Posted on 02/14/2011 7:51:47 AM PST by Kaslin
CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, has been an annual gig for me for years. But this year I concluded it was not my place and I declined to participate in the various venues at the event for which I was invited.
Yes, the reason I declined was the inclusion of GOProud, a group identifying itself as representing “gay conservatives and their allies,” as a sponsor of the event.
And it’s the reason why some of the nation’s most important conservative organizations – the Heritage Foundation, the American Family Association, Concerned Women of America, Family Research Council, Media Research Center, and the National Organization for Marriage - did not participate.
The founder and chairman of GOProud removed any doubt on my part that not participating was the correct decision by dismissing these groups as “losers,” “clowns,” and “not relevant.”
I, of course, have been accused of being worse than a clown. The barrage regularly comes in from the left. But this is a first that I’ve had to listen to this kind of stuff from a group that postures as “conservative.”
I became a conservative in church. I thought I was doing okay in my previous life - scamming the welfare system, going to the beach, soaking in my welfare subsidized hot tub, treating sex as a hobby, and abortion as birth control.
In our culture today that views material prosperity as the ultimate barometer of success, the truth is becoming unfortunately lost that the evil man can prosper. And if there is nothing more than what is before our eyes in this world, what does it matter?
When I understood how the culture of welfare state materialism was destroying not just my life, but all of black America, there was no dividing line in my mind between “social issues” and “economic issues.” The only dividing line I saw was between right and wrong, good and evil.
The idea of “gay conservative” is an oxymoron.
“Gay” is everything that “conservative” is not.
The foundation of the world view that so-called “gay conservatives” embrace has far more in common with liberalism than with conservatism.
It’s a world view that is man-centered rather than God-centered. It is a world view that rejects eternal truths passed on from the beginning of time. Although the world view that “gay conservatives” choose to invent may diverge from the world view of liberals, their common ground is they make it all up.
And it is here where “gay conservatives” and “liberals” fundamentally depart from conservatives.
Conservatives believe that there are objective and eternal truths, not of the product of any individual human mind, that are transmitted through the generations. Culture is not like HDTV or iPhones where the newest model is the best.
These eternal truths provide the light in the fog that keeps us from crashing on the rocky shores where our base instincts lead us.
“Gay” is liberal, not conservative, regardless of what their stand may be on government spending or taxes.
It’s why, like all liberals, they use language to create reality, rather than appreciate that words have meaning that reflect reality.
So they have re-invented the word “gay,” re-invented the word “marriage”, and now they want to re-invent the word “conservative.”
Finally, we will re-invent the word “freedom” and we’ll put the final stamp on the idea that a free society, rather than being the path to truth, is the path to meaninglessness.
What individuals choose in private, and for which they bear personal responsibility, is separate from what we sanction publicly for which we all must bear responsibility.
A value-neutral government is impossible. The central battle in our country today is about values and how we understand freedom. It is a battle for our very soul. And, as we learned from CPAC, it’s not a struggle that is just between Democrats and Republicans.
In my opinion anyone who is opposed to homosexual marriage and who is opposed to tax dollars being used to advocate homosexuality (especially in the education system) is opposed to that agenda.
Your homosexual buddies want special protection from that government ~ which always means AN EXPANSION OF THE POLICE POWERS and greater use of the courts to beat down private individuals who they believe have violated the provisions of the "special protection".
Expansion of police powers is a growth in government ~ the antithesis of smaller and more limited government.
BTW, what's that got to do with being Jewish? Am I supposed to believe that people who have an ancient tradition of intrusive congregational regulation (really small government BTW) can't be advocates of smaller government?
You make the breathtakingly false assumption that GOProud is a group of conservatives. They are not. Allow infiltration of alleged "fiscal conservatives" like this, and you will have blatant, total Leftism in the end.
"Conservatism" can't be parsed. Either you are conservative in all areas, or the word has no real meaning.
Christopher Barron, GOProud Chairman of the Board: "We are a gay organization, we only work on gay issues, we have never claimed otherwise. My God people." Aug 4, 2010; 4:04pm
They don't. They need it to PUSH THEIR AGENDA.
If it was a good idea libertarians would win national elections, it isn't, and they don't!
Do you revel in your sin, saying that it is not sin, and demand that others do so too? If you are a thief, do you have "thief-pride" parades and try to undo laws against theft? Do you bully and disparage family and friends because they don't agree with your newfound "freedom" to be a thief?
There's all the difference.
People who struggle with same-sex attractions are not politically problematic: we all have our struggles to live justly and decently with our particular temptations. That doesn't mean we start groups like "Adulterers Proud" or "Serial Divorcers Come Out!"
Star Parker isn't asking for a test to determine who is "privately" afflicted with a disordered sex drive, and who is not. She's drawing the line at the advocacy groups.
“gay” means happy, joyous, which these people certainly are not. They are homosexuals, not “gay”. My sister’s name is Gay and she was born in 1949. It’s a shame that her beautiful name is so disparaged.
Because sexual identity politics only serves to push an agenda. Homosexuals can vote anyway they choose. They don’t need a sexually identified group to do so. But they do need it to push their agenda.
Ditto to what you said, Brownsfan!
Do you feel that this statement reflects an organization that is opposed to the 'gay agenda'?
They just don't, and the risk is too great to have them or their friends around in the party structure anywhere.
Their money is fine. Better off in our pockets than that of the Democrats.
GOProud Federal Legislative Agenda
The so-called “gay agenda” is defined by the left through a narrow prism of legislative goals. In contrast to the approach of the left, GOProud’s agenda emphasizes conservative and libertarian principles that will improve the daily lives of all Americans, but especially gay and lesbian Americans.
1 – TAX REFORM - We support replacing the current tax code with the Fair Tax. Until then, we support death tax repeal; domestic partner tax equity; cuts in the capital gains and corporate tax rates to jump start our economy and create jobs; a fairer, flatter and substantially simpler tax code.
2 – HEALTHCARE REFORM – Free market healthcare reform. Allow for the purchase of insurance across state lines – expanding access to domestic partner benefits; emphasizing individual ownership of healthcare insurance – such a shift would prevent discriminatory practices by an employer or the government.
3 – SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM - The only way to permanent solvency in the Social Security system is through the creation of inheritable personal savings accounts. Personal savings accounts would give gay and lesbian couples the same opportunity to leave their accounts to their spouses as their straight counterparts.
6 – FIGHTING GLOBAL EXTREMISTS – Standing strong against radical regimes that refuse to recognize the basic human rights of gays and lesbians, women and religious minorities.
7 – DEFENDING OUR CONSTITUTION – Opposing any anti-gay federal marriage amendment. Marriage should be a question for the states. A federal constitutional amendment on marriage would be an unprecedented federal power grab from the states.
8 – ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY ENTREPRENEURSHIP – Package of free market reforms to encourage and support small businesses and entrepreneurship. Such reforms would create jobs for all Americans – including gay Americans.
“of alleged “fiscal conservatives”
And your evidence of this is?
Homosexuals want bigger government. See their legislative agenda in Post 54
I am amazed that we have to continually debate this established fact on every new thread with this topic at FR! It's almost as if Grover Norquist has trolls here.
“Homosexuals want bigger government.”
All homosexuals?
I would be lying if I said I didn’t find most homosexuals to be bizarre, deviant, detestable fruitcakes.
Some of these people with whom I associate are hold-overs from before I REALLY understood where I stood politically and socially, before I realized that I am a conservative. That they do not push homosexuality on me or those others we associate with, that they oppose programs such as obamacare and are against big government, that they understand and respect that my religious beliefs do not lead to approval of homosexuality, that they believe one of the biggest damaging forces in our country are the “loud and proud” crowd, and that they were not in favor of the repeal of DADT speaks volumes.
These are not people with whom I interact on a daily basis, and they certainly are not primary movers within my life. But I also have no tossed them aside as I have come into my conservative beliefs, because I am of the mind that nobody is without the potential for change and redemption until the day they die. And I am of the mind that it is vital that they have conservative influence, because without a strong conservative voice they will be left only with progressives to guide them.
Even if it only results in keeping them uncertain and prevents political involvement on the side of liberalism, that is worth the while. If it results in even a single one of them voting conservative, all the better.
How do you reach those with whom you do not interact?
Bigger government that they’ll gladly use to bludgeon you with for saying “buggery is a sin.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.