CHICAGO – This past weekend's
The request for traditional marriage between a man and a women WAS in the language that was adopted by 65% of the platform committee, not a razor thin majority as some have claimed. Everyone who made that request got what they asked for and the committee was happy to have it in there. Here is what WAS NOT in the language: a re-definition of marriage, which despite claims to the contrary, was NEVER on the table. In fact, not a single reference to same sex marriage was in our platform. NOT ONE. An attack on family, again, NEVER under consideration. It is very disappointing and decidedly UN-Republican for a portion of our party who claims to respect Republican Principles and the views of others to throw GOD, Religious Freedom, limited government and individual freedom/responsibility out the window because of their rapid disregard for those principles if they are inconvenient or deemed "irrelevant" to their position. There is a political party that does that type of thing on a regular basis, but it is not the Republican Party. At least, it shouldn't be. Lest there be any misunderstanding, the platform committee majority's "opinion" was not exclusive to us as individuals, rather, we had to consider how to best represent multiple points of view and many requests for "representation". The language was a collaborative result after many, many hours of thoughtful consideration. The members of the platform committee took their duties very seriously, and performed them diligently. With only one exception, we worked together in a respectful, professional and collaborative manner. (the person who has yet to admit submitting our contact information for publication without our knowledge or consent.) It was an honor and a privilege to serve on the platform committee and although we must agree to disagree on what took place in Peoria, I remain friends with those who took the minority position. I did my best to represent EVERY Republican while always holding true to our Party Principles. We ALL did.
