A float carries couples who were recently married June 22 on High Street as part of Pride Parade 2013.
Credit: Shelby Lum / Photo editor
A majority of young Republicans support same-sex marriage, according to a recent study done by the Pew Research Center.
The Pew Research Center study discovered 61 percent of Republicans and those that lean to the Republican side ages 18 to 29 favor same-sex marriage. However, the same cannot be said for their older counterparts — 43 percent of Republicans ages 30 to 49, 30 percent of Republicans between 50 and 64 and 22 percent of those 65 or older favor same-sex marriage.
Sam Zuidema, president of College Republicans, said he, as a young Republican, does not support same-sex marriage.
“As the College Republicans at the Ohio State University, it is our obligation and role to promote the platform of the Republican Party, and that position is to support the traditional family,” Zuidema said in an email.
However, he said that his organization does welcome diversity, just like the Republican Party itself.
“We welcome any and all who believe that restraining government promotes responsible government and that free markets lead to free people,” Zuidema said.
U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Black ruled Monday that not recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states is unconstitutional, however, Ohio doesn’t have to allow same-sex marriages to take place in state.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, a Republican, plans to appeal the ruling on the basis that the state has a sovereign right to ban same-sex marriage. Voters had approved that ban with about 62 percent of votes cast in 2004.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich told reporters he supports DeWine’s decision to appeal.
“He is going to appeal it; he should,” he said. “The people of the state, including me, voted years ago on a constitutional amendment to say that marriage is between a man and a woman … (Black) has overruled that in some respects, and that’s what a federal judge can do. But it doesn’t change the fact of how people voted.”
Ed FitzGerald, the leading Democratic nominee for Ohio governor this year, however, said he agreed with Black’s ruling.
“(The) statement by Federal Judge Timothy Black that his ruling will require that Ohio must legally recognize the marriages of gay couples who wed in other states is an important first step to full marriage equality,” he said in a released statement. “As governor, I will support marriage equality and work to move Ohio forward for all its residents. Who you love and commit yourself to should not be prohibited by governments.”
Miranda Onnen, a third-year in political science and economics and communications director of College Republicans, said she supports gay marriage.
“Everyone who believes in the conservative principle of limited government should feel welcome,” Onnen said in an email.
Onnen said there are organizations that are conservative and support gay rights.
“Groups like GOProud, a conservative pro gay rights organization, are working on this message going forward,” Onnen said. “They came and spoke to our club last semester and focused on the important message of limited government, which I found really effective.”
The Pew Research Center study 77 percent of Democrats and Democrat leaners ages 18 to 29 favor same-sex marriage.
Sarah Murray, a third-year in psychology, identifies as a Democrat and said she is in favor of same-sex marriage. She said everyone is entitled to their own choices.
“It’s 2014 and it is pretty pathetic that not everyone has equal rights,” Murray said. “That goes for gays, women and minorities.”
Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman changed his stance on gay marriage, becoming the first GOP senator to openly support it last year, and a poll for The Columbus Dispatch last year showed that 54 percent of Ohioans would support an amendment that would repeal the state’s ban on gay marriage.
