Erick Erickson: Fox News Contributor Equates Gay Marriage With Incest

Some people use social media for posting pictures or messages to their friends. On April 5, Fox News Contributor Erick Erickson, went on actor Jeremy Iron’s RedState blog and posted his views on same-sex marriage. The comment erupted into a full scale a war on Twitter. Erickson's post that incited such a backlash insinuated that legalizing gay marriage is the same as legalizing incest and polygamy:

 "…So why not fathers marrying sons and moms marrying daughters? Is it because of the 'ick' factor? Why should that preclude it? If life comes down to who you love and who loves you back, if a father and son love each other so much they want to get married, there is little moral difference between two people of the same sex getting married who are not related and want to be and two people of the same sex who already are related becoming closer...”

This is not the first time Erickson has expressed his views on marriage and homosexuality through social media. On March 27, Erickson is on record for tweeting that “gay’s are on the road to hell.” 

In an era where the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) stipulating the constitutional wording of marriage is almost certain to be amended, it seems Erickson is a paradigm of the past. Erickson represents an ever-shrinking antiquated view, both globally and within the Republican Party, that Heaven is for heterosexuals and that the law should stipulate it as such. While it is a fact that many people on the right share his views, it would be false to claim that Erickson is representing the entire GOP.

CNN found that between the ages of 18-34, 70% of the GOP favors legalizing gay marriage. This indicates that support for same-sex marriage has begun to cut across political lines. In addition, the recent fractionalization of the Libertarian Party (which advocates same-sex marriage) from the Republican Party during the election, indicates an emerging age and value gap on the right.

Erickson does represent a portion of the GOP that has not changed with the times. Erickson epitomizes the portion of the GOP that does not realize that the dogma and political rhetoric that their views are rooted in are no longer politically or ethically favored in 2013. Erickson is a man that never woke up the moral and ethical consequences of blind hate. The recent fractionalization of the GOP due to an increased social value gap has already led to decreased cooperation across the party and may even lead to its eventual split.

I would like to end this article by saying that while Erickson’s claims are protected under the Constitution, he is also a public persona who contributes to the production of the news. He has a fiduciary duty to present it factual unbiased manner. However, his conduct clearly demonstrates that he would attempt support a claim without factual basis and without regard to the moral or ethical consequence of others. If I were him, I would adhere to this advice: Erickson, you are paid to read the news, not make it up.