Social conservatives drop out of CPAC because gay Republicans are participating
”CWA has decided not to participate in part because of GOProud.” — Penny Nance of Concerned Women for America.
”[We] will no longer be involved with CPAC because of the organization’s financial mismanagement and movement away from conservative principles.” — Tom McClusky of Family Research Council
”[GOProud is] why Liberty Counsel and Liberty University dropped out of CPAC.” — Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel and Liberty University.
Quotes from some of the anti-gay conservative groups which WorldNetDaily claims will not be attending the 2011 Conservative Political Action Conference. (WND.com)
Last year, a gay Republican group was allowed to represent itself at CPAC, an annual event held in Washington, DC. In previous years, the convention has attracted top conservative lawmakers and organizations — most bearing a history of anti-gay comments and actions.
Some of the guests invited to the 2011 event are Mitch McConnell, Rick Santorum, Jim DeMint, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, and of course Ann Coulter — each one standing opposed to gay marriage, gays in the military, gay adoption, or other gay rights issues. (CPAC)
The chariman of the gay group at the center of the matter just called for RNC chairman Michael Steel to be ousted. And, from the other side of the political spectrum, his organization has been criticized for supporting anti-gay politicians and for putting out ads against politicial allies of the gay community.
Some have claimed that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” would not have been repealed without gay conservatives appealing directly to the few Republican Senators who did, eventually, vote against that military policy. Others disagree with that analysis, saying that the majority of the American public and soldiers were already supporting (or were indifferent to) repeal of DADT.
Their inclusion at the 2010 event was met with mixed reactions:
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