Some Conservatives Boycott Conference Over Gay Group’s Role

[TheCultofAbeLincoln]

A bitter dispute over whether a gay conservative group should co-sponsor the conservative movement’s largest gathering of the year has led some prominent supporters to withdraw from the event next month.
Riding the winds of success in November’s midterm elections, this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/c/conservative_political_action_conference/index.html?inline=nyt-org), which is set to begin Feb. 10 in Washington, is expected to draw such Republican presidential aspirants as Mitt Romney (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/r/mitt_romney/index.html?inline=nyt-per), Newt Gingrich (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/g/newt_gingrich/index.html?inline=nyt-per) and Ron Paul (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/p/ron_paul/index.html?inline=nyt-per) as well as thousands of activists.

But some conservative pillars, including church-based groups like the Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America and Liberty University and others like the Heritage Foundation (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/h/heritage_foundation/index.html?inline=nyt-org), are refusing to participate. They are angry that the gay organization, GOProud, has been given a seat at the planning table. These groups are implacable opponents of same-sex marriage (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/s/same_sex_marriage/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier), which they say GOProud implicitly endorses by saying that the question should be left to the states.

At least one reputed presidential hopeful, Senator Jim DeMint (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/d/jim_demint/index.html?inline=nyt-per), Republican of South Carolina, has also declined to attend, expressing support for the boycotters.

“GOProud is working to undermine one of our core values,” said Mathew D. Staver, dean of the Liberty University School of Law. Letting gay men and lesbians attend the conference is one thing, he said, “but they shouldn’t be allowed to be co-sponsors.”


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/28/us/politics/28conservatives.html?_r=1&hp=&pagewanted=print

I think this could actually be good for the GOP, if it results in racist, sexist, homphobic, and hopefully tea partying types being more cut off from the mainstream GOP and off into their own little marginalized category. Maybe, but the action seen here is not only politically short sighted but also expected, sad to say.

[RGacky3]

Wait .... You mean to tell me, that republicans are homophoblic???

[TheCultofAbeLincoln]

No, some Republicans are homophobic. Just like some Democrats are.

You know, in Cali, Obama won in 2008 by a country mile. Yet the proposition to overturn the ban on gay marriage failed to get 50%...if one were to look up the voting districts that went most heavily Obama and most heavily homophobic, you will see many districts comprised of low income, largely ethnic communities (along with many high income, white majority communities).

It's an issue that cuts across party and racial lines but the GOP gets called out for it more, for obvious reasons.

[Bud Struggle]

No, some Republicans are homophobic. Just like some Democrats are.

You know, in Cali, Obama won in 2008 by a country mile. Yet the proposition to overturn the ban on gay marriage failed to get 50%...if one were to look up the voting districts that went most heavily Obama and most heavily homophobic, you will see many districts comprised of low income, largely ethnic communities (along with many high income, white majority communities).

It's an issue that cuts across party and racial lines but the GOP gets called out for it more, for obvious reasons.

That's the way it was in Florida, too. It was the Black community that turned out in record numbers to vote for Orbama that voted down the Gay Marriage amendment to the state constitution.

[Princess Luna]

When a political group or party excludes people based on race/gender/sexuality, they are only hurting themselves.

[TheCultofAbeLincoln]

In the long run, yes. In the run to 2012, hopefully yes.

In the last 10 years alone it's amazing the progress made though, signs are good.


That's the way it was in Florida, too. It was the Black community that turned out in record numbers to vote for Orbama that voted down the Gay Marriage amendment to the state constitution


I like revleft but worry such a conversation may be a bit too honest for this crowd ;)