Gay Republicans take out full page ad in Tampa Tribune supporting marriage equality

More Republicans I can like!

The Log Cabin Republicans and Young Conservatives for the Freedom To Marry are running a full page ad in the Tampa Tribune during the Republican National Convention asking the conservative party to join the clear path of history and get onboard with marriage equality. The ad points out how and why marriage equality fits into the conservative viewpoint.

From the Log Cabin Republicans press release:

The full-page color ad, featuring photos of same-sex couples and their families, emphasizes that the freedom to marry is fully consistent with principles valued by conservatives: freedom, personal responsibility, and the importance of family. The ad comes in the wake of the party's extreme stance on marriage in its draft platform, which includes support for a federal constitutional amendment banning the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. Tony Perkins, the president of the anti-gay Family Research Council, authored the marriage plank, which is expected to be ratified at the convention.

"Gay or straight, Republicans are united in the belief that strong families are critical to a free society," said R. Clarke Cooper, Executive Director of the Log Cabin Republicans. "As fellow conservatives, Log Cabin Republicans actually agree with Tony Perkins about the importance of family values. 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."

"The writing is on the wall for the Republican Party: Stand up for the values they say they believe in, or risk being seen as irrelevant with younger conservatives," said Sarah Longwell, Vice President at Berman and Company and a member of the Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry leadership committee. "This is a party that should support freedom - for all people, and all families."

Here's the ad below:

LogCabin TampaTrib Ad