Would Reagan Have Supported Gay Marriage?

Ronald Reagan's son may just expressed his fervent opposition to same-sex marriagein an editorial, but his sister has a much different view. So, evidently, would his father.

Reagan's daughter Patti Davis, 60, tells The New York Times that her father -- who had a checkered history with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community during his presidency -- would have supported marriage equality and "been puzzled" by the opposition to same-sex marriage.

Davis cited Reagan's "distate for government intrusion into private lives," as well as his Hollywood connections and close friendship with a lesbian couple that his children affectionately referred to as their aunts as reasons she believed her father would have been in favor of gay marriage, according to writer Sheryl Gay Stolberg.

Reagan "did not believe that gayness was a choice," Davis noted, but added, "as a straight man and an old-fashioned man, it's not like he understood it."

You can't read the rest at The Huffington Post.

Michael Reagan responded to his sister's comments by saying his "father gets dragged into too many" present-day political discussions, Reagan noted, "Back in the 1980s when he was president, no, he wouldn't have [supported gay marriage] … It's easy to say he would do or not do something when he's not here to answer."

As much as it pains me to do so, I have to agree with Michael Reagan.  Patti Davis, like her brother Ron, is known for holding liberal viewpoints, which clashed often with her conservative father. For example during his presidency it was already known to the press that she held a pro-choice viewpoint on abortion, supported gay rights, and opposed nuclear weapons.  I believe that most likely she is doing her best to soften her father's image on LGBT rights.  In other words, she is being a revisionist.  And, sadly, it just doesn't hold water.  I cannot believe the Reagan would have been a supporter of same-sex marriage. It just does not fit with his neo-conservative image.  The only way that I can see Ronald Reagan supporting same-sex marriage would be if the Soviet Union had announced it as the greatest evil of a capitalistic society.