Moving Republicans to Support Gay Marriage

categories: Gay Marriage, Marriage Equality, Republican Party and LGBT Rights

Published September 22, 2009 @ 04:44PM PT

Republicans Gay Marriage

Can you be Republican and support gay marriage? The short answer to that is, of course. Look at Meghan McCain, Steve Schmidt, Dede Scozzafava, or heck, even Dick Cheney. But while a few voices in the wilderness have come out for marriage equality, most of the Republican Party toes a line that says no to same-sex marriage. But despite what Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Tim Pawlenty, or Newt Gingrich might say about same-sex marriage, there's room in the GOP to change hearts and minds on this issue. And one commercial is doing just that.

The commercial comes from Truth and Hope, a media advocacy group that launched in 2004 to help support the Presidential candidacy of Howard Dean. It's an attempt to tell the story of one set of grandparents that are as American as apple pie, baseball, or Little House on the Prairie. What do these grandparents have to say?

Well, that they love their gay son. And his husband. And their adopted children.

And then there are lots of shots of cute babies.

It's possible that people just really like cute babies (much like people like soft puppies and fluffy clouds), which is why they watch this commercial and think "happiness." But as The Advocate reports, the commercial could also be swaying conservatives originally opposed to same-sex marriage to see LGBT families in a different light.

Upwards of 58 percent of Republicans described the ad (youtube clip below, and here) as extremely or somewhat effective. But that's not all. According to The Advocate, conservatives viewing this ad were actually inspired. As a group, opponents of marriage equality listed "inspiration" ahead of emotions like anger or embarrassment.

As Eugene Hedlund, the founder and chair of truthandhope.org, tells the magazine, that's huge news.

"The fact that one in five Republicans expressed happiness, and that the effectiveness rating over 50% with all three parties shows that we are on target with our message," Hedlund said. "Now it becomes our task to take this message to the airwaves, beginning in Maine...."

So does this finally mean that when it comes to advertising, LGBT groups are starting to gain the upper hand in how they sell the issue of equal rights? It's hard to say. But with numbers that look that good, Truth and Hope is definitely onto something.

(Photo at top of post courtesy of Drab Makyo's photostream on Flickr.)

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Comments (21)

This is VERY good news. One thing I keep thinking about is Ted Kennedy's seat. The Massachusetts Senate Seat can be filled as earlier as Thursday (obviously with an "interim" seat-warmer.) The Talibangelicals are foaming at the mouth at the prospect of the MA legislature changing the laws to allow Gov. Patrick to appoint this interim seat-warmer.

What would really chap their hydes? If Deval Patrick were to find a "liberal" Republican to fill the seat. Obviously that probably won't happen, but suppose he were to find someone like Lincoln Chaffee to fill that seat? Granted Chaffee is from Rhode Island, but someone like him would work quite well (at least in my mind.) It would show that Patrick isn't going to be completely partisan, but could also deliver that much needed vote.

What do you guys think?

Posted by Dave Hershey on 09/22/2009 @ 05:15PM PT
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I think that anyone who supports equality and is willing to carry on mr. kennedy's legacy would be right for that position.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/23/2009 @ 05:49AM PT
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Want to comment on POWERFUL Video. Love it. Wanted it last year in CA, do you know how many times I asked EQCA to make one just like it!! GAHHHH!

But to Dave too. Per Rachel M talking with Boston reporter, choice between Dukakis first and Kirk second. as of now.

Posted by Lee Dorsey on 09/22/2009 @ 06:59PM PT
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I dislike this commercial for a variety of reasons, but it's nice to know that *something* gets through to people.

Posted by Tobias Fangor on 09/23/2009 @ 12:13AM PT
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And surly none of those reasons have anything to do with the thought of a gay couple raising kids bugging the hell out of you do they ?

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/23/2009 @ 05:51AM PT
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I'm not quite that stupid. I take issue with the idea that we have to conform to a certain idea of morality in order to simply be treated the same way as anyone else. I dislike that the advertisement equates Christianity with being a decent human being. I dislike that it alienates a good segment of the GLBT population. I cannot stand that it is about gay marriage without actually focusing on gay people. I am especially bothered by the quick cut to avoid showing a gay kiss.

Overall, I dislike the tone. I understand why it works, but I am bothered by the fact that we have to use imagery that ignores part of the GLBT population in order to win anything.

Posted by Tobias Fangor on 09/23/2009 @ 09:28AM PT
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My apologies mr. fangor for having misunderstood you.

Though you no doubt make some valid points, I still think that the video does more to promote the truthfull idea that homosexuals are just as normal as heterosexuals and that allowing them to marry and adopt kids does no harm to society.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/23/2009 @ 06:21PM PT
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Yes and this is why Toby we will never have our rights as long as they are put up to a public measure. Our own people are too afraid to show the realness of us as human beings, or relationships and our families. I hate this commercial it is nothing but a waste of time and money. It emphasizes on the the parents of the gay son and how they accept him and his husband, over the fact of the troubles this family will face because of referendum 1.

Instead of just showing how this one family supports their son, they should have also shown what could happen to the and their children if their marriage is not considered valid in Maine. Call me jaded but I see another Hawaii and California in the making. Hopefully this time it will galvanize us to the point of mass protest, and if need be, riots.

Posted by Chris Marshall on 09/28/2009 @ 06:31AM PT
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Chafee would be a great choice. Powerful video. I hope we get more Republicans to support Gay Marriage.

Posted by Martin Martinez on 09/23/2009 @ 04:16AM PT
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Not only is this a powerfull video for both truth and equality but it also demonstrates quite clearly that kids dont have to be biologicaly related in order to be considered family which helps to dispell the lie that marriage is all about procreation.

2 thumbs up.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/23/2009 @ 05:53AM PT
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The video in the blog is effective and brings the benign truth about how a gay couple are great parents who are committed to raising their children. Since committed lesbian and gay couples can be great parents, adoption of children by gay or lesbian couples must be looked as providing stability and nurture to the children, rather than stating intolerance which too many conservatives spew. Truth and Hope has done the correct thing by debunking what intolerant people perceive.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 09/23/2009 @ 03:18PM PT
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As a libertarian It has been very frustrating for Me on this issue. The Republicans have always been for individual rights, ending slavery and fighting the Democrats attempts to keep African Americans down afterwords, it only seems natural that They would embrace the rights of all citizens. I'm glad at least few have rediscovered Their roots.

Posted by Charlie Reed on 09/23/2009 @ 05:28PM PT
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I would think it'd be the other way around mr. reed...

If only because it seems that republicons and bible thumpers have always gone hand in hand...

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/29/2009 @ 04:18PM PT
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How can any human take it upon themselves to dictate through laws how another human lives their lives?Do they not see this for what it is a form of slavery.

This is a basic flaw in some Americans some say they are republicans. I say they are flawed.

Can you imagine our great country with out this flaw?

What a great country it could be for us all. Freedom, prosperity, piece of mind, security, education, health care. They are all within our reach but we must seize the moment and show these people their flaw.

Cherokee Fred Jesus

Posted by Cherokee Fred Jesus on 09/23/2009 @ 11:06PM PT
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I agree Cherokee, denying human rights has nothing to do with what Republicans stand for. I think along the way a few leaders took the party away from Their roots. The party is not made up of bigots, as often repeated by liars and ignorami, but I hope some new leadership like these can take the party back. We can start by repealing DADT and legalizing marraige between all consenting adults.

Posted by Charlie Reed on 09/24/2009 @ 07:30AM PT
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I don't understand what the statistics on this ad mean. How is somewhat effective defined? In any case, I think it is good to reach out about republicans.

One of the supposed value of that party is keeping the government out of our private lives. Having the government uphold heterosexual relationships over homosexual ones is a violation of that principle. Unfortunately, the party has in recent years been hijacked by evangelical Christians whose values have nothing in common with the mainstream of the party. We need to get Republicans to remember the libertarian ethos of their party.

Posted by Greg Goldgof on 09/25/2009 @ 12:12AM PT
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I think that if this commercial wins us Republican hearts and minds. A lot just need to be exposed to postive media like this that show LGBTQ parents are like any other parents. And if it also gets the idea across that kids do not need to be biolgoically related, so much the better! There are a lot of kids out there who need loving parents and the gender or sexuality has nothing to do with it--the size of the heart is what counts.

Posted by Ioan Lightoller on 09/25/2009 @ 06:16AM PT
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I meant to say that if this commercial wins us Republican hearts and minds, great!

Posted by Ioan Lightoller on 09/25/2009 @ 06:17AM PT
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FYI to all, we should not have to win the approval of anyone to have our full equal rights and freedoms. It is high time we stop playing apologetics and start demanding our politicians get off their fat asses and do something for a change. I will be so disappointed if less than 10,000 LGBT show up for the march on Washington. If hundreds of thousands of radical anti-government people can march on 9-12 about health care reform, then we can gather in equal and higher numbers for our long delayed and denied rights.

Posted by Chris Marshall on 09/28/2009 @ 06:36AM PT
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I certainly agree with the getting politicians off their arses bit. The Dems have turned into such cowards that it makes me sick. They're so focused on bipartisanship that they're refusing to pass legislation even when they have all the required votes.

Now, there is a time for compromise. However, most of the issues on the table right now are ones of basic human rights. If there is anything we as a country should stand strong on it is human rights.

Posted by Tobias Fangor on 09/29/2009 @ 05:50AM PT
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No mr. marshall...No one should have to fight for equality and rights that are theirs by right from birth...And in a perfect world, no one would have to.

Unfortunatly this world we all live in is far from perfect and even more unfortunate is the fact that the bible thumpers have invaded and to a large extent conquered our secular goverment.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/29/2009 @ 04:22PM PT
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Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.