The Texas Republican party platform came under national criticism last month for including planks to criminalize marrying a same-sex couple and reinstating a sodomy ban and now the GOP is fighting back. Texas Republican Party Vice Chair Melinda Fredricks is blaming gay activists for forcing the party’s hand by fighting for their rights:
Although Fredricks admits she cannot speak for the entire Republican Party, she believes the strong statement was a response to an aggressive homosexual political agenda, including an attempt to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and pass laws forcing churches to consider hiring homosexuals. Fredricks said “a large portion of our base is Christian, and we believe that homosexuality is contrary to what God says is appropriate behavior.
“People feel threatened that their children have to be taught that it’s an equal lifestyle to heterosexuality,” she said. “At the same time, you can’t say people are subhuman. (Homosexuals) still deserve the dignity entitled to them.”
Despite Fredricks’ professed desire to treat gays with dignity, the party platform does quite the opposite. Consider the platform: “Homosexuality must not be presented as an acceptable ‘alternative’ lifestyle in our public education and policy, nor should ‘family’ be redefined to include homosexual ‘couples,’” the party says. “We are opposed to any granting of special legal entitlements, refuse to recognize, or grant special privileges including, but not limited to: marriage between persons of the same sex (regardless of state of origin), custody of children by homosexuals, homosexual partner insurance or retirement benefits.”
The Montana GOP’s platform would also “keep homosexual acts illegal,” but they have yet to blame gays for that provision.