Over at GayConservative.org, Mark has a post on the declining fortunes of the Log Cabin Republicans. Interesting he doesn’t mention the last head of the organization, Patrick Sammon, who might have been able to save the group had his predecessor, Patrick Guerriero, not so depleted its coffer and destroyed its credibility among rank-and-file Republicans. Or maybe Guerriero had just done the honorable thing and stepped down immediately after, his best efforts notwithstanding, George W. Bush won reelection in 2004.
Mark contends that, “Guerriero is single-handedly responsible for igniting the fire currently burning down the log cabin.” Now, I don’t entirely agree, but agree he’s onto something. The rot had already begun to set in before Guerriero took over. He just made it worse. He bent over backwards to repair the damaged relations between Log Cabin and the various gay organizations.
He didn’t understand the difference between being civil with (and keeping open lines of communication to) those groups and carrying water for them. During the 2004 election, first the Democratic vice presidential nominee, then the presidential nominee himself gave Log Cabin leaders a chance to show that their non-endorsement of Bush really was a statement of neutrality in the presidential race.
When each candidate successively brought up the sexuality of then-Vice President’s daughter, instead of just chastising John Kerry and John Edwards, Guerriero’s Log Cabin devoted more space in their press release on the topic to trashing George W. Bush and Karl Rove. It’s as if they saw their mission as attacking their fellow Republicans. Why did they feel it incumbent upon themselves to trash their party in a release on the errors of the other party’s nominee?
It seems they were more eager to get media attention than to change the party. For we all know how the media loves stories about Republican division.
Mark, however, contends that a gay GOP should work from within:
The fact is, when you claim to be a Republican organization, you should be supporting Republicans – especially when you are the only Republican organization representing gays. Even when Republican gays and Republican candidates don’t see eye to eye on LGBT issues, it is far better to work for change from within the party, than by attacking the party.
There’s more to Mark’s piece and I recommend you just read the whole thing. It may well still be possible to save Log Cabin. But, they’re going to need a new leader who, like Sammon, reaches out to past (and present) critics of the organization and is committed not just to getting headlines, but also to building the GOP and electing Republican candidates to office.
Oh, hush. When your party’s president openly declares his intention to make gays permanent second-class citizens and veto any laws that actually help them, you have the full right to “attack” him. When your party’s vice president gets pissy whenever his lesbian daughter is mentioned, then you have the full right to “attack” him. And when your party’s congressional members vote to make gays second-class citizens, you haver the full right to attack him.
When your party’s president gets pissy whenever his race is mentioned, then you have the full right to “attack” him.
Wow, this game is fun!
The real question here is, “Where do your priorities lie?”
Option 1: Complete equality (eventually)
or
Option 2: Less government, lower taxes, free market reforms in health care, strong national defense, strong foreign policy, government out of student loans, government out of health care, government out of the environment, government out of our lives — and complete equality (eventually)
There are thousands of gay organizations on the left. There are 2 on the right. That means groups like LCR and GOProud don’t have the luxury of walking away from Republicans. They’re the only hope for gay Republicans and conservatives. Both groups preach that you can’t be single-issue voters, and must look at more important issues (like the ones I listed above). So how can a group turn their back on a Republican presidential candidate (especially the sitting president) over ONE ISSUE?
It doesn’t make sense. Why would any Republican candidate or elected official want to work with an organization that will walk away at the drop of a hat, over ONE ISSUE they already knew they didn’t see eye-to-eye on anyway.
Lloyd – you can attack anyone you want. But there is no world where a Democrat’s overall policies are better than a Republican’s — even if he’s against gay marriage. If you think there is, you’re not a Republican.
LCR never was very good at grassroots organizing and keeping the general membership engaged at the state or regional-levels. They forgot the lesson of the Christainst Fundamentalists…start of the local level and pay your dues; enagage, volunteer, and get on the local and state commitees. Instead they followed the example of the HRC and prowled the hallways of Congress and tried to work the cocktail-circuit.
Why? Gay leftist organizations fully support and endorse people who support things that they shriek make gay people “permanent second-class citizens”.
And given that the Barack Obama Party and the gay community are wishing death and suffering on said lesbian daughter and her family, why shouldn’t one get pissy about it?
Do us all a favor, Lloyd, and turn straight. All you’re demonstrating is the Obama Party stereotype that gays are complete and utter morons who will humiliate themselves publicly with blatant displays of hypocrisy on the order of their Obama Party massas.
Hey now, NDT,
We don’t want him either!
Lloyd @ 1:
This is a lie.
And this is hysterical overreaction.
Perhaps, Lloyd, it’s you who should hush. Permanently.
How about when we get “pissy” when GayLeftBorg drones spout off the usual bullshit?
Fly lemming, fly!!!!
Its easier to work within the local GOP and never hide the fact I am gay. I agree with 90-95% of the GOP agenda and I speak out on the other 5-10%.
I prefer that then working within organizations that have to ask to be allowed in to the GOP as the LCR and GOProud does.
LCR and GOProud are good, noble and worthwhile organizations that include people who are members of both.
However in this heavily Democrat climate, I am not sure if LCR is waning and if GOProud will get any traction within the GOP
Log Cabins are burning because they are Republican, and the Republican party was long ago hijacked by evangelicals & swiftly the GOP was no longer a conservative movement.