I am honored to join the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) Advisory Board on the eve of the Perry vs. Schwarzenegger trial, which challenges the federal constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8.

I am humbled that my name appears alongside civil rights legend Julian Bond, and the likes of Cleve Jones and Judy Shepard, whose personal sacrifice for equal rights in this battle is well known. I don’t pretend that my experience in the fight for civil rights is equal to theirs. I’m joining this effort as a representative of a new generation of Republicans whose conservatism consistently emphasizes individual freedom and recognizes the constitutional right of all Americans to marry.

Marriage equality is a constitutionally protected right owed to all Americans, as Ted Olson and David Boies will begin to argue in federal court tomorrow. I applaud AFER for recognizing that that marriage equality should not be a partisan issue and for building a coalition that aims represents the full diversity of America.

For those in my own party who question my conservatism because I support marriage equality, I remind you of comments made by Vice President Cheney, whose conservative credentials are impeccable and who answered a question about gay marriage before the National Press Club audience on June 1st last year by saying simply, “…freedom means freedom for everyone.”

Here is my post on FoxNews.com in support of marriage equality.