Actually, Silence Is NOT "Softening".

This morning, The Sun has reposted an article from DC's favorite gossip rag about the Republican Party "softening" its opposition to LGBTQ equality. So what's their evidence to prove this? Oh, they're being awfully quiet about it!

Well, actually they're not being as quiet as the article suggested at first.

Since talking about the issue in the heat of the primaries, Romney largely has steered clear of it. He referenced defending traditional marriage in his recent NAACP speech, to the delight of social conservatives with whom he met in Denver last week, but it’s not a frequent talking point.

There is no question that the RNC platform will codify traditional marriage, as a spokeswoman affirmed last week.

“The Republican Party is committed to the timeless, foundational values of family, traditional marriage and life,” RNC spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski said. “Gov. Romney and the party’s platform are clear: Marriage is between a man and a woman.” [...]

A spokesman for Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, who is spearheading the GOP’s platform committee, would say only that “The Republican Party is committed to the timeless foundational values of family, traditional marriage and life. The party’s platform will reflect those principles.”

Just because Republican candidates from Mitt Romney on down aren't talking about marriage discrimination as often as they used to doesn't mean they're now "softening their (wide) stance" and embracing queer Americans. Rather, it just means they're afraid of simultaneously pissing off the teabaggers they need as their base along with swing voters who aren't really into H8 any more. There's really nothing "bold" or "courageous" about this. Rather, it reeks of cowardice.

After all, it wasn't too long ago when Mitt Romney's campaign stated this?



Does that sound like "softening" to you? It doesn't to me.

And Romney is not alone. Remember when Dean Heller let this slip?

Heller is even trying to have it both ways on marriage equality. He claims he "doesn't want to talk about it", but he still managed to (again) state his support for marriage discrimination against LGBTQ Nevadans. So he "doesn't want to talk about it", except when he wants to reassure the radical religious right that he's still "one of them". Lovely.

And don't forget Joe Heck.

Joe Heck just this week called marriage equality "a distraction". Oh, and Heck also belittled LGBTQ Nevadans by saying their relationships should not be respected as "traditional marriage". He cited Question 2, but that was enacted a decade ago. Nevada voters have evolved on accepting LGBTQ equality alongside Harry Reid and President Obama. Yet instead of listening to his fellow Nevadans on accepting LGBTQ families and treating us all equally, Joe Heck is joining hands with Mitt Romney and the rest of the G-O-TEA in encouraging discrimination.

Does this sound like "softening" to you? It doesn't to me.

Again, there's a difference between genuine change of heart and craven silence. Do you really need me to tell you which one the G-O-TEA is engaging in?