The gay conservative Republican blogger in Virginia opines: "Whatever path the Supreme Court takes, the
challenge to conservatives is to figure how to proactively incorporate
the evolving consensus into our wholesome, freedom-in-values-minded
vision for America. We appeal to small business owners without
dismissing workers through free markets, responsible regulation, and
pro-growth governance. We appeal to parents without ignoring the
childless by emphasizing digital-age education, efficient public policy,
and reasonable taxes. We appeal to lower-income voters without
alienating the middle class (or vice versa) in demonstrating the
necessity of a self-undermining
safety net and an economic climate conducive to jobs. We can appeal to a
gay-friendly young and multicultural America without rejecting
traditionalists through an inclusive focus on family values that has
long defined the conservative ethos."
More: "The time of the politics of 'anti' is
past. Heretofore, the GOP has been caricatured and dismissed as
anti-immigrant, anti-gay, anti-black, anti-women, anti-science,
anti-environment, anti-intellectual, and . That many conservatives find this characterization unfair is beside the point. Many people we need to win over tend to think this way,
however much we protest. So we must address and defeat the cartoon
villain ascribed to us before we can substantively expand our coalition.
Today, gay and straight Americans increasingly associate opposition to
gay marriage — and by extension, conservatism — with the distasteful animus
of James Dobson rather than the gay-affirming reticence of David Blankenhorn.
Whatever the courts, voters, or various lawmakers do — or don’t do — in the
next couple years, it is incumbent upon those invested in the success
of conservatism to disentangle from this flaming mess."
Anthony LeCounte Op-Ed: Conservatives, Same-Sex Marriage, & The U.S. Supreme Court
