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Carol Turoff: Politic & Social Commentary
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News & Analysis
McCain Supports Radical Homosexual Activist Position
on FMA Arizona Senator John McCain wasn't just speaking for himself last week when he rejected the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment. Senator McCain has received money in the current campaign cycle from the Republican Unity Coalition (RUC), a powerful homosexual advocacy organization. McCain accepted $1,000 for the political action committee of the Republican Unity Coalition. During his address to the Senate last week, McCain touted the official RUC position on the Federal Marriage amendment. Earlier this year, the RUC came out forcefully against the Federal Marriage Amendment. The coalition's website currently states the following, in regard to the FMA: "The RUC profoundly disagrees with President Bush's decision to endorse the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would ban gay marriages, and likely ban civil unions as well -- as proposed by Rep. Marilyn Musgrave. Good and decent people can differ on gay marriage. But the FMA is a betrayal of conservative principles of federalism and limited government. We believe this amendment is divisive and distracting from FAR larger and more important issues, and that it will ultimately fail in the Congress. The RUC will neither support nor defend this action." Furthermore, the RUC websites states, in its "Why RUC?" section: "We vigorously oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment, and will speak out against it. Yet, we are uncomfortable with the Hobson's choice (no good choice) of beating up President Bush or defending the Amendment. We will do neither. Rather, we will fight the Amendment, and encourage -- in every way possible -- all Republican lawmakers to see the light and consider better alternative paths which will not interfere with states' rights to pass whatever legal protections they choose for gay and lesbian relationships." Last week Tuesday, Senator McCain went to the floor of the Senate and stated the RUC position on the Federal Marriage Amendment: The Defense of Marriage Act represents the "quintessentially federalist and Republican approach to this issue. The constitutional amendment we are debating today strikes me as antithetical in every way to the core philosophy of Republicans. It usurps from the states a fundamental authority they have always possessed, and imposes a Federal remedy for a problem that most states do not believe confronts them, and which they feel capable of resolving should it confront them, again according to local standards and customs. If a constitution is to be amended, it should be a state constitution." The RUC formed at about the time that President Bush took office. In its inaugural news release, in 2001, the RUC said: "The RUC is a newly-created organization that will serve as a policy forum for Republican leaders -- gay and straight -- to encourage greater tolerance of gays and lesbians in the party and American life, and to support public policies that constructively respond to concerns of gay and lesbian Americans." During an RUC gathering in Cody, Wyoming a few years ago, the coalition developed "The Cody Statement: A Declaration of Uniting and Guiding Principles for The Republican Party in the 21st Century." Among the declaration are the following statements: "Some of us are straight, some of us are gay or lesbian, and some of us think it is nobody's business but our own what we are. All of us are American -- unique, multi-dimensional, defying any one label but united by three common commitments: We are committed to Freedom; we believe everyone should be included in America's proud progression toward full civil equality for all, without regard to sexual orientation. Neither victim nor villain, we seek no special privilege, but we deplore being penalized. Many of us simply want to be left alone -- a creed of many Wyoming persons. We believe a government powerful enough to "give" all citizens what they think they might want will inevitably be powerful enough to take it all away. We are committed to Family and recognize families form the core of civilized society, whichever of the many loving forms families may take in 21st Century America ..." The RUC advisory board has a strong Arizona flavor to it. Congressman Jim Kolbe, former Tempe mayor Neil Giuliano and former legislator Steve May, all homosexuals, are members of this board. Former president Gerald Ford and well-known liberal David Rockefeller are also members of the advisory board. Senator McCain does have a pro-life voting record and recently said that Republicans need to get back to principle and stop expanding the size of the federal government. Nevertheless, he has swung left since losing the presidential nomination to Bush in 2000. Some conservatives have disagreed on the FMA and the issue of Federalism, but virtually all of the U.S. Senate conservatives supported the marriage amendment last week. However, McCain joined liberals in voting against the FMA. Arizona's senior senator is now officially on record for supporting a homosexual activist organization, the RUC, above the interests of pro-family constituents, thousands of whom contacted him in support of the marriage amendment. In recent years, the leftward-marching McCain has sponsored campaign finance reform, favored more gun control, skipped AZ GOP party events, consorted with Democrats and endorsed the candidacy of Phil Gordon, a Democrat, in last year's Phoenix mayoral race. A recall effort against McCain ended after Sept. 11, 2001. Home |News |State Briefs |Editorials|Letters |Key Legislation |Privacy Policy |Contact Us
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