Clint Eastwood signs pro-gay marriage brief

In this Aug. 30, 2012 file photo, actor and director Clint Eastwood speaks to an empty chair while addressing delegates during the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. / AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

Actor Clint Eastwood was among the over 80 conservative luminaries who signed an amicus "friend of the court" brief, filed with the United States Supreme Court, arguing in favor of federal marriage equality for same-sex couples.

The American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) is waging a challenge in federal court against California's Proposition 8, which overturned same-sex marriage in the Golden State. Last December, the high court granted review in the case - Hollingsworth v. Perry - to determine whether Proposition 8 violates the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. The court will hear oral arguments in Perry on March 26.

In a statement, AFER executive director Adam Umhoefer hailed the brief as evidence that Americans of all political persuasions are "united behind the concepts of freedom, dignity, and strong families."

"We value the support of our conservative colleagues and welcome their voices to the growing majority of Americans who stand for marriage equality," Umhoefer said.

The brief was also signed by former GOP presidential contender Jon Huntsman, former RNC chairman Ken Mehlman, and GOP strategist Steve Schmidt, who oversaw Republican Sen. John McCain's 2008 campaign for the presidency.

• Clint Eastwood's Republican convention surprise
• Dozens of Republicans sign brief backing gay marriage

Eastwood, a longtime conservative, created a buzz during last year's Republican National Convention after he ad-libbed his remarks to an empty chair meant to be a stand-in for President Obama.

[GingerGraham]

I'm so happy to see Mr. Eastwood come on board with the non-judgmental thinking people. Welcome sir, I personally am so happy to have you here, because I've loved all your massively entertaining body of work! But you know what really amazes me is that every single person in the world is not coming on board with this issue. I'm especially surprised that more youth, in mass numbers are not screaming from the roof tops about this injustice! If you've noticed I've not once mentioned anything about my, or your sexual preference during this posting, not once! Why? Because I can't see how it's relevant. It's not and that's what I'm trying to say here. What or whom we choose to share our intimacy with is in no way relevant to any other facet of our lives, unless we should choose to make it that way. So I can't understand how this could be such a massively explosive issue in this day and age. What possible reason do we have, collectively as a society to make what people do, in their own lives, behind closed doors (or not, if they choose it to be that way) somehow relevant to whom they marry, or add on their insurance, or choose to help parent their offspring, etc. How can this possibly matter in any way? I just can't seem to figure that out, because to me, it doesn't. Unless they are somehow posing a threat in some strange capacity, that I have yet to notice. So, knowing this, I'm just amazed that Everyone, most importantly, our young people, are not losing their minds about it. Here we are, in 2013 and we're fighting the most important battle or our time!! This is our Civil Rights Movement! We are actually living in a world, right now where we're literally trying to get people to understand how unjust and morally wrong it is to deny the exact same rights that each and every one of us, should be entitled to, just because we exist....and yet, somehow,this is being denied to millions of individuals, right now, at this very moment, simply because of their "intimacy choices!" Seriously?! How can this even be possible in 2013! It's so beyond "Tolerance" now, it's about blatant right and wrong in my eyes. So, please wake up everyone and tell your loved ones to do the same! Collectively as a society, if we just come together we can eradicate this issue...Tomorrow, if we try!

[sawmillworker1963]

People don't take serious what he signs after he talked to a chair.

[Scimajor]

The chair told him to sign it.

[MerrellOBrian64]

There's been a few folks DEDICATED to disrupting conversation about the topic in these posts and I'm laughing in your faces right now! What difference have you made? I said Obama would be re-elected and he was. The GOP continues it's straight down slide to non-existence...and by the 3rd quarter of this year, this entire nation will have the grounds for Same Sex Marriage. That's what I've been a part of. What have YOU accomplished--Other than being PATHETIC!?

[Lawyers-Guns-n-Money-5]

The GOP continues it's straight down slide to non-existence...
================

Hey, it wasn't until recently that Obama embraced marriage equality.

Give the GOP a hundred years or so.

[Petal129]

Thank you, sir. You are completely right.

[Samee-Iraq]

Then, what's wrong with polygamy marriage? why is it stigmatized. By the way, when we talk about Polygamy. We talk about completely adult people who want to live together. The same ground "mutual consent" that has been used for gay marriage, works very well with polygamy.

I think this is pretty well valid argument. What do you guys think?

[Conservative91]

Im gonna start a protest to marry children. Ill get some kids and pedophiles to help out and maybe you gays will see how the rest of the world feels maybe Ill start a committee to marry dead people and animals after all with marriage up for debate lets cover all the bases here and not leave anyone out.

[daffy64]

Good luck with that one.

[delijdewolfe]

"A" equals "B" so "A" must equal "Z". It's called the slippery slope fallacy. You're stating anything new and I'm debunking nothing new. Let the fallacy run it's course. As Daffy64 stated - good luck with that.

[nearl451]

See. Clint ain't all bad.

[knsn_for_cmn_sense]

The GOP is the new liberal g a y party.

[RBP917]

It's about treating others with respect, this country would be much better off if everyone treated everyone else with respect.

[daffy64]

Paedophiles are hurting children, which is a crime and always will be.

You have such loathing and sexual insecurity it's pretty obvious your gay yourself.

Cme out. You'll feel better.