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News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyMay 30th, 2014
Yesterday, the Log Cabin Republicans announced that their request for a booth at the annual convention in Fort Worth had been denied by the state Republican Party:
“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.”
That “archaic language” is not so archaic, coming from page 8 of the 2012 Texas Republican Party platform where over 100 colorful words describe the party’s position on “homosexuals” (the position against human trafficking, on the same page, takes only 12 words):
Human Trafficking ― The Republican Party of Texas adamantly opposes any form of human trafficking.
Homosexuality ― We affirm that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society and contributes to the breakdown of the family unit. Homosexual behavior is contrary to the fundamental, unchanging truths that have been ordained by God, recognized by our country’s founders, and shared by the majority of Texans. Homosexuality must not be presented as an acceptable “alternative” lifestyle, in public policy, nor should “family” be redefined to include homosexual “couples.” We believe there should be no granting of special legal entitlements or creation of special status for homosexual behavior, regardless of state of origin. Additionally, we oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction or belief in traditional values.
The decision, unusual for a state party, is, according to this source, allowed because of a 1997 ruling by then-Texas-Supreme-Court-Justice and now-Texas-gubernatorial-candidate Greg Abbott who
ruled on the case of the Republican Party of Texas vs. Dietz, which was a suit brought by the Republican Party against a lower court judge who ruled the Party had to provide the Log Cabin Republicans with a convention booth. Abbott ruled– relying on a muddled conflation of Texas state and US constitutional law– the Party could legally bar the group from its convention because the Texas Bill of Rights only applies to government and the Party’s actions did not constitute state action.
Gregory T. Angelo, head of the National Log Cabin Republicans, has condemned both the decision and the language in the state party platform.
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Carrie
May 30th, 2014
I find it really weird that anti-gay conservatives often decry the acceptance of our “alternative lifestyle” in scare quotes like that. Why the scare quotes? Who are they quoting? THEY’RE the only ones who still use that term to describe us! I never hear gay people describe being gay as an “alternative lifestyle” — because it’s just our lives.
Lucrece
May 30th, 2014
That LCR jackass has been behind some of the most vile tweets toward the president and even some in the gay community.
He even endorsed Mitt “Rmoney”. So that groveling, sellout organization gets what it deserves.
Ben in Oakland
May 30th, 2014
It’s the practice of homohatred that tears at the fabric of society. As always with the right wing, projection is their m.o.
Paul Douglas
May 30th, 2014
What should you expect from the part of Rick Perry, W, Dick Armey and Tom DeLay?
The Party of Lincoln has become the Party of Jefferson Davis.
cowboy
May 30th, 2014
The part that says:
is especially egregious.
So, even if God made us this way we don’t deserve equality and discriminatory laws are opposite of granting “special” rights?
jOHN
May 30th, 2014
This just shows that the LCR are joke even to their own party! They are their own worst enemy.
NancyP
May 30th, 2014
“regardless of state of origin” likely refers to the desire to not give full faith and credit to marriages contracted in other states. Not surprisingly, the wording is awkward.
chiMaxx
May 30th, 2014
Ahhh, the quadrennial LCR pity party: “Nobody likes us. Not the militant S&M drag queens scaring the children at their so-called Pride Parades by waving their naked parts around, and not the Republican honchos we spend all our time sucking up to. Why can’t we get any respect? Why won’t anyone date us?”
plaintom
May 30th, 2014
To be fair, the state GOP did offer to let them host a closet.
corey
May 30th, 2014
WHO would want to be in a group with THAT as the definition of Homosexuality??
Joseph Singer
May 30th, 2014
This should be a shock to no one. The Republican party has always been the party of exclusion. No blacks, browns, yellow gays or anyone who is not completely white. They only allow Michael Steel and Bobby Jindal to show that they are equal opportunity bigots.
Ken R
May 31st, 2014
“We believe there should be no granting of special legal entitlements or creation of special status for homosexual behavior, regardless of state of origin. Additionally, we oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction or belief in traditional values.”
I agree with cowboy. I read that as stating regardless if homosexuality is inborn or not (state of origin) they do not believe homosexuals should have legal protections like race or religion, despite the fact religion is a choice. Remember, they don’t believe in a orientation. They believe being gay is all behavior.
They go further as saying that no one should be prosecuted for opposing homosexuality due to faith, etc. That probably includes a business cannot not be sued for firing a homosexual because they are gay or any criminal charges being brought against someone for beating to death of a gay person because the Bible calls for stoning to death of homosexuals. They of course would have to convince a judge and jury of their seriously held religious beliefs to get away with murder which I don’t see happening personally.
chiMaxx
May 31st, 2014
I can’t agree with Joseph Singer. Republicans are a diverse lot. Some are racist and sexist, sure, but most aren’t, even if the party leadership isn’t very good about weeding out the racism in their ranks or distancing themselves from it (because they don’t want to alienate some of their most motivated voters).
But I will say, this platform language coming from the Texas GOP doesn’t surprise me at all.
Richard Rush
May 31st, 2014
chiMaxx said “Some [Republicans] are racist and sexist, sure, but most aren’t . . .”
But I’d say the vast majority of those who “aren’t” are sleazy enough to eagerly pander to the bigots in order to elect people who will protect their wealth from the hands of millions of “lazy freeloaders” that they helped to create by eliminating their jobs through government and/or corporate policies.
Timothy Kincaid
May 31st, 2014
Sadly, too many in our community seem to have opinions about Republicans that are based in myth and supposition. It’s like listening to conservative who don’t know any gay people tell you what gay people ‘are like’.
Randy Potts
June 1st, 2014
For some perspective, here’s Buzzfeed’s Chris Geidner’s report on last week which he called “the week Republicans stopped fighting marriage equality” – http://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/the-week-republicans-stopped-fighting-marriage-equality. That’s national, of course, and well-documented. Texas has always gone out of its way to prove it has bigger balls than the rest of the country, which of course means they’re actually smaller. There’s going to be a lot of pressure to change the platform language with a lot of very rich donors leading the charge – will be interesting to watch how it plays out. It’s still the case that some of the heaviest hitters in Texas – Perry, Abbot, Cruz, et al – are not just non-gay-friendly but vehemently so, at least in policy and public statements.
chiMaxx
June 1st, 2014
I think of the famous exchange from 2008 between one of McCain’s supporters who said she was afraid of Obama because he was an Arab terrorist, and McCain, who averred “No, no Ma’am. He’s a decent family man citizen that I just happen to have some disagreements with on fundamental issues.”
Both are outliers. Only a small subset of Republicans harbor the sort of crazy xenophobia of this woman. The birthers were a tiny crazy fringe. But the sad part is that too few Republican candidates are willing to call out and oppose this sort of crazy when it happens right in front of them, coming out of the mouths of their supporters. And, of course, it’s telling that McCain was booed for saying this–for trying to bring the race back to the issues.
Timothy Kincaid
June 1st, 2014
chiMaxx,
Quite true, especially between the mid 90’s and until quite recently.
I’m encouraged by hearing more of the sane voices denouncing the crazies. And using tone of voice that give a hint that even more do so behind closed doors.
But I think they are starting to discover that if they don’t act now to disavow the hate-based loonacy, they are going to be extinct. And so increasingly I think we will hear national leadership reining in some of this nonsense.
And maybe, just maybe, they will have candidates who do not morph into Pat Buchanan mid-primary season. Maybe someone will have big enough balls to say, “I don’t believe the crazy shit, I’m not going to say it, and I’m not going to pretend that it’s a reasonable opinion”.
Well… we can dream, anyway.
chiMaxx
June 2nd, 2014
The GOP needs to have their Sister Souljah moment with the birthers and the crazy racists and xenophobes in their midst.
Yes, it would be wonderful to see more politicians to adopt a Reaganesque smirk and say things about their opponents like: “I just don’t understand how someone can be such a good citizen and earnest patriot and right about the problems we face and yet so wrong about how to solve those problems.”
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