As Log Cabin prepares for its Capital Celebration in Washington, D.C. tomorrow, I’m reminded of Hollywood’s annual celebration back in 1985 when Sally Field won her second Oscar for Places in the Heart. Upon receiving the statuette, she uttered her memorable phrase, “You like me, right now, you like me.”
For the past four years at least, it seems that everything Log Cabin does is so their leadership can repeat that talented actress’s memorable (and often-misquoted) phrase when describing how the national gay groups feel about them. Whenever I scan the press releases on their very user-unfriendly website, it seems the issues that matter to them differ little (if at all) from those left-of-center organizations.
While many conservatives and libertarians (including a good number of gay people) oppose Hate Crimes laws and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, Log Cabin joined the gay groups in praising introduction of such bills in the House (ENDA) and the Senate (Hate Crimes).
Lost is the notion about federalizing issues best handled at the state level, particularly criminal law. No, it just seems that Log Cabin has let the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) define its agenda for it. Instead of coming up with a conservative/libertarian agenda on gay issues, Log Cabin’s leadership seems intent on gaining the affection of the leaders of the left-leaning and liberal gay groups.
Log Cabin could use its position as the only ostensibly right-of–center gay group in Washington to challenge those groups’ left-wing orthodoxy — and to promote a discussion and even debate on the best means to address gay concerns, but it is more comforting to hear your erstwhile adversaries telling you that they like you, they really like you.
And to hear such pleasant words, they have forfeited the opportunity to offer a unique, a conservative, perspective, on issues of concern to our community.
We should be grateful thus for the opportunities that blogging affords.
As a conservative, I’d quite like to see the GOP kick the RINO Log Cabin organization to the curb as soon as possible. Real Republican and libertarian gays would identify as people, not as things, and would not associate with any organization so heavily into identity politics.
GPW, when I got LCR’s e-mail the other day I had similar thoughts. Hate crimes legislation is Orwellian thought control. Principled – i.e., libertarian-conservative – gays ought to oppose it. But LCR is just another “me, too” gay liberal organization. LCR has neither the desire nor the guts to spread libertarian-conservative principles to gays.
The LCR could be so much more than it is, like a truly conservative group that fights the anti-gay elements in the GOP. But that would make too much sense, wouldn’t it?
yeah, Attmay, it would make too much sense. Good point.
It would help if the LCR-Natl’ had some money to spread around like a proper “special interest”….but that’s right, they’re broke and won’t tell anyone (including the general membership) the truth about it’s finances. No-one has yet explained where the “One-million-dollars” alledgedly spent by Patrick (the First) to defeat a Republican-candidate-and-sitting-President in the 2004 general election came from in the first-place. …Smart move.
And other than a e-newsletter and sponsoring upscale ski-parties and $1500-a-person “fly-ins” to Washington DC…what has LCR-Natl. been doing? Many of the local and state chapters have been busy getting G/L Republicans involved at the local-level, but there’s no sign of any Nationally-generated grassroots political operation, not any overt lobbying on the Hill or to the White House. Oh, that’s right…they don’t have any money to spread around….
And without some financial and organizational transparency, I’m reluctant to give at the “what-ever“-level without knowing where it’s going and who authorized the budget…and who’s auditing the books.
Dan-
Great post! And I love the “Sally Field Republicans” (nearly spit out coffee on that one).
I think you have articulated a great vision for a true gay Republican organization. One that would have a seat at the table at places like the CPAC, National Review conferences, etc.
For example… where was Log Cabin on the Immigration Debate talking about gay partners while at the same time vocally opposing the bill on the grounds that it violates fairness, freedom and sovereignty? *crickets chirping*
And for all of you who would like to see the actual Sally Field acceptance speech, here you go.
Personally, I liked her better in “The Flying Nun.” Religious and campy – gotta love it.
Regards,
Peter H.
What exactly is a conservative, libertarian group agenda for combatting anti-gay elements in the GOP? I see a lot of blather here, but no real projects, ideas, or platforms. I would find this a lot more credible if it wasn’t just mealy mouthed whining about what Log Cabin is or isn’t doing. You sound like liberals to me. “Somebody should do something about this, but it should be someone else doing it because I don’t want to be responsible.”
Q, this is a blog. A place for comment, by definition. How would you know what the Republicans here (I’m not one) are doing elsewhere? Sounds like you’re making a pile of big assumptions.
P.S. As for “a conservative, libertarian group agenda for combatting anti-gay elements in the GOP”… I’ve only been at it close to 2 decades. Being out of the closet. Working for “gay rights” that make sense, and human freedom in general. Of course, my style is more individual than group, but again: watch your assumptions.
Adrian’s Law
One mistake LCR makes is giving into the left’s language. For example; we lost Gay Liberation. Now it’s Pride, not even gay pride. The left has reduced us to GLBT which is not a Gay Lettuce Bacon and Tomato sandwich; it is a pile of bologna. We are not the GLBTQ, etc. community, or the Pride community. We are the Gay Community and gay is not a dirty word.
I watched CPAC deteriorate into gay-bashing nonsense. The right needs to be woken up. Gay is not a sin so stop saying it. In Germany it is against the law to suggest the Holocaust did not take place. Here in America we need a law making it illegal to suggest gay is a sin. Science has proven it is not a sin and the haters need to be imprisoned because they are hurting people by spreading their lies.
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Regards,
Peter H.
Adrian, good point in your first paragraph, not so much in your second. Yes, we need to “wake the right up” to paraphrase your point, but making it a law for people to say being gay is a sin would be counterproductive. It would punish speech and thus violate the First Amendment.
We need to counter such noxious notions with debate and discussion, not silence. And it’s too bad too many gay leaders are unwilling to engage in that debate.
And it’s too bad Log Cabin is so beholden to the language otherwise it might be better able to debate the right on its own terms.
GayPatriot saying, in part, ‘Thank God for blogs’ is like saying thank God there’s arm-chair quarterbacks during football season.
Obviously GP or his commented minions are not bringing up these grievances with anybody inside LCR or its chapters. Many in LCR though share the view that for every “attack” on the gays there is a conservative solution that is good for the gay community. Those solutions do not get broadcasted enough, even on blogs.
Anybody who is active in the LCR at a chapter level or works at a Log Cabin booth at a Gay Pride Festival knows the gay community is never going to tell us “you like us, you really like us”. And quite frankly, I don’t think we really care either.
Well, Dale, where else can we criticize Log Cabin? The national convention no longer has a plenary where policies can be debated and resolutions offered. There are no competitive elections for national officers.
I was once involved in the group and tried to effect change in the organization, but the national office (when I was involved) seemed threatened by the leadership of the active clubs. And since that time, there is no way for the grassroots to influence the national office. Once upon a time the clubs elected half the national board. Now the national board is self-perpetuating.
Yes, many of the clubs are doing good work — and taking lots of grief for it at Pride festivals — and at other events in the community. Perhaps I should have been clearer in the post that I was referring to Log Cabin national.
You really must hate yourself if you don’t want protection against assault for you and your family. The hate crimes initiative can deter the kind of crime that many of us fear daily.
If there were proof Hate Crimes laws did deter such crimes, I would favor such laws, Ty, but there are already laws on the books punishing assault — and other violent crimes.
It’s too bad you assume we hate ourselves rather than ask the reasons we oppose such laws.
And, as the case of Satendar Singh, shows, the presence of hate crimes law does exactly squat in the way of deterrence — since California has one, and he was still attacked anyway.
But they do help the revenge fantasies of gay leftists.