The 'Dirty Harry' star joins fellow Republicans to sign petition to legalize same-sex marriage.
- Mar 1, 2013
AceShowbiz - Clint Eastwood joined more than 100 Republicans in signing a legal brief addressed to the U.S. Supreme Court to voice his opposition towards the ban of same-sex marriage. Six former governors, including Jon Huntsman of Utah and Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey, are also among those who signed the brief organized by AFER (American Foundation for Equal Rights).
On Tuesday, February 26, AFER said that more than 80 "political and social conservatives" had signed the brief, and more signatures were expected. The group is challenging California's Proposition 8 ban, which overturned same-sex marriage in 2012.
The brief states that gay marriage is actually in line with the Republican Party supporters' strong beliefs in family values, limited government and individual freedom. It was better for children to grow up with married parents, and that legalizing same-sex marriage would ease couples' access to benefits and rights afforded to heterosexual couples but would pose "no credible threat to religious freedom or to the institution of religious marriage."
The recent news of Republicans supporting gay marriage is, of course, in contrast to the stance of House Republican leaders. This shows that the divide within the party has gone deeper.
The nation's high court will hear arguments in the case on March 26. Thursday, February 28 is the last day for briefs to be filed in the case, and officials said that the Justice Department would urge the court to approve gay marriage in California.
Businesses, labor unions, veterans, California plus thirteen states as well as the District of Columbia, and gay rights and some religious groups are against Proposition 8.
