Ron Paul Comes Out for Marriage Equality

Posted by Pam Spaulding, Pam's House Blend at 1:03 PM on December 11, 2007.

This post, written by Pam Spaulding, originally appeared on Pam's House Blend

Well we now have exactly one Republican candidate for president who is willing to take the public plunge in support of marriage equality, though in a predictably roundabout way -- former Libertarian Ron Paul. It's in the context that the state shouldn't be involved with marriage to begin with, which is at least a sane approach to viewing this issue compared to the rest of the clown car.

He had this exchange on 20/20 with John Stossel:

JS - Homosexuality. Should gays be allowed to marry?

RP - Sure.

JS - The state says we believe in this...

RP - Sure. They can do whatever they want and they can call it whatever they want; just so they don't expect to impose their relationship on someone else. They can't make me personally accept what they do; gay couples can do whatever they want. I would like to see all governments out of the marriage question. I don't think it is a state function; it is a religious function. There was a time when only churches dealt with marriage and they determined what it was. But 100 years or so ago for health reasons, they claimed the state would protect us if we knew more about our spouses and did health tests and had to get a license to get marriage. I don't agree with that.

Joe Murray said this over at Paleo Place:

In the segment, Dr. Paul explains what he means by freedom. Drug use, prostitution, and the issue the religious right likes to pander like hot dogs at a ball game--homosexuality.

Dr. Paul does not placate to the fringes of the party--AFA, Focus, ADF, Americans For Truth and the rest of those who you know tune into the daily soap opera--"Gays of our Lives. " Rather, this Texas Congressman hits a home run, in my view.

That deep-sixes Paul with the fundies, but he didn't court them anyway. What will be interesting is whether there will be follow up with Giuliani and Romney, who have been tagged with the pro-gay label in the past (and running from it now), to address Ron Paul's libertarian position on church and state regarding marriage.

Tagged as: gay rights, gay marriage, election08, paul

Pam Spaulding blogs at Pam's House Blend.