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Log Cabin's Republicans Oppose Bush Marriage Amendment

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Log Cabin Republicans

Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director Patrick Guerriero

Washington,D.C.--"Writing discrimination into the Constitution is wrong. It is not conservative, it is not Republican, and it will not strengthen America," said Log Cabin Executive Director Patrick Guerriero, in response to the President's possible support of an anti-family Constitutional amendment.

The Washington Post, citing administration officials, reported last week that President Bush will support the Federal Marriage Amendment currently before congress. The New York Times reported on Sunday that White House officials had assured leaders of several far right pressure groups that the President would support the amendment.

"As conservative Republicans," said Guerriero, "we are outraged that any Republican-particularly the leader of our party and this nation-would support any effort to use our sacred United States Constitution as a way of scoring political points in an election year."

A. Candidate Bush promised in 2000 to be a "uniter, not a divider." The effort to write discrimination into our Constitution with an anti-family amendment would divide America.

B. Candidate Bush ran as a compassionate conservative. There is nothing compassionate about discriminating against part of the American family. And there is nothing conservative about tinkering with our Constitution.

C. Candidate Bush ran as a governor who supported Federalism and states' rights. This anti-family amendment runs counter to both those principles. And it runs counter to what Vice-President Cheney said during the 2000 campaign. Instead of allowing each state to decide this issue on its own, supporting this amendment is a purely political ploy to appease the radical right.

Log Cabin officials point out that the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is the law of the land. "DOMA means no state shall have to recognize marriages or civil unions from another state. There is no case before any court in America challenging the Defense of Marriage Act."

History, they say, "will not look back kindly on this assault of our Constitution. This amendment, say the Log Cabin Republicans, is the product of the radical right. They have mastered the art of gay-bashing after decades of practice. The anti-family federal marriage amendment would turn back the clock on our basic rights by denying not only civil marriage, but also civil unions and possibly even domestic partnerships. That is why Log Cabin considers support for this amendment a declaration of war on gay and lesbian families and an attack on our sacred Constitution."

Log Cabin believes that it understands that sharp disagreements exist about how to recognize gay and lesbian families: "This is a new and complex issue for all Americans. We encourage a healthy national dialogue. We base our opposition to an amendment on the principles of American freedom outlined in our Constitution."

"Log Cabin will fight the Federal Marriage Amendment all across this county, state by state, if we must. We will use our political resources to stop anyone from writing discrimination into our Constitution," said Log Cabin Political Director Mark Mead.

"We are disappointed that some Republicans leaders have abandoned the conservative principles on which this party was built. Liberty, equality and Federalism form the bedrock of Republican values. Some in our party have turned away from these principles to satisfy the radical right. Simply put, this is politics over principle," added Guerriero.

Pandering to the radical right will alienate the centrist, fair-minded swing voters who will ultimately decide the winner of what promises to be a close Presidential election. The President's re-election campaign should be centered on fighting terrorism, cutting taxes and jump-starting the economy. Now, following the same failed path of 1992, we hear the echoes of Pat Buchanan that helped lead to the defeat of the first President Bush.

"Log Cabin's mission is bigger than any one person, one election or one issue. We will not abandon our conservative principles, even as others toss their principles aside for short-term political gain," concluded Guerriero.

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