Gay Republican Group Prompts Split Among Conservatives

Former Vice President Dick Cheney addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010.

/ AP

Early this year, a striking scene emerged from the Conservative Political Action Conference: A speaker was essentially booed offstage when he condemned CPAC for allowing gay Republican group GOProud to participate in the conference.

The incident - which occurred at perhaps the nation's premiere conservative gathering - suggested that, after decades of demonization, gays may have finally found a place in the GOP. Further evidence came when former Bush campaign manager Ken Mehlman came out of the closet - and was subsequently widely embraced by establishment Republicans.

Yet opposition to homosexuality remains strong among some conservatives. This week, two socially conservative groups, the Family Research Council and Concerned Women of America, announced that they are opting out of next year's CPAC because GOProud had been invited. The Family Research Council's Tom McClusky told far-right news website WorldNetDaily that part of the reason for the decision was CPAC's "movement away from conservative principles," as evidenced by the inclusion of GOProud.

WorldNetDaily, incidentally, has a dog in the fight: In August, conservative commentator Ann Coulter was dropped from its "Taking America Back National Conference" because of her participation in a GOProud event called "Homocon." The site's editor said Coulter "clearly does not recognize that the ideals to be espoused there simply do not include the radical and very 'unconservative' agenda represented by GOProud."

In addition to the Family Research Council and Concerned Women of America, the following conservative groups are declining to participate in CPAC partly over GOProud's inclusion, according to WorldNetDaily: The American Principles Project, American Values, Capital Research Center, the Center for Military Readiness, Liberty Counsel, and the National Organization for Marriage.

There was some blowback to GOProud's participation at the 2010 conference - Liberty University Law School pulled its sponsorship of the event - but it was muted compared to the response for the 2011 conference.

GOProud is no liberal group: executive director Jimmy LaSalvia has pushed a Dick Cheney presidential run, and he told CBSNews.com earlier this year not to "assume that just because we support equality issues we support a big government agenda of government takeover of health care, labor unions, climate change mumbo jumbo."

CPAC, meanwhile, is considered a must-stop for prominent Republicans, and many of the GOP's 2012 presidential contenders are expected to make their case there in February. The groups boycotting the event are urging members to instead attend the Values Voters Summit, a competing gathering of conservative activists.

A CBS News poll over the summer found that 43 percent of Americans currently see homosexual relations between consenting adults as "wrong" - a drop of 19 percentage points from a Gallup poll taken in 1978.

Among that 43 percent, it appears, is Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth about Homosexuality, which WorldNetDaily describes as "the nation's best-known organization dedicated exclusively to opposing the homosexual political agenda."

"By bringing in GOProud, CPAC was effectively saying moral opposition to homosexuality is no longer welcome in the conservative movement," he told the site. "Would CPAC bring in an organization specifically devoted to promoting abortion and pretend it's conservative?"

[noloyalisti]

Gay Republican is an oxymoron. Just like black Republican, Hispanic Republican, moderate Republican and smart Republican. The Republican Party of Death and Taxes supports about 2% of Americans, the filthy rich robber barons.

[YrWrongAgain]

They dress like that guy in the Monopoly game, too. I saw one wearing spats and a top hat just the other day. Had a walking stick.

If you were martyred the revolution would have a symbol, which is what we chiefly need. We can't produce anything else.

[getcentered]

Republicans are pure evil.

Republicans stood in unison against efforts this year to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which bans gay men and women from serving openly in the armed forces.

OK all you Mormons and other self proclaimed profits. Your days of lies and deceit, your days for dividing people are dwindling.

What are you going to rejoice about when you get old?

That you stopped the gays from getting married for a short while or maybe that you disallowed the right of someone serving with honor in our military?

Well than; Mission Accomplished.

Republicans were rallying against gay people to get the votes of right-wing Christians, it turns out they too were gay.

Republican is just another word for hypocrite.

Ken Mehlman, who headed the Republican National Committee, should perform seppuku for the treachery that he committed on his fellow citizens.

Republicans are some of the most cowardly people this world has ever known.

[YrWrongAgain]

You seem obsessed.

[JosephAlan]

I guess it is hard to demonize gay people when they are actual human beings--standing in front of you.

[urwhour]

Or when those actual human beings standing in front of your are friends or family members. Anyone denying equal rights and treatment under the law to a law abiding human being is evil.

[JosephAlan]

These social conservative groups are practicing political correctness. If you do not agree with them one issue, they protest.

Forced thought through ostracizing!

In their view, to be conservative means that you must adhere to their version of conservatism, this includes not associating with gay people.

[Bisk1]

or whatever else they come up with as their version of conservatism.

[brian_norwood]

Oh dear! What's a party of homophobic, xenophobic bigots to do?

[edmundsingleton]

It seems that in some places gays must still stay in the closet...

[myth1958]

Montopoli has done another service for the website, bringing an intelligent discussion of these issues forward to examine. You must be afraid of your own sexuality to oppose consenting adult relationships such as we're talking about here. This is far from the pedophile crowd (whom are usually 'hetero'): we're talking serious, long-term couples who happen to be gay. Republicans seem to like grabbing retired issues by the horns and making them fight, again. If they persist in being homophobic through 2012, I predict Palin will lose by 20 points in the November election. Why? One in ten of us is gay - or bisexual. Pushing them out of the tent might make old rivals mad, but it will energize those elements of the party who aren't stuck in the past.

[hillbillyvol]

Rush Limbaugh had the flamboyant Elton John sing at his wedding and Ted Haggard has had his "log cabin" tryst. Then there's Bishop Eddie Long down in Georgia. It seems to me the Republicans are as familiar with gay issues as the Democrats but they just don't like admitting to it. It is sort of like the abortion issue with Republicans. A mostly Republican SCOTUS has not approached making it illegal. There are too many Republican moms and dads that still like to keep that option open it seems. They just won't talk about that either.

[YrWrongAgain]

Democrats embraced their gay side years ago. They didn't have Log Cabin Democrats, however. They had the Old Log Inn. There was a story about that if anyone remembers.

[northpark2]

thats right! haha too funny.

[newsterl]

This week, two socially conservative groups, the Family Research Council and Concerned Women of America, announced that they are opting out of next year's CPAC because GOProud had been invited."

AWWWW, how tragic :) so focus on the phallus, er family doesnt get to play biggot then?

"By bringing in GOProud, CPAC was effectively saying moral opposition to homosexuality is no longer welcome in the conservative movement,"

News flash: neither is racism or sexism acceptable any more you stuffy old fart, the so called "moral opposition" went out with the days of them considering native indians and blacks "sub human."

"Would CPAC bring in an organization specifically devoted to promoting abortion and pretend it's conservative?"

Another news flash: abortion is not the same! dam, these right wingers just grasp at the most outlandish krap they can come up with, and while we're at it, NO, "beastiality" is not part of the "slippery slope" either LOL

[euge005]

I will give you a third flash. Many of the regretably backwards areas like the State that elected Haley Barber still have majorities who are this form of bigot.