''To me, Republican principles hold that each individual is special and unique; each individual should have the maximum freedom and opportunity under our Constitution; that government has no business in the private lives of our citizens. If these truly are the guiding values of Republicans—how did we ever get into the situation where my party is viewed as the anti-gay-rights party? Well, maybe because Republicans, including myself, have voted and acted to oppose equality and freedom for gay people.''
Roy Ashburn, the California state Senator who was wrenched out of his conservative Republican closet by police who pulled him over for driving while intoxicated. He had just left a gay bar with an unidentified man. Ashburn has apologized before for his record of anti-gay votes, and said that he will not run for this office again. In this editorial, however, he seems to be taking on the continuing anti-gay stances of his Republican colleagues. (Beyond Chron)
