Margaret Hoover of Fox News: 'Why I’m Joining the Fight for Marriage Equality'

[Newsjock]

Source: Fox News

... Gays and lesbians are our friends, neighbors, doctors, colleagues, sisters and brothers. Does it sit well with you that because of their sexual orientation, a factor outside one’s control, that they should have less rights and protections in the eyes of the law? While increasing acceptance of gays marks my generational experience—Ellen DeGeneres is welcomed into the living rooms of millions of Americans daily, an impossibility in even my childhood— many who are older than me fear that if gays and lesbians can marry, what’s next? They worry that homosexual marriage degrades the integrity of heterosexual marriage. They fear that their children might be exposed to alternative lifestyles that will impact them negatively, or argue that the purpose of marriage is procreation.

If you are uncomfortable with gay marriage, I encourage you to pay attention to this trial, the plaintiffs, the defense and the spectrum of experts, historians, psychologists, economists, political scientists, who will testify as to the effects and detriment of Proposition 8. In the words of NAACP chairman Julian Bond, “The humanity of all Americans is diminished when any group is denied rights granted to others.”

Some Republicans support gay rights, but prefer progress through legislative action or majority rule at the ballot box, rather than judicial action. But what if a democratic election imposes mandates that violate a citizen’s constitutional freedom? In the event that majority rule insufficiently protects individual liberty, our system of checks and balances puts forth that it is the role of the courts, to guarantee and protect the rights to individual Americans.

... For those of you who would label me a "RINO" (Republican In Name Only) for taking this stand, I direct you to Vice President Cheney, whose conservative credentials are impeccable, and who answered a question on the topic before the National Press Club audience on June 1, 2009 by saying simply, “…freedom means freedom for everyone.”

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/01/15/margaret-hoover-gay-marriage-san-francisco-ted-olsen/

[Betsy Ross]

1. First time I ever clicked on a Fox link.

Not familiar with Margaret Hoover.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Hoover
"Margaret Hoover received a B.A. in Spanish Literature with a minor in Political Science from Bryn Mawr College in 2001. She also attended Davidson College for two years, where she was a member of Warner Hall. She is still a Wildcat at heart. She worked for Bush-Cheney ‘04, Inc. and was the Deputy Press Secretary to Florida Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart on Capitol Hill. She then held a White House appointment in the Bush Administration, and also served as a senior advisor to the Deputy Secretary in the Department of Homeland Security. Most recently, she has worked as Deputy Finance Director to Rudy Giuliani’s Presidential Exploratory Committee. She is a frequent contributor to Fox News's O'Reilly Factor.

"In December, 2008, she traveled to the United States territory of Puerto Rico to unveil a bronze, life-sized statue of President Hoover, part of a series of seven statues honoring the Presidents who have visited the territory during their terms of office. The series was commissioned by House Speaker José Aponte and Senate President Kenneth McClintock."

[beyurslf]

2. A truly conservative position (not an evangelical xian position) is in favor of gay marriage.

True old time conservatives don't want the gov't in your private life--period.

[proteus_lives]

4. Yep. I wish there still conservatives like TR.

[bertman]

3. Never thought I'd recommend a thread with a prominent Cheney quote in it. But I did.