Young, Gay Conservatives Call for Marriage Freedom in Full-Page Ad

Will run in Wednesday's Tampa Tribune.

With the Republican National Convention in full swing, Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry and Log Cabin Republicans will be running an ad in Wednesday's Tampa Tribune calling on the GOP to support the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian couples.

The full-page color ad, featuring photos of same-sex couples and their families, emphasizes that the freedom to marry is fully consistent with principles valued by conservatives: freedom, personal responsibility, and the importance of family. The ad comes in the wake of the party's extreme stance on marriage in its draft platform, which includes support for a federal constitutional amendment banning the freedom to marry for same-sex couples.  Tony Perkins, the president of the anti-gay Family Research Council, authored the marriage plank, which is expected to be ratified at the convention.