Log Cabin Republicans Chicago/Illinois

Why Its OK To Be a Gay Republican

Talking Points  Q & A Style

To some people, being a gay Republican seems an oxymoron.  Log Cabin disagrees.  The Republican Party was founded on principles and core beliefs representing a powerful tool that should be used to defend liberty for all Americans.  Any action to block civil rights goes against the Party’s core principles of smaller government and person freedom.  The Log Cabin Republicans is motivated because it believes change comes from within and Log Cabin is willing to lead today’s most important battle for civil rights of gay and lesbian Americans.

Question:       Who are the Log Cabin Republicans?

Answer:           Gay and Lesbian Americans, like minded friends and allies who believe in limited government, strong national defense, lower taxes, personal responsibility, and free markets.

Question:       How does that differ from Democrats?

Answer:           Democrats generally favor big government, higher taxes and regulation.

Question:       Is it a conflict to be Gay and a Republican?

Answer:           No, we can be true to our conservative principles while working to make the GOP more inclusive and tolerant.

Question:       Why is it important for Log Cabin to work with the Republican Party?

Answer:           We work within the Republican Party in order to achieve our objectives and belief in limited government, strong national defense, lower taxes, personal responsibility, and free markets.  In order to sustain our political viability and strength, all Republicans must work together to achieve our common objectives and core principles.  We believe that American society sits upon an important precipice much like the civil rights struggle of the 1960’s that will entail true equality for gays and lesbians.  We want to help bring this into our own party.  The Republican Party will only change from the inside. Log Cabin Republicans are gay and lesbian Americans who support fairness and equality for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation. 

Question:       Do the Log Cabin Republicans ever work with Democrats?

Answer:           Yes, achieving total equality will take decades longer unless our community has strong allies in both parties.  There are not enough votes in the House and Senate and individual state legislators in either party to achieve sustained legislative victories.  Even if all gay Republicans left the Party, the GOP would still be the second party of our two party system.  That is why we reach out to fair-minded Republicans and Democrats alike making the case for fairness and equality.  Log Cabin Republicans are doing important work to transform the GOP, bringing about the same grassroots change that happened in the Democratic Party over the past three decades.  We applaud some of the Gay and Lesbian activists who worked so hard to change the Democratic Party making it more inclusive and tolerant.  We are now doing similar work within the Republican Party.

Question:       Do Republicans have a history of fairness and inclusion?

Answer:           Yes, the history of the Republican Party makes it a natural ally of equality.  One needs only to go back to the founding of the Republican Party and its first President, Abraham Lincoln, to see how the party was founded as an ally for equality in America.  In 2004, the Republican Party marked the 150^th anniversary of its first national convention.  Looking back in history can help the GOP chart its future course.  The Republican Party rose to power because it embraced the ideals of equality imagined by our nation’s founding fathers and ensured in our Constitution.  When Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, a “new birth of freedom”, was indeed born.  So it can be again.  Nearly 150 years later the GOP has another chance to choose fairness over discrimination, equality over bigotry and freedom over oppression.