Joann Groff
News Editor
Preceding the announcement of the election results, some Americans tuned in to the TRIO channel to watch “Gay Republicans,” a documentary tracking the lives of three individuals for the six months prior to decision day.
And if they did, viewers were sure to see Pepperdine’s own Grant Turck, a junior public relations major, who became involved in the project after being honored by the Log Cabin Republicans, a non-profit organization founded to support gays and lesbians in the Republican Party.
Last April, Turck spoke at the organization’s national conference and was awarded the youth leadership award for challenging policies regarding homosexuals at Pepperdine. He became an active member of the Log Cabin Republicans and is featured in several events included in the documentary.
One of the major issues the gay population, and specifically the Log Cabin Republicans, have been tackling has been debating the ethicality of standing behind President Bush.
“The film really follows the organization all the way through the election and chronicles the struggle that the organization and many members have faced in trying to determine whether or not they could support George W. Bush,” Turck said.
One scene in the film shows a Los Angeles chapter meeting in which Turck and other organization members discuss support for the president. The group was split evenly on whether they should endorse Bush.
Turck, who said he voted for Bush, said he thought the movie’s message was “that it’s OK to be gay and republican,” he said. “It clearly shows the truth that gays and lesbians have very diverse political viewpoints.”
The Log Cabin Republicans, named after the birthplace of the first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, was established in the late 1970s. The organization prides itself on being the prominent voice for gays and lesbians within the Republican Party.
Its mission statement includes this statement:
“Log Cabin’s mission derives from our firm belief in the principles of limited government, individual liberty, individual responsibility, free markets and a strong national defense. We emphasize that these principles and the moral values on which they stand are consistent with the pursuit of equal treatment under the law for gay and lesbian Americans.”
A longer cut of the documentary “Gay Republicans,” which will run approximately 80 minutes, will be shown at the AFI Fest film festival Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 13 at 1 p.m.
11-04-2004