Wednesday, December 29, 2010

"Christian" Hate Groups and Allies to Boycott CPAC

Purportedly because "a homosexual activist group, GOProud," has been invited to CPAC, the haters and loonies at several of the SPLC registered anti-gay hate groups and their almost equally vile anti-gay "family values" organizations are pulling out of Conservative Political Action Conference ("CPAC") to be held this coming February in Washington, D.C. While these organizations think they are punishing CPAC and in directly the GOP elected officials who typically appear to prostitute themselves to the Christianists, the argument can be made that the exodus of these groups might actually add to the legitimacy of the CPAC gathering. The reality is that the rise of the Christianists in the GOP and its allied organizations has been one direct cause for the flight of many educated and rational citizens to either the Democrats or those embracing the "independent" label. Hate and religious extremism may be a plus for the Kool-Aid drinkers, but it doesn't sell with many more voters. Here are highlights from Think Progress' take on the Uber-Christian boycott:
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The religious right has grown apoplectic over what it sees as the harbingers of its demise: gay conservatives. The emergence of the GOProud, a right-wing group of conservatives that support gay rights, is spurring a civil war between conservative bigwigs.
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Ever vigilant against “twisted and dangerous” threat of gay conservatives, right-wing groups are now repudiating any person, place, or thing that may associate with these wolves-in-sheep’s-clothing, most notably the American Conservative Union’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Despite receiving flak last year for their association with GOProud, CPAC organizers recently confirmed that GOProud will be a “participating organization,” at next year’s conference, “the second highest level of participation.
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The possible presence of gay people sparked the far-right American Principles Project to instigate a growing boycott of CPAC in November. Yesterday, WND [Wing Nut Daily] announced that the Family Research Council and the Concerned Women for America are now the most high-profile conservative groups to join the boycott.
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The far-right [hate group] Americans for Truth about Homosexuality president Peter LaBarbera, who is also boycotting CPAC, finds it “gratifying to to see FRC and CWA respond appropriately to CPAC’s moral sellout of allowing GOProud as a sponsor.” “By bringing in GOProud, CPAC was effectively saying moral opposition to homosexuality is no longer welcome in the conservative movement.”
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Frankly, CPAC ought to be thankful that a number of registered hate groups with documented histories of outright lying and/or distorting information will not be participants. But the Kool-Aid drinker set is none too happy and the spittle is flying. Here is a sampling of Wing Nut Daily's coverage of the boycott:
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Two of the nation's premier moral issues organizations, the Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America, are refusing to attend the Conservative Political Action Conference in February because a homosexual activist group, GOProud, has been invited.
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FRC and CWA join the American Principles Project, American Values, Capital Research Center, the Center for Military Readiness, Liberty Counsel, and the National Organization for Marriage in withdrawing from CPAC. In November, APP organized a boycott of CPAC over the participation of GOProud.
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Liberty Counsel responded by sending a protest letter to the ACU. "We said GOProud is not a conservative organization," said Staver. "They are undermining the military" by promoting open homosexuality, and "undermining marriage" by opposing the Defense of Marriage Act, which preserves the traditional definition of marriage by limiting it to one man and one woman. "Anything that undermines marriage also undermines our freedom and economy," said Staver. "It is contrary to our fundamental values to have as a cosponsor an organization that promotes same-sex marriage."
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Both FRC and Liberty Counsel said they would direct their efforts to rival conferences that respect moral conservatism.

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