Reporting on the passing of Andrew Breitbart at LGBT/POV, Karen Ocamb dubbed the new media mogul a “Conservative Gay Ally.” Indeed, Breitbart very much represented the new face of conservatism, reaching out to gay conservatives and welcoming us into the coalition. When I approached him last June, identifying myself as a blogger at GayPatriot and asking him to sign my book, he did so with relish.
Not only did he serve on GOProud’s board (leaving only, as Ocamb put it, “over the purported outing of an official in Rick Perry’s presidential campaign”), he criticized CPAC when the organizers of that conservative confab barred the gay conservative group. Calling Breitbart an “unexpected gay ally,” Chris Geidner of Metro Weekly reminded us what Breitbart said when CPAC announced its decision to exclude GOProud:
When the presence of GOProud at CPAC in 2011 was questioned by some on the right, it was Breitbart who told Metro Weekly, “If being conservative means rejecting gay conservatives because they are gay, then fine, I’m not a conservative.”
And yet some lefties contend he is part of the “racist, sexist, anti-gay” right.
Christopher R. Barron and Jimmy LaSalvia, Co-Founders of GOProud, mourned his passing, calling him “an amazing friend and ally to this organization.”
Nice to see that some in the gay media recognize the changing face of American conservatism. Andrew Breitbart was part of that change. And we gay conservatives feel his loss most acutely.
He was a true thinking man’s conservative;
Believing in liberty, individual freedom, and common sense in government policy applied to what works best in a rapidly changing world.
Thank you to Rusty for bringing this up in the last thread.
I meant in a previous thread.
I think the most commonly used names I’ve seen to describe, Andrew, from the left today are, “Angry” and “Heavy drinker”.
As someone who knew Andrew personally, I can assure you those characterizations are false, Richard.
Especially the “angry” party. Pure hoax characterization.
I don’t condone describing someone as angry and a heavy drinker unless I know for a fact.
However, someone who describes another on the day of their death as, “big ass motherf@#$er,” “duplicitous ba5tard,” “prick,” and “special pile of human excrement” does not have anger issues? Sorry, Bruce, I’m sorry to hear of the passing of your friend. I really am. But the people I know who aren’t angry don’t react such ways. They just don’t.
I’m still in shock at this terrible loss. Andrew Breitbart was one of very few people I considered a personal hero. My hope was to someday meet him. His vision for this country was clear and precise, positive and affirming. His courage was undaunted, his humor always on hand and his voice firm. Knowing men like Andrew still existed gave me hope for the future. He was to me almost like a character in an Ayn Rand novel; so much bigger than life itself. He took the vitriol the left threw at him and used it to expose them for the midgets they are. His intellect shined like the sun and will not be extinguished. All comfort and peace to his beloved family.
RIP, Breitbart… Condolences to his wife and four kids. So young. A terrible thing. From what I’ve read from Dan, Jonah Goldberg, and Rob Long, Andrew was a standup guy.
His passing has done one thing for me: no longer will I read unmoderated comments (GP excepted, of course).
The horrifying eruption of unbridled and demented hatred from the oh, so superior left is disturbing on so many levels. It’s unnerving to see that there are so many truly unhinged idiots in the world. I’ve long suspected it but to have it out and proud is too much.
Bretibart was a good man and a great original journalist.
Even in his death, the American Left can’t stop being themselves.
Breitbart used the Left’s tactic of ‘many ganging up on one’ to successfully take the fight to the Left.
Iowahawk:
If you claim to support gays, but use gay as an epithet to insult people you hate… you’re probably a leftist.
Peter Schiff interviews Andrew Breitbart: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLLIRWVzUIU&feature=g-u&context=G263bfc1FUAAAAAAABAA
Around 13:00 or a bit later, they get into Arianna Huffington, and Breitbart’s break with her over her conversion to the Left.
I definitely appreciated Andrew Breitbart’s fearless fighting spirit, something that I feel has been sorely lacking in the conservative movement for years. Many here seem to feel the same way, but I can’t help but wonder: would Andrew be receiving such friendly attention here today if he’d been a full bllown traditionalist on gay issues? I doubt it. He’s being lauded here because he was a “gay ally”. Even in death, it’s all about ‘teh gheys”.
Thanks for sharing Seane-Anna, but Dan made no mention of gay in the last Breitbart post. And, in Bruce’s Breitbart post, Bruce only mentioned once that he was a gay ally, among the rest of what he shared. Please do all the reading before commenting and throwing away baseless accusations of GP making Breitbart passing all about “‘teh gays.'”
Cinesnatch @ 15, I did read the other posts, that’s why this one stands out like the proverbial sore thumb. If it’s not all about “teh gheys”, why write a post like this one in the first place?
You used “here” as in “Gay Patriot.” GP had THREE posts about Breitbart. One of them had nothing to do with “teh gays.” Another barely mentioned them.
So, no, Seane-Anna, in your own words, it’s not “all about ‘they geys,'” as you asserted. I can’t break down your own incorrect words any more simply.
Because Dan felt like it. How does that grab ya?
He will certainly be missed.
And Sean-Anna, Breitbart made huge contributions to the gay conservative movement. So asking “would Andrew be receiving such friendly attention here today if he’d been a full bllown traditionalist on gay issues? ” is silly. He wasn’t a “full blow traditionalist”…whatever that is?
He helped us come together. To not acknowledge that would be to ignore a part of who he was.
It’s a bit like asking, “Would you go to your aunt’s funeral if she wasn’t your aunt?” No, of course not. Breitbart was a part of GOProud, that’s the point.
Seane-Anna, let’s look at it this way. Would you have appreciated “Andrew Breitbart’s fearless fighting spirit” if he treated your religion, your race, your ethnicity, and/or your gender as negatively (i.e., “traditionally”) the way you believe gays should be treated? I’m going to venture not, unless your self-esteem was such that you believe you should be treated negatively, because of your religion, or whatever.
Seanne – Last I checked, this was a blog called GAYPATRIOT.
What am I missing?
If you want NeedlepointPatriot — I’m sure we can help you find that.
I had to go look, there is no needlepoint-patriot blog. heh.
I think the mark you’re missing Seane-Anna is that Breitbart’s personality was waht made him popular, at least as much as his stances.
Think Alan Dershowitz. I disagree with him on several things, but I respect him.
More locally, I disagree with Pat on a lot of things (mostly because he’s wrong :P) but there is a mutual respect and the blog would be lessened if he was not here.
Thanks, Livewire. So many people on this blog are right, that someone has to be wrong. 🙂 Anyway, I suspect we agree on more things than what may be indicated on this blog.
Whenever I saw him at events he was always laughing and joking with people. Very approachable.
The only time he turned on the “angry” rant was when he got a microphone in his hand.
After that, he was back to affable guy.
Breitbart was special – I hope we get more warriors like him but he seems irreplacable.
I miss him so much… he was truly a pioneer and wonderful champion to so many who needed him… I fear for his family….