion of pro gay support goes radioactive in no time.
People have allowed themselves to get so damn crazy about gay people, it’s scary.

And it’s really ugly.

werdna

November 21st, 2009

“Note all those family values politicians caught in sex scandals who have held their offices. Whereas gay politicians have left under clouds, with one exception in OR.”

Don’t forget Barney Frank and Gerry Studds, both of whom were reëlected numerous times after being involved in scandals.

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