Is the Democratic Party's Gay Marriage Platform Good Politics? >
Gay Marriage Endorsement Puts Democrats on Right Side of History
Democrats are doing the right thing in standing up for equality
August 3, 2012
About Zerlina Maxwell:
Zerlina Maxwell is a Democratic strategist and contributing writer for The New York Daily News, EBONY.com, theGrio.com, and Feministing.com.
Yes, standing up for equality is good politics. The Democratic Party's inclusion of marriage equality in its official party platform is not only a win for humanity, it's also a win for democracy. Public opinion on the issue of marriage equality has been shifting over the past decade and the latest polling shows that for the first time a majority of Americans support equal marriage rights for everyone regardless of who they love.
The political upside for Democrats is substantial. It was well past time for marriage equality to be a part of the official plank of the party. Certainly, President Barack Obama's public support for marriage equality earlier this year was a big game changer. Democrats needed to make progress in this area and maintain their status among their base constituencies as well as re-energize and re-engage supporters just in time for the upcoming elections this fall.
[See a collection of political cartoons on gay marriage.]
With a clear trend in favor of the freedom to marry, particularly in the younger generation, equality for all people is on the horizon. That momentum is the wind at the backs of Democrats who are comparatively ahead of the political curve.
With recent dust-ups over Chick-fil-A and Republicans doubling down on discrimination, Democrats should be able to seize the moment and stand alone on the right side of history. The American public is evolving and it only benefits Democrats in the long run to be ready to meet them when that evolution is complete.
- Join the debate on Facebook.
- Follow U.S. News Debate Club on Twitter.
- Check out U.S. News Weekly: an insider's guide to politics and policy.
- Other Arguments
-
#1418156
No — Gay marriage endorsement will jeopardize Democrats in the House and Senate
FORD O'CONNELL, Republican Strategist, Conservative Activist, and Political Analyst
-
#226852
Yes — The party move follows political trends showing widespread support for gay marriage across the country
MARC SOLOMON, National Campaign Director of Freedom to Marry
-
#49826
Yes — Democratic policy now recognizes the widespread popular support for gay marriage
STACEY LONG, Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
-
#536109
No — The Democrats' move is politically correct but not politically smart
PETER SPRIGG, Senior Fellow for Policy Studies at the Family Research Council
