Gay Republicans Respond to Texas GOP Platform

The Dallas chapter of Log Cabin Republicans issued a statement on the
recently adopted and virulently antigay platform of the Texas GOP.

The platform calls for gay sex to be criminalized and the performing of gay marriages to be made a felony, and refers to homosexuality as a practice that "tears at the fabric of society, contributes to the breakdown of the family unit, and leads to the spread of dangerous, communicable diseases."

Rob Schlein, president of the Log Cabin Republicans Dallas chapter, issued a statement late Tuesday:

"Recent attention has been given to the Republican Party of Texas and what many consider are the antigay planks in its 2010 Platform. Although these planks are not new, the attention is. From the Dallas Voice to bloggers all over the nation, Republicans are being painted as antigay and intolerant.

"At the Texas Republican Party State Convention we warned our fellow delegates of the consequences of including extremist language in the party platform regarding gay and lesbian Texans. For years, Log Cabin Republicans (a group representing gay, lesbian and like minded Republicans) has submitted resolutions to remove the extremist language at the precinct and state senatorial convention levels. Emails were also sent to every member of the state platform committee imploring them to either remove the passages or reword them, and Log Cabin Republicans Dallas offered suggested substitute language. Those resolutions and emails were ignored by the Platform Committee at the state convention.

"Language such as, 'We believe that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society, contributes to the breakdown of the family unit, and leads to the spread of dangerous, communicable diseases. Homosexual behavior is contrary to the fundamental, unchanging truths that have been ordained by God, recognized by our country’s founders,' and language equating gay parents with child molesters and abusive parents is obviously not supported by the majority of Texans, rank and file Republicans or even people of faith. (continued)