One of the cornerstones of conservatism is the free marketplace. Let the people decide which products and ideas thrive and which waste away to a well-deserved oblivion. I believe the same principle should apply to poofs at CPAC. If Karl Marx wants to rent a booth, let him. Then let people make up their own minds.
I personally don’t see how a poofter can be conservative. But I’d be willing to let one offer his explanation, then weigh it for logical consistency. I suspect I would find my prejudices well founded, as would most other true conservatives. But setting ourselves up as cultural overlords does nothing but impugn the universality of our principles.
Yes, it would be lovely if the market could freely decide but the conservative movement is inhibited by speech codes. There is no free market of ideas for people to decide say the critics.
Of course, many major conservative groups are pulling out -including The Heritage Foundation (one of America’s most popular think tanks). However, I suspect that some conservatives would rather debate the issues but they run the risk of censorship and lawsuits.
Here’s the thing: If I can be censored in Australia by Americans – there is no free market of ideas, and therefore no free market for people to make informed decisions.