Meghan McCain makes no apologies for being a Republican and pro-gay marriage. In fact, she’s trying to tell the GOP that it needs to be more friendly to the gay community, lest it run the risk of becoming "un-American." Making this case to her own party is one of the priorities "closest to my heart," she says.

McCain writes in her Daily Beast blog today:

"I am a woman who despises labels and boxes and stereotypes. Recently, I seemed to have rocked a few individuals within my party by saying that I am a pro-life, pro-gay-marriage Republican. So if anyone is still confused, let me spell it out for you. I believe life begins at conception and I believe that people who fall in love should have the option to get married. Lest we forget, our founding document, the Declaration of Independence, grants the same rights to everyone in this country — ‘All men are created equal.’ If you think certain rights should not apply to certain people, then you are saying those people are not equal. People may always have a difference of opinion on certain lifestyles, but championing a position that wants to treat people unequally isn’t just un-Republican. At its fundamental core, it’s un-American."

McCain will bring that precise message to the Log Cabin Republicans’ convention this week, where she will join former New Jersey Gov. Christie Todd Whitman as a speaker. "Just like the civil-rights and feminist movements before this, the movement toward gay equality and gay marriage is one I have absolute faith will triumph over prejudices," McCain added. "Moreover, I believe the Republican Party has, at this moment, the opportunity to come forward and play an instrumental role in securing gay rights."

Among the gay Republican ranks, however, there seems to be a bit of a fissure.

A new 527 group, GOPROUD, will launch Wednesday, and has been organized by former Log Cabin Republicans who want to focus more on federal issues such as gay marriage and hate-crime legislation. They’ll also battle the Obama administration’s plans for higher taxes. Their complaint, The Washington Blade says, is that Log Cabin grew indistinguishable from left-leaning gay-rights groups.

"Essentially, there’s no voice for gay Republicans or gay conservatives in particular in DC right now. Log Cabin has been completely and totally absent here in DC for months and months," said Christopher Barron, a former Log Cabin political director who is now at GOPROUD. "It has simply moved way too far to the left and is basically indistinguishable from any other gay left organization."