The College Dems support full marriage rights for same-sex couples, despite the fact that presidential candidate Sen. John F. Kerry, D-Mass., only supports civil unions.

“I think it’s a generational issue in a lot of ways,” said Dems Legislative Director Thomas M. McSorley ’06. Last March, McSorley produced a video for the Dems promoting same-sex marriage, comparing the issue to the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

“Our generation is much more pro-gay marriage. I mean, there were a lot of Republicans out at the celebration on Sunday,” McSorley said. “The bottom line is that John Kerry is Catholic and a member of a much older generation....I really do believe this issue will change as our generation grows older.”

While the Harvard Republican Club (HRC) has not taken a specific position on same-sex marriage, spokesperson Lauren K. Truesdell ’06 said that per club policy, the HRC “stands with the president” on the issue.

“The club supports President Bush’s call for a constitutional ban on gay marriage,” Truesdell said.

Truesdell acknowledged that some HRC members may support same-sex marriage, but none have left the club over the issue.

“In any policy issue you’re always going to have some people who disagree. We found that the most effective way to deal with questions of this type is to go along with the platform of the national party,” she said.

HRC member Joshua A. Barro ’05, who encouraged other campus Republicans to join the procession to City Hall in support of same-sex marriage, noted yesterday that two of HRC’s seven executive members joined him.

Barro acknowledged that there was disagreement over the issue within HRC, but added, “I’m not aware of any discord in particular. There hasn’t been a really active discussion about it within the club.”

Barro said that while he believes prohibiting same-sex marriage is discrimination against homosexuals, he did not think this reflected the views of the HRC.

“The club does very few things to officially stamp its approval on the issue,” Barro said. “There are lots of things in the party platform that people don’t necessarily agree with and the people in the club never discuss.”

A Crimson poll conducted in December found that 77 percent of Harvard students supported the SJC’s ruling in favor of same-sex marriage, and many students yesterday echoed that support.

“I think it was cool. We were making history, I wanted to be a part of that,” Katherine E. Rieser ’07, who attended the City Hall rally, said over dinner in Adams House courtyard.

Sasha R. Harris-Lovett ’07, who also attended, agreed.

“I think it’s important to support equality in our society...for people who otherwise might not be supported by everybody,” she said.