The New York Times had an interesting article this past week about how a growing number of Republican leaders are signing a brief urging the Supreme Court to rule that gay couples have a constitutional right to get married.
While it is still only a small number of Republicans, it is still nice to see some of the party’s members are migrating into the 21st century.
The issue over gay marriage always confused me because the party that stresses limited government continuously insists on applying legislation to possibly the last place it belongs.
But after the disappointing loss to Barack Obama and the Democratic party last November, Republicans vowed to become more open to social issues.
A couple weeks later, they started off on a painfully predictable track of failing to vote on the Violence Against Women Act before the Congressional deadline, then delayed it two months into 2013 before ultimately conceding to the Senate approved bill.
But it seems a small group of Republicans actually wants to make some changes by backing gay marriage rights.
And that’s good.
The fact that gay marriage is even an issue in 2013 is ridiculous. Those against it have to know that they are wrong on the issue, and that one day our kids will look back on them the same way we look back at racists during the Civil Rights movement.
Why a party remains so adamant about clinging onto offensive policies is beyond me, but if they want to have political success in a nation that continues to progress socially, they need to ditch them.
While the debate is somehow still close today, there is little doubt that the nation is becoming more and more accepting of gay people.
It is only a matter of time until the majority of the nation are in favor of giving people equal rights.
Someday I hope that Democrats and Republicans will simply battle over economic issues and budgeting issues — not whether or not gays should be treated as people.
Until that day comes, however, the Republican party will continue to struggle with an image that most young people — future voters — will remain against.
Hopefully this brief is the start of a party that realizes they need to readjust the values they are trying to preach and gives this country two political parties that respect all the citizens they are elected to represent.
While Republicans in general have a long ways to go in fixing outdated social policies and stances, it is at least a nice start, regardless of how small.
Will DeShong is a senior Communication major and the Editor-in Chief of the Rocket.
