First of all I want to say thank you to my friend David Jennings who messaged me inquiring about my recent encounter with the Vacancy Committee. Since his post last week about said encounter I’ve had an outpouring of support from friends, party activists, precinct chairs, and elected officials. I truly appreciate the support of all those who have spoken up on my behalf in regards to this encounter.
Those of you that know me, know my background, for those that don’t let me tell a little bit about myself. I am a normal 24 year old, I work as a teacher for high school students, I enjoy exercise and reading, I live with my sister and wonderful partner of 3 years, and I am a staunch advocate for human liberty and conservative causes. It is my dedication to the ideals of liberty and freedom, which has ultimately driven my choice to align myself with the Republican Party. This was not an easy decision, I find many faults with the party in its structure and its messaging. Despite these faults I felt and still feel today that the Republican Party is the best avenue for human freedom and liberty.
Since making the decision to align myself with the Republican Party I have participated in numerous Republican organizations, campaigns, and events. I worked vigorously for the Sarah Davis and Fernando Herrera for state representative campaigns, I have volunteered for the Jack Christie for City Council Campaign, I have passed out literature for the John Faulk campaign, and of course supported the Mitt Romney for President Campaign. Door knocking, blockwalking, phone banking, endorsements, fundraising, donating. If you can name it I’ve probably done it. I was a delegate to the 2010 state Republican Convention and multiple Harris County Republican Party Executive Committee Meetings. I am a member of the Houston Young Republicans, the Republican Liberty Caucus, have donated money to the Republican Party of Texas, and yes I am the vice-president of the Log Cabin Republicans of Houston.
It was my desire to promote the Republican brand in my precinct and to increase my participation in functions of the local party structure which drove me to apply for precinct chair. With the presidential race rapidly approaching in July 2012 I applied for precinct chair. 9 months later I was granted an interview with the Vacancy Committee. Please note that some persons in the meantime were granted an interview a mere week after applying. The details of that meeting are well described in David Jennings previous post, so there is no need to reiterate them. Suffice to say that despite my years of dedication to the party, spending time, money, and effort to elect conservative and liberty minded candidates to office, that the majority of present members of the committee found my efforts insufficient and my participation in the party inappropriate. That night several other people were approved by that same committee, some of whom had never been to a Republican function in their lives. One applicant I am told did not even vote in 2012 despite being eligible. What was most objectionable to my candidacy was my unwillingness to commit to the entirety of the platform, and my membership in the Log Cabin Republicans.
I will be honest. I do not believe in the entirety of the platform. After reading the document there are several sections I disagree with. I would challenge any Republican activist to read the whole document and commit themselves to every stance. It is a challenge almost every person who identifies as Republican would probably fail.
I am a proud member of the Log Cabin Republicans. I helped found the new chapter after the previous chapter had disbanded. I felt and still feel a need to continue to create and expand outreach and dialogue between the Republican Party and those who identify as part of the gay community. It is disheartening to know that the members of the vacancy committee who voted against my nomination would disagree with this goal and abandon 5-10 percent of the electorate. Keep in mind that in recent years that most countywide races in Harris County have been decided by that margin or less.
Perhaps what is most troubling is that the members of the Vacancy Committee who voted no, as well as their supporters, have abandoned our principles as Republicans. Our party was renewed during the Reagan Revolution on the belief that alliances are best formed based not on uniformity of belief, but based on character, integrity and loyalty. That we should not turn away allies, and that we should work to include the broadest possible coalition that is dedicated to the founding principles of our nation. Instead my detractors have committed themselves to the tactics that I attribute largely to the Democratic Party. That power is best accrued when a community is divided amongst itself. That the characteristics and labels of a person are of greater worth than their ideas, values, and beliefs.
I will continue to fight for human liberty in all forms, and I will continue my activism in the Republican Party. I will with good spirit debate those in the party when our issues of disagreement arise, and continue to welcome them with open arms whoevers positions may win out. I will continue reaching out to people to promote conservative and liberty minded principles as the foundation for a strong community- Republicans, Libertarians, Independents, and Democrats alike. I will continue on with an open heart and love for all persons as my Christian beliefs guide me in life. David Jennings ended his last post by urging his readers to pray. I too similarly urge the readers of this article to pray. I urge you to pray that as a party, as a nation, and as member of the human race we find dignity and grace with each individual. Let us recognize that if God had wanted us to all be the same he would not have made us all so very, very different and that those differences are not a weakness, but an opportunity for growth.
Christopher Busby
Future Harris County Republican Party Precinct Chair
Houston, Texas
Ten years ago I was proud to call myself a republican. I can not do so today. I applaud Chris for his dedication, honesty, sincerity, and most of all, his bravery in his efforts to make his party a more welcoming tent.
For those republicans who may not have read it, this is your party’s platform.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/texasgop_pre/assets/original/2012Platform_Final.pdf
This in fighting among Republicans needs to stop. If everything I read is correct and what actually happened he got turn away because he does not agree with our platform. Do we all disagree from time to time yes. Is it a reason to turn someone away from the party that does so much no. The precinct chairs are our get out the vote platform first line of civic duty citizens. Speak your own mind if you like but you can not want to be a precinct chair and disagree with the platform. Glad he is so young and so involved. He should start a club if he wants to be more involved he can speak his own platform toward the party there and still do all the same things.
Generally, you don't get browbeaten and have pedophilia allusions thrown at you for "disagreeing" with a few of the platform items. And by the way, there are CURRENT PRECINCT CHAIRS who disagree with the platform. Not only does it happen, it's common and healthy.
I agree we all do not agree with the platform it's why I said no to the turn away, but easy solution is start your own club to push your ideas out. Chris is a great activist and should have been approved. I just think his out spoken way of talking about his disagreement might of hurt him. I think they want someone more along the lines of the platform to be precinct chair and it's the parties lose for this pass over.
Actually, he is quite clear — he is in agreement with the overwhelming majority of the platform. Nobody agrees with every plank — and that includes every single statewide officeholder.
Let's be honest about the 2012 platform (for that matter, a number of our recent platforms) — there are planks in there that are pure gobbledygook and others that are so vague as to leave a reader unsure as to what they mean. That does not even get into the question of planks where man and women of goodwill and conservative principles can and will disagree.
Consider, for example, this plank — "We support our republican form of government in Texas as set forth in the Texas Bill of Rights and oppose Initiative and Referendum." Frankly, I find that one to be completely wrong-headed, as would a large number of Republicans (including at least one candidate for Lt. Gov in 2014, last time we discussed it). Initiative and Referendum may well be the only way we get some conservative principles enacted into law given some of the Austin shenanigans.
Or what about this one — "We oppose any form of reparation." ANY form of reparations? I know what was meant (reparations for slavery to descendants of slaves), but it says something quite different. I remember my former neighbors — native born citizens of Japanese descent — getting a token check for the indignity of having been interned during WWII. Do I think that was right? Damn straight I do — and so should you, because when our government wrongs our citizens it should do something to make them (but not descendants a century and a half later) whole.
And then there is this silly one — "Jury service should be limited to registered voters." I'm fine with limiting jury duty to citizens, but given that about half of all Americans do not register to vote I support our current practice here in Texas of pulling the list from all licensed drivers.
There's this one that clearly means one thing but says something else entirely — "We urge that the Voter Rights Act of 1965 codified and updated in 1973 be repealed and not reauthorized." Repeal it completely? I don't think so — surely the authors of the platform meant only the section regarding preclearance rather than the whole VRA, which passed with overwhelming GOP support because it bans racial discrimination in elections.
I wonder — by the standards of the Vacancy Committee, am I fit to serve as a precinct chair?
Got news for you, our higher elected officals don't even adhere to the principles in the platform. And frankly there is a lot in the platform that does nothing but try to be deciseful. 90{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} of it could easily be wiped out by simply adhering to the Constitution.
Well stated. I don't know what the new platform says, but I agreed with the entire 08. I will say this. If you find the platform doesn't agree with your core beliefs, in many areas… don't be a Republican. Or, accept but don't try to change. That platform is voted on. I think the two party hullabaloo and history should be discarded, and there should be more. We are always told it's these two or you don't pass go and collect $200. Be an independent. Be a Libertarian. There are other parties.
Mr. Hale- with all due respect you cannot expect people who are in your party to volunteer, donate, fundraise for, and support you but at the end of the day tell them they are not welcome for any decision making process or position of leadership. It is demeaning and belittling. It is also impractical. If we were to expect this level of scrutiny we would need the immediate resignation of almost all republican elected officials.
All republican us senators- they have voted to confirm ambassadors to the UN even though the platform clearly calls for pulling out of the UN.
All republican state senators who just voted to tap the rainy day fund, as well as the governor who has encouraged them to do so.
You would push out leaders like Reagan who created an amnesty plan for illegal immigrants. You would push out George Bush Senior who raised taxes. You would push out George W. Bush who created the bailout. You would push out Mitt Romney who created a statewide healthcare plan. You would push out Justice Thomas of the Supreme Court who Dow not agree with federal regulation of marijuana.
The list is long and would leave us with an overwhelming Democratic Majority and a dysfunctional party of 10 percent voting proportion.
Ms. Stricklett- How much of the platform would you say someone is supposed to disagree with before they should not be Republicans. I disagree with maybe 5-10 percent. Far less than your average person who identifies as Republican. Is that too much?
Mr. Hale,
I apologize for misunderstanding your previous statement. I thought that you meant that you believed that those who do not agree with the entire platform should not be precinct chairs.
Chris, thank you for all you are doing for our party and our candidates. Your thoughtful dedication and perseverance are refreshing. Please know that there are many of us who respect what you are doing.
Chris — please feel free to drop by my website to read my post related to this matter. Also, I’d love to hear from you via email if possible.
Chris Busby represents that small flame shining brightly in the guttering embers of what was once the Grand Old Party. While time has marched on and political parties have adapted to new challenges by finding ways to embrace new ideas, new perspectives and new blood, it seems that only the Republicans (and we Conservatives in particular) are the only ones uninterested. I salute Mr. Busby and his desire to serve. It is a shame that such a promising young leader was deprived of a chance to lend his gifts to an organization with which he overwhelmingly agrees, and which, in turn, would be enriched by his participation. The HCRP should, can and must do everything it can to encourage new leaders at all levels of the party. Reaching out to Chris Busby would be an excellent start.
Having worked on the Fernando Herrera for State Rep. campaign myself, I had the great pleasure of getting to know Chris Busby, who is indeed a tireless worker and a great promoter of conservative ideas. Shame on the GOP Vacancy Committee!
Well said, Chris!
The RPT platform is way too long and way too full of micro-management style hogswoggle. This from the party of liberty.
A proper platform would fill a page or two and simply extoll our alliance as believers in and promoters of liberty in all aspects of life.
Well, we can try again next year.
Keep up the fight.
A nice, long post, all claiming that a good guy was shorted. But there's clearly a real conflict–homosexuality? between the committee and this fellow that isn't made clear in this post. As such, I don't think Mr. Busby makes a good impression if we are hungry for honest and straight-forward political leadership.
You hang in there Chris, and don't let these guys keep you down. You are the future of the Party and that is why they are scared. Hope you don't mind, but I also wrote up my opinion on this whole thing, and invite you to read about it when you can: https://www.facebook.com/#!/MontgomeryCountyRepublicanLibertyCaucus/posts/344943522275226?notif_t=notify_me.
ANY PROGRESS GAY RIGHTS HAS MADE IS IN SPITE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. CHRIS DECIDED TO PLAY POKER WITH THE DEVIL AND ENDED WITH A LOW HAND. HE SHOULDN’T WHINE ABOUT IT, HE KNEW THE PARTY HE WAS DEALING WITH. I STRONGLY SUGGEST A MOVE AWAY FROM THAT TEXAS HELLHOLE AND MOVE TO A NICE WARM, AFFIRMING BLUE STATE LIKE HERE IN NEW ENGLAND. AND BTW, “VIVA RECONQUISTA, TEJAS!”