CPAC: Conservatives vs. gay conservatives

CPAC: Conservatives vs. gay conservatives

The various flavors of conservatives at CPAC 2011 are fighting over
how big the GOP tent should be. Can just anyone call himself a
conservative?
posted on February 11, 2011, at 10:22 AM

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and several socially conservative groups are
boycotting this year's CPAC because of GOProud's presence. Photo:
Getty SEE ALL 30 PHOTOS
Best Opinion: Gay Patriot, Commentary, RedState...

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is battling more
than just the Democrats this year. Prominent conservative groups,
including the Heritage Foundation and Focus on the Family, and
stalwarts like Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) are boycotting CPAC 2011
because of the participation of GOProud, an advocacy group for gay
conservatives that's co-sponsoring the conference. And GOProud leaders
have hit back, "taunting" the social conservatives. Can either faction
win this fight? (See GOProud leaders discuss their cause)

GOProud deserves a seat at the table: Conservatives have the right to
be wary of these gay advocates, says B. Daniel Blatt in Gay Patriot.
After all, their predecessors, the pioneering gay group Log Cabin,
were given to uneven conservatism and had a penchant for "attacking
fellow Republicans." But GOProud is different. It vocally "agrees with
conservatives at least 80 percent of the time," and holds "near
identical positions" on gay issues as featured CPAC speaker Dick
Cheney.
"Correcting the problem Log Cabin created"

GOProud has won — and earned bragging rights: "Honestly, who can
blame" GOProud for "taking the opportunity to gloat a bit"? says Alana
Goodman in Commentary. The anti-GOProud boycott "has turned out to be
a pretty big bust," and the boycotters' refusal to talk the problem
out internally "could not have backfired more spectacularly." Now, the
critics look "closed-minded" and "petty," and everyone knows
"GOProud's won this battle."
"GOProud speaks out on CPAC boycott"

CPAC is for real conservatives: I "appreciate my friends on both sides
of the CPAC divide," but I can't "keep my mouth shut any longer," says
Erick Erickson in RedState. By attacking "keystones of the
conservative movement" as "losers and nasty bigots" just because they
oppose the gay agenda, GOProud has adopted "one of the favorite
leftist bullet points." In my book, that means "GOProud is not a
conservative organization," and has no place at CPAC.
"This is too much for me"

GOProud should start its own conference: "I support GOProud," but yes,
its "gratuitously nasty and unfair" taunts were a tactical mistake,
says "Allahpundit" in Hot Air. They may have won this fight, but they
won't be invited back in 2012. Still, maybe the "GOProuds of the
world" should just leave CPAC to the social conservatives, and start
their own "alternative conference, organized chiefly around fiscal
responsibility."
"New CPAC chief: We might have to dump GOProud for taunting the boycotters"

More:
http://theweek.com/article/index/212026/cpac-conservatives-vs-gay-conservatives

--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy

--
Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups.
For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum

* Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/
* It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls.
* Read the latest breaking news, and more.