Rand Paul wants GOP to 'agree to disagree' on gay marriage
Sun. March 16, 2014 9:03 AM by OnTopMag.com
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, a Republican, is hoping for a truce on gay marriage within the Republican Party.
Paul, who is often mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2016, made his remarks in an interview with Vocativ.com.
"I think that the Republican Party, in order to get bigger, will have to agree to disagree on social issues," Paul said. "The Republican Party is not going to give up on having quite a few people who do believe in traditional marriage. But the Republican Party also has to find a place for young people and others who don't want to be festooned by those issues."
However, Paul reiterated that the debate should continue.
"On issues that are very contentious, that involve social mores – I think that allowing different parts of the country to make their decision based on the local mores and culture is a good idea. But when it comes to taxes and benefits, the [federal] government ought to take a neutral position – a way where marriage wouldn't have an effect, positive or negative, on those things."
Bryan Fischer, AFA's most ardent opponent of gay rights, said Paul's stance was "dangerous."
"Rand Paul's position on GOP & marriage [is] dangerous. Would he have given up fight against slavery if millennials were for it?" Fischer rhetorically asked in a tweet, referring to recent surveys showing wide support for marriage equality among young adults.
(Related: Pew poll: 61% of young Republicans support gay marriage.)
"GOP: leadership is not capitulating to pro-sodomy millennials. It is convincing them of the superiority of natural marriage," he added.
Paul, who is often mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2016, made his remarks in an interview with Vocativ.com.
"I think that the Republican Party, in order to get bigger, will have to agree to disagree on social issues," Paul said. "The Republican Party is not going to give up on having quite a few people who do believe in traditional marriage. But the Republican Party also has to find a place for young people and others who don't want to be festooned by those issues."
However, Paul reiterated that the debate should continue.
"On issues that are very contentious, that involve social mores – I think that allowing different parts of the country to make their decision based on the local mores and culture is a good idea. But when it comes to taxes and benefits, the [federal] government ought to take a neutral position – a way where marriage wouldn't have an effect, positive or negative, on those things."
Bryan Fischer, AFA's most ardent opponent of gay rights, said Paul's stance was "dangerous."
"Rand Paul's position on GOP & marriage [is] dangerous. Would he have given up fight against slavery if millennials were for it?" Fischer rhetorically asked in a tweet, referring to recent surveys showing wide support for marriage equality among young adults.
(Related: Pew poll: 61% of young Republicans support gay marriage.)
"GOP: leadership is not capitulating to pro-sodomy millennials. It is convincing them of the superiority of natural marriage," he added.
Article provided in partnership with On Top Magazine