The NYT reports on some heretical remarks made by Michael Steele, the RNC chairman. First on abortion:Mr. Steele said that Roe v. Wade was “wrongly decided” and that states should decide the issue. But he also said that the issue was one of “individual choice” and that women had the right to choose abortion. (The R.N.C.’s platform states the party’s opposition to abortion rights.)And on homosexuality:
Asked whether homosexuality is a choice, Mr. Steele responded no. “I think that there’s a whole lot that goes into the makeup of an individual that, uh, you just can’t simply say, oh, like, ‘Tomorrow morning I’m gonna stop being gay,’” Mr. Steele said. “It’s like saying, ‘Tomorrow morning I’m gonna stop being black.’The Republican party's backwards positions on the above issues is a function of their religiosity, which they sorely need to shed if they're to remain politically relevant. It looks like Steele, the new face of the GOP, is trying to do just that (or he is just really sloppy with his words).
It will take more than this meager effort, however: Steele has already hastily "clarified" his remarks on abortion, following a swift conservative backlash.
