Gay conservatives back same-sex marriage

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TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Two conservative organizations are urging the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., to reject a platform provision opposing same-sex marriage.

Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry and Log Cabin Republicans said in a release Tuesday they will run a full-page ad in Wednesday's Tampa Tribune arguing "the freedom to marry is fully consistent with principles valued by conservatives: freedom, personal responsibility and the importance of family."

The release said the Republican Party plank on same-sex marriage is "extreme" and called the Family Research Council -- whose president, Tony Perkins, authored the platform language on same-sex marriage -- "anti-gay."

Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director R. Clarke Cooper said Republicans "gay or straight ... are united in the belief that strong families are critical to a free society."

"As fellow conservatives, Log Cabin Republicans actually agree with Tony Perkins about the importance of family values," Cooper said. "The difference is, we believe that the freedom to marry is directly in line with the core ideals and principles of the Republican Party -- less government, more individual freedom, personal responsibility and the importance of family."

Sarah Longwell of Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry said the GOP "should support freedom -- for all people, and all families."

"The writing is on the wall for the Republican Party," Longwell said. "Stand up for the values they say they believe in, or risk being seen as irrelevant with younger conservatives."