Ga. GOP Chairwoman on Same-Sex Marriage: 'It's All About a Free Ride'
Georgia's GOP Chairwoman Sue Everhart, who opposes same-sex marriage, said in a recent interview that she is concerned some may commit fraud in order to receive government benefits, should same-sex marriage be legalized.
"You may be as straight as an arrow, and you may have a friend that is as straight as an arrow," Sue Everhart, Georgia GOP chairwoman, told The Marietta Daily Journal this past weekend.
"Say you had a great job with the government where you had this wonderful health plan. I mean, what would prohibit you from saying that you're gay, and y'all get married and still live as separate, but you get all the benefits? I just see so much abuse in this it's unreal," Everhart continued.
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"I believe a husband and a wife should be a man and a woman, the benefits should be for a man and a woman. There is no way that this is about equality. To me, it's all about a free ride."
Everhart continued to say that she carries no malice toward members of the gay community, but rather sees the consequences which could come out of same-sex marriage.
"But if I had a next door neighbor who was in a gay relationship, I could be just as friendly to them as I could be to you and your wife or anybody else. I'm not saying that we ostracize them or anything like that. I'm just saying I'm against marriage because once you get the gay marriage you get everything else," Everhart told the newspaper.
Everhart spoke with the Georgia-based daily newspaper after the Supreme Court heard two cases relating to same-sex marriage, the first questioning California's proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage in the state, and the second challenging the federal Defense of Marriage Act which defines marriage as being between one man and one woman.
Both those supporting and opposing same-sex marriage have made their views heard as the Supreme Court cases took place last week and America waits to see what the rulings will determine for the future of the country.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former U.S. president Bill Clinton, and Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey have all recently come out in support of same-sex marriage.
One notable politician who recently voiced his support for same-sex marriage is Ohio's junior Senator Rob Portman, a Republican, who said he changed his views on the issue after his son came out as gay.
Still, the majority of the GOP party argues that defining marriage as being between one man and one woman is central to their platform.
Arizona Representative Matt Salmon, a Republican, said over the weekend that he continues to oppose same-sex marriage, in spite of having a gay son.
"My son and I have had a lot of dialogue about it. I will say this: you know, my son is by far one of the most important people in my life. I love him more than I can say," Salmon said in a recent interview with KTVK.
"My view is while I don't believe we should be vitriolic and try to enact harmful policies, by the same token, I'm just not there as far as believing in my heart that we should change 2,000 years of social policy in favor of a redefinition of the family," Salmon added.
