Montana G.O.P. Drops Platform Plank on 'Illegal' Homosexual Acts You've got to feel bad for the Montana Republican Party. It's just gotten so hard to take a clear stand in favor of making homosexuality illegal. Since 1997, when the Montana Supreme Court struck down a law criminalizing sex between consenting adults of the same gender, the "crime" section of the G.O.P. platform has stipulated that: "We support the clear will of the people of Montana expressed by legislation to keep homosexual acts illegal." That is, it's been official Republican policy for 15 years (and nine since Lawrence v. Texas) that Montana should restore the statute. But, finally, this weekend, the party's "crime" committee voted to remove the statement. State Rep. Keith Regier, the committee chair, said it really was just a matter of clearing up "confusion." According to Talking Points Memo he said: "I felt the committee wanted to just remove the homosexual reference because of the confusion it caused as it was worded." I guess he was referring to those confused as to whether Montana Republicans had entered the 21st century along with the rest of the country. For the record, Montana Republicans want everyone to know that they are opposed to same-sex marriage, and to being gay in general. "Removal of the reference to homosexual behavior does not mean Republicans condone that behavior," Mr. Regier said.