Removal of anti-gay language from state GOP platform resulted from years of hard work by groups like Metroplex Republicans of Dallas
I’m happy to report that the Texas Republican Party has removed several anti-gay planks from its 2012 platform. While a couple of passages still remain, another chance in 2014 gives me hope!
Today marks the beginning of a more inclusive Texas Republican Party that has removed several anti-gay planks about banning gay scouting and gay adoption, and linking pedophilia with our sexual orientation. The core members of Metroplex Republicans have worked for years at all levels within the party to affect this change. From seeking allies at party events, to attending conventions at precinct, senate district and state levels, we have advocated for removal of all anti-gay language for a long period.
Over time, we have had many spirited conversations with delegates, candidates and elected officials about our Texas platform. We have heard for years from Republican candidates that they didn’t agree with some of the unfair language in the “Strengthening Families” section, and we have always known it was a tiny group of myopic volunteers who controlled the committees that create our party platform.
Our greatest weapon against this small group is simply exposing their embarrassing language to a wider political audience. We are convinced that more Democratic activists are aware of the language than Republicans. We recall countless times when fair-minded Republicans expressed disbelief and shock when learning the language was in our platform.
There is no doubt that time is on our side. More and more of the younger delegates see the gay issue as one of liberty. And, even some of the older delegates have softened their stance as they have learned about our community, or have gay grandchildren or friends.
I give a lot of credit to our members’ persistent efforts in posting opinions on Facebook, giving us an opportunity to engage with people who think differently. I have seen so many times where respectful discussions online can cause people to think and rethink about their attitudes toward gay Americans.
Platform changes of any kind are difficult. And, once a plank is put in, it is even more difficult to get it removed. I appreciate the efforts of so many allies that helped turn our platform in the right direction.
Poll after poll reveals there is a widening gap between the written Texas platform and the beliefs of rank-and-file Republicans regarding gays, as well as others issue. Our members are always welcome at Republican events and treated cordially.
As a matter of fact, Metroplex Republican meetings are becoming a “must stop” for most local candidates seeking support and volunteers.
Thus, when gay people ask the question about how one can be gay and Republican, my response is that we do it with an understanding of how the platform comes about, and that at its core, our party and our candidates stand for liberty and freedom — good for all Americans, including gay people.
Metroplex Republicans is happy with the progress made this convention to begin to create a platform that more accurately reflects the very real changes within our party.
We aren’t kidding ourselves — we know there is much work yet to be done. But the 2012 platform compared to the 2010 version is light-years ahead.
One of the most important reasons we remain Republicans is our belief in other core principles of our party — particularly economic and fiscal policy. I believe we cannot truly have equality without prosperity. Thus, I am hopeful that with the election of a President Mitt Romney, unemployed and underemployed gay people can soon become empowered with economic freedom. Economic freedom and equality go hand in hand. By staying focused on these issues, Romney can increase support in the gay community from the 30 percent garnered by John McCain.
In debates, Romney has made it clear that he stands with us in the areas of employment, hospital visitation and the passage of property to our partners. Plus, I feel confident that the Supreme Court will soon settle in our favor the other issues that concern many of you who read this newspaper — the Defense of Marriage Act and same-sex marriage.
As I have stated on these pages before, I will proudly advocate and support our Republican nominee for president. Today, I can do that with additional pleasure having returned from the 2012 Texas GOP Convention proud that we made a difference and proud of many of my fellow Republicans.
Rob Schlein is president of Metroplex Republicans of Dallas. He can be reached at RobSchlein@aol.com.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition June 15, 2012.
Kudos to you for all your hard work and dedication seeing this through. Us gays on the right will never get the same kind of recognition for the long, hard dedicated work that has to happen for things like this to change, but please take heart that you are making meaningful, lasting change and can do so in a respectful way that doesn’t compromise your values or make you a bomb-thrower.
Great news Rob. I respect your years of dogged persistence and hard work…
This is very encouraging news! While more work remains, it’s also validation that the tireless efforts of Metroplex Republicans are making a difference within the GOP. Thanks Rob!
It is still difficult for me to understand how one can be gay and Republican, but I do commend those trying to kick the evangelicals aside and improve the party platform both on the local and national level. Maybe in a decade there will be a two party system where the focus is not on social issues, but more on fiscal government responsiblity and which direction is best for our nation at a given point in time. I think in D-FW we can go along way within the LGBT community to fight on all fronts for equality. That may take on political work efforts in different ways and means to accomplish a common goal. Afterall, we may live in a blue city, but a very red state.
If they are going to support any Gay Rights, they are going to be brought out and the only reason why they will change there minds. It happend in New York, there I said it End of Story.
As usual, rob schlime and metro pubs lie like a rug.—Please don’t believe a word of what he says. Here is what the Dallas News says about the TX pub platform:
Are pubs simply ignorant or truly venal? It’s un-American!
As proposed, the 22-page Texas GOP platform is stern stuff, a conservative call to arms that opposes homosexuality, multi-cultural studies and would deny public schooling to children of illegal immigrants.
Delegates are due to debate the platform deep into the night, but aspects of the proposed language hold interesting twists: while ardently anti-gay rights, the new platform eliminates language from two years ago that favors criminalizing sodomy, making it a felony for a clerk to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple and labeling HIV a preventable infectious disease.
Still in the platform from years past: Transition out of Social Security to private pension accounts; the right to refuse any immunizations; repeal of the state Dream Act; emphasize that Evolution and global warming should be challenged as scientific theories; oppose mandatory kindergarten; abolish the IRS and replace with national sales tax; get out of the United Nations;
denial of domestic partnership benefits;
make it legal for businesses to discriminate against gay employees or customers, and eliminate prohibitions on corporal discipline for schools and foster parents.
Regarding Rob Schleins’s article about being happy that SOME anti-gay language has been removed from the state GOP platform after years and years and years of hard work (although a couple of passages still remain!) – ROFLMAO!!!!
Um Dave, HIV IS a preventable infectious disease. #Victims