The more things change, the more they stay the same. From the InBox:
LCR National & LCR Texas Join To Denounce Exclusionary Policy of TX GOP
Washington, D.C. & Fort Worth, TX — Today Log Cabin Republicans announced that in the wake of denial of formal participation by gay Republicans at this year’s Texas State Republican Convention, they would be joining Metroplex Republicans to hold a press conference on Thursday, May 29 at 12 Noon at Fort Worth Convention Exhibit Hall (1201 Houston St, Fort Worth, TX 76102, 12th Street Atrium under the Texas Star) to denounce the Party’s stance against the organization.
“Overall, Log Cabin Republicans of Texas has found incredible support within the Republican party — Texans, like the rest of the country, are evolving on LGBT rights issues,” said Log Cabin Republicans of Texas Chairman Jeffrey Davis. “The Republican Party of Texas has even welcomed many of our members as delegates to the Texas State Republican Convention. However, the party has denied our several attempts to host a booth in the convention exhibit hall, citing archaic language in the party platform to support their actions. We deserve to occupy a booth just like anyone else, and it’s time that the Texas GOP’s hypocritical policies and procedures are replaced by new ones that match the general opinion of Texan Republican voters.
This press conference takes place 16 years after Log Cabin Republicans was similarly denied participation at the Texas State GOP’s Convention, an exclusion that was famously chronicled at the time in the mini-documentary “On the Front Lines,” which you can view at this link.
Log Cabin Republicans National Executive Director Gregory T. Angelo added:
It’s simply unconscionable that more than a dozen years since Log Cabin Republicans took the fight for gay equality against the homophobic fringe of the Party, the Texas State GOP still doesn’t get it. We are your friends and neighbors; we are your colleagues and family members; above all else, we are loyal Republicans, and deserve a literal seat at the table at the Texas State GOP Convention. Make no mistake: This isn’t about disagreements we may have on civil marriage; this isn’t about the party platform — this is about an anti-gay wing of the party that hates gay people so much they can’t even stand to see us acknowledged as a necessary part of a winning Republican coalition. At a time when Democrats are working overtime to turn Texas from red to purple and then a vibrant blue, now is not the time for the politics of subtraction and division in the GOP; it is time for addition and multiplication. The Texas State GOP and its leadership ignore that advice at their peril.
Log Cabin Republicans National Executive Director Gregory T. Angelo will be appearing with Log Cabin Republicans of Texas State Chairman Jeff Davis, members of Metroplex Republicans and others at the press conference this Thursday.
Why are Texas Republicans still shooting themselves in the foot on this issue? Refusing to sell a table to a Republican group is just plain stupid. So much for that “Big Tent” we talk about but do nothing about. Ridiculous.
Sixteen years ago, the Log Cabin Republicans faced the same bigotry and hate – yes, it is hate to despise a group of fellow Republicans so much that you refuse to let them put up a booth at “your” convention. The group produced a documentary about the 1998 convention in Ft. Worth:
I urge you to watch the entire video – it will be well worth your time. It takes a lot of courage to withstand the barrage of hate that is shouted in the name of Jesus. Shameful behavior then, shameful behavior now.
Chairman Munisteri, you need to fix this. It is time for party unity between all Republican groups. We shouldn’t be afraid of debate on any issue, be it abortion, immigration, or same-sex marriage.
This is ridiculous. LCR is one of my favorite organizations, because anyone willing to put up with the crap they have to put up with and still remain Republicans is showing true courage and conviction. Its stupidity like this that will inhibit the growth of the GOP.
Here we go again. One step forward, two steps back.
Let ’em have a booth! I don’t stop at every booth in the place and nobody else has to, either. I have never seen any of the Log Cabin members doing anything to call undue attention to themselves. Is that what somebody is afraid of? They are a bunch of hard working block walkers and you want to turn them away? Do you know how many precincts don’t have chairmen? What is wrong with the GOP?
Seriously, we struggle to win National elections and we are literally chasing away people fighting to be part of the party? Give them a booth.
Why should others accommodate what the believe to be wrong? And we’re not talking of some fringe definition – most every religion and society in the history of mankind has objected to homosexuality.
Are we to cave to every social movement of the moment? Abortion was once a popular cause and even mainstream churches stopped wholesale opposition but, over time Republicans have turned that tide back to where most polls show that most support restrictions on such.
Should we simple except the inevitability argument of everything? If so, why exist as it is liberalism’s tenets which are all deemed as inevitable.
Seriously? There are Republicans that believe in legalization of drugs, some are pro-war some anti-war. Robert surely you aren’t saying that only conservatives that agree with you 100{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} should be at a convention? Have you forgotten what a convention is TRULY for? It is to fight for a platform most can agree on. It is a fight for direction of the party. And while I may agree with you that this activity may not be what we condone, they shouldn’t be silenced either. The day may come where are views are silenced, and I wouldn’t be happy about that either.
LCR should have a booth. Let it be so.
RPT decided not to rent them booth space and they sued to force it.
The Courts ruled in favor of the RPT.
RPT is a private entity that can do business with whomever they please.
Exhibit space at the convention is not a public forum.
Nothing has changed since then, either in the law, in the party platform, or in the goals of LCR.
They are more than able to get elected to serve as delegates to the convention, to address the committees, and to vote on the platform. I fully anticipate that they will do so.
btw, if the ordinance that passed yesterday is still in existence next time the RPT convention is held at the George R Brown, I don’t think we can deny them a booth.
I’m Tom Zakes, and I approve this message.
Fort Worth has had a non-discrimination ordinance for many years, which will apply to the upcoming state GOP convention.
a booth to promote what??
Were I a Democrat, I would applaud the GOP in all its foolishness.
Don’t feel too bad, they don’t want the Tea Party there, either.
It was at least 7 or 8 years ago (back on Lone Start Times) that I mentioned that by continuing to so strongly support state mandated discrimination of GLBT citizens the republican party was hitching their buggy to an increasingly lame horse.
That horse died several years ago.
“Allowing” the LCR to buy a booth because the party “needs” their support is a good example of doing the right thing for the wrong reason. The party’s position on equality is just plain wrong. There is no rational reason for government to continue discriminating against GLBT citizens. It’s logically unjustifiable, and an overt act of immorality.
You’d think there wouldn’t BE a Log Cabin Republican group anymore. What you would think there would be is a subgroup of gay Libertarians, who found a party that is fiscally conservative like themselves but believes in freedom as well.
I’m sure the LP of Texas would be happy to rent them a booth.
Of course, I’m perfectly OK with the Texas Pubs discriminating against the Log Cabin group. They should have that right, as a private group, because I don’t believe that government should be dictating to private groups what they can and cannot do.
Log Cabin Republicans should be allowed to set up a booth at the state convention, but they should be ashamed of themselves for supporting Mayor Parker’s gay-rights ordinance, which will unleash a torrent of regulation and litigation against small and medium-sized businesses, will endanger women and children going to their bathroom, and shows that they trust state power more than their fellow citizens. Those are hardly conservative or libertarian positions.