From reader reports, we gain increasing evidence of a substantial homosexual presence at Tea Parties across the nation.  We have had evidence of openly gay and lesbian individuals participating in these anti-big government protests in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Charlottesville, Washington, D.C., Charlottesville and Philadelphia (as well as Pleasanton, CA).  And now comes even more evidence from the latest rally for freedom in that city of brotherly love.

Once again, the gay people participating found welcome from their freedom-loving (usually right-of-center) peers.

On this blog alone (not to mention the gay people who have yet to alert us to their participation — or remain unfamiliar with our website), we have more evidence of gay participation in the Tea Parties than the mainstream media has provided of racism expressed there.  And yet they continue to peddle the latter narrative and ignore the former.

From our reader Matthew comes these photos from the Uni Tea Party this past weekend (yup that’s Andrew Breitbart with ‘em):

He also included this report:

. . . the individuals who did come to the event were friendly, compassionate, and had deep sense of appreciation and loyalty to our country and its constitution.

As a gay, politically active conservative, I had some hesitation in promoting my sexuality at this event. The general stereotype in the United States is that republicans and conservatives hate homosexuals, in that we are a threat to the moral fiber of American society. Moments after my friend and I arrived at Independence Mall, grasping our gay pride signs, conservative tea partiers began shaking our hands and taking photographs of us. (more…)

When I had heard that the American Family Association had launched a boycott of Home Depot, instead of joining some left-wing busybodies in crying foul, I tried to think of any household items I could buy at the home improvement giant on Sunset at the 101.  Alas, I needed none.

Now, we’ve learned that the leaders of AFA’s left-wing counterpart, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), got their panties all in a bundle because “Target and Best Buy have donated over $250,000 to a political committee supporting a rabidly anti-equality candidate for Governor of Minnesota, where both are headquartered – a man with ties to a Christian rock band that advocates violence and death to gays.”

Rapidly “anti-equality” candidate?  I’m assuming they must mean Ted Emmer, the presumptive GOP gubernatorial nominee in the North Star State; MN Forward (the political committee in question) ran ads in favor of that Republican.  Well, after a number of google searches (including links to a piece on the Huffington Post), the only thing I could find about Mr. Emmer’s views on gay issues was that he holds pretty much the same stand on gay marriage as does the president:  he opposes state recognition of same-sex marraige.  So, I guess by HRC’s logic, that would make Barack Obama “rapidly anti-equality” if not for that (D) after his name which automatically deems his gay record acceptable.

(And Emmer may have “ties” to a crazy Christian rock band, but let’s not forget that Obama campaigned with anti-gay “ex-gay” gospel singer Donnie McClurkin.  HRC chief Joe Solmonese expressed polite “disappointment” with McClurkin’s presence at campaign events, but didn’t ask its supporters to send angry letters to the then-Democratic presidential hopeful.)

All that said, I hope Target does not give in to HRC’s temper tantrum and that it does not donate to what HRC calls “groups that support candidates who will put all Minnesota families first and fulfill the promises of our highest ideals” which, in HRC-speak, means groups which support big government. (more…)

NEWS RELEASE FROM GOPROUD:

(Washington, D.C.) – This weekend, GOProud, the only national organization representing gay conservatives and their allies, held a reception featuring the Chair of the organization’s Board of Advisors, Fox News analyst and national radio talk show host Tammy Bruce, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, California.  The Manchester Grand Hyatt is the subject of a boycott by gay and lesbian groups, as well as union groups. 

The Manchester Grand Hyatt is not a unionized hotel, which has resulted in the boycott by organized labor – most notably the UNITE HERE union.

Doug Manchester, the owner of the hotel, was an early donor to the Proposition 8 campaign in California – the campaign that successfully ended marriage rights for same-sex couples.  This donation is what sparked the boycott of the Grand Hyatt by gay groups.  Since then, Mr. Manchester has apologized for his support for Proposition 8 and made a generous offer of financial support to the gay community. 

Indeed, there is an entire website set up by Mr. Manchester dealing with this issue.  On that site it says, in part:

“In recent months, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego has been the subject of negative attention in the wake of my personal donation to California’s Yes on 8 Campaign in 2008. I am sorry for the pain and conflict I have caused and would like to take this time to apologize, clarify my views on the matter and share some background on Hyatt’s long-standing and commendable support of the GLBT community.

“The San Diego community, the GLBT community and those that support their civil rights efforts, deserve an explanation. I am not, nor was I ever, anti-gay.  I am and have been in favor of Domestic Partnership and Civil Unions for quite some time. I respect all members of the GLBT community and have several gay and lesbian employees in various departments and professional levels at Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego.  While I stand by my belief that as a private citizen I may make personal donations to causes and charitable organizations of my choosing, I have been reminded daily that not all such actions are correct or favorable to the company, its employees or the community.”

Despite these efforts, the boycott of the hotel by gay group continues. 

“The truth is that there is absolutely no reason, outside of their slavish loyalty to big labor, that any gay organization continues to honor this boycott,” said Jimmy LaSalvia, Executive Director of GOProud.  “Mr. Manchester apologized and has generously offered to make financial amends with the gay community.  What more does the gay left want at this point?  The bottom line is that we lost the battle over Prop 8, and if we want to win in the future we need to be in the business of making new friends not more enemies.”

According to officials with the Manchester Grand Hyatt, the hotel employs almost 350 gay and lesbian workers (roughly 1/3 of their entire workforce).  The hotel also has a non-discrimination policy that covers sexual orientation, as well as gender identity.  Additionally, the hotel offers domestic partner benefits to its gay and lesbian employees.

“The gay left chose to stand with the union bosses while GOProud chose to stand up for the gay employees of the Manchester Grand Hyatt,” said Christopher Barron, Chairman of the GOProud Board of Directors.  “We will not be bullied by the angry intolerant voices of the left and we will not sit idly by while gay workers pay the price for the strong arm tactics of the gay left – tactics that seek to stifle dissent and silence disagreements at any cost, even if the cost is the jobs of countless gays and lesbians.”

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RELATED: Gay Hypocrisy and Union Thugs: My Weekend in San Diego - Right Pride

Mark Hemingway reports:

Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt., is now upset to learn that that a provision in the ballyhooed financial reform bill exempts the Securities and Exchange Comission from Freedom of Information Act requests

Somehow, I don’t think this story would get as much coverage as it might if there were an R after Leahy’s name instead of a D.

Do hope Vermonters are paying attention.  (Not that it makes any difference.)

According to the AP, “Democratic leaders say they’ve emptied the swamp of congressional corruption.”

Is that so? Over fifty Democratic members of Congress are still swimming around in the muck:

. . . nine senators and 43 congressmen — are hanging on to more than $368,000 in donations they received from embattled former House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., during the 2008 election cycle.

Those 53 are in marked contrast to the 27 incumbent Democrats who earlier this year returned $378,000 in campaign donations from Rangel’s political action committee, including nine who returned $165,000 but only after being asked about the funds by The Examiner.

Nancy, by your standards, my apartment is spic and span.  Didn’t know that I needed to do to clean it up was to declare it clean.

If the Speaker were serious about draining the swamp, she would ask her friend Charlie Rangel to resign his seat, you know, and end his career with dignity.

And anyway, can you think of a more bone-headed way to handle two ethics investigations of prominent Democrats by declaring that you don’t have a corruption problem in your house?

*(not to mention 9 Senators).

Global Warming Causes Monkeys To Hate Squirrels (for good reason).

(H/t Reader Sonicfrog.)