Fox News commentator and author Oliver North has called on the Republican Party to oppose gay marriage like abolitionists opposed slavery.

North, a former United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, made his remarks at this week's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), an annual gathering of conservatives.

“Some say that we must ignore social issues, like the definition of marriage and the sanctity of life, religious freedoms,” North said. “I say those are not social issues. They are deeply moral and spiritual issues and they should be a part of America's elections.”

“In the 1850s, a political party was born on the idea of a great moral issue: human bondage, the abolition of slavery in America. If we as conservatives cease to be a place where people of faith and those who believe in strong moral values can come, we will cease to be a political force in America,” he added. (The video is embedded on this page. Visit our video library for more videos.)