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10/24/2008

New LCR pitch letter: The last straw for us

by Jeremy Hooper

With nothing but reason, fact, and informed opinion as our guides, we have so far this election season:

-Responded to a pro-McCain commentary from Log Cabin Republican's Patrick Sammon not by throwing insults, but rather by pointing out John McCain's actual record on LGBT issues and legislation

-Questioned how Mr. Sammon could
ever classify McCain-Palin as inclusive. But again, we did so firmly but fairly.

-Refused to buy the line that John McCain's Federal Marriage Amendment objection was really all that amazing, considering that (a) he supports state-level bans, and (b) the Senator's FMA floor speech indicated that pro-gay developments (
like DOMA's demise and more states with legal marriage) would lead him to support some sort of federal ban:

-Pointed out that despite the attempts of LCR's Jimmy LaSalvia to make it appear as such, Sarah Palin's 2006 veto of a bill that would've banned domestic partner benefits was not, in fact, a pro-gay move.

-Failed to follow LCR in deeming
John McCain's participation in a Washington Blade questionnaire as a gay-positive move. And why? Because his mere participation doesn't change the lack of actual pro-gay substance to his answers!

-Obliged (and agreed) with LCR's call to not label all Republicans as "homophobic," and
instead returned the conversation to what truly matters: the facts regarding McCain's less-than-stellar LGBT record.

--Pointed out the similarities in the applause
being afforded to Sarah Palin by both Focus on the Family's Jenny Tyree and LCR's Sammon, and suggested that maybe Patrick and crew would like to clarify his earlier thoughts in light of the fact that Palin has come out fully for an FMA.

We have also noted, both privately and in various web forums, our disappointment in the way LCR has handled their McCain-Palin support, since we believe with all honesty that they are being deliberately less than forthright in their presentation of this ticket. We have said several times that it's one thing to support this ticket DESPITE their shortcomings, yet quite another to act as if those shortcomings are not so short.

So why do we tell you all this about LCR and the firm but fair way we have handled them? Well, because in a new fundraising pitch, the organization has heatedly come out against "the gay left," unfairly heaping their critics into a pile that they've labeled as "voices of intolerance." And quite frankly, this latest approach makes us never want to deal with this organization again:

200810241527

Really uncool. Please, LCR: Take us off of your Blog Cabin blogroll or anywhere else where it may be linked. It's fine if you want to play these polarizing games -- but you have lost every last ounce of this site's respect.

**UPDATE, 11/4: LCR has still not honored our request to remove us from the Blogroll, which we find annoying. Because we're serious about this. As an organization, we do not want to have even the slightest of connections to this iteration of LCR. This election has been truly eye-opening.

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Your thoughts

Hey, Alex B got a mention, as did Wayne B...How come no JH! ... I dunno maybe thats one list you'd rather not be on.

Posted by: LOrion | Oct 24, 2008 4:10:47 PM

Well that's a prime point, LOrion -- there are loads of us who have loudly criticized them without using any soundbites that could be easily pulled for a pitch letter. But they, using a very far-right tactic, are using a tiny handful of de-contextualized comments to essentially decry the whole "gay left." It really bothers me that they would stoop to this.

Posted by: G-A-Y | Oct 24, 2008 4:15:22 PM

I've been saying this for the longest time: DITCH LCR! LOL

I'm serious - they've already made it clear they are separate from us, so let them go. Leave them alone, they belong to the republicans, pentecostals and kooks.

And it would be nice if the republican/"christian" policies on gays would ONLY affect these guys, beings they support them so much.

But like that big-mouthed Andrew Sullivan getting married, they want to be detrimental to the GLBT community, but won't hesitate to swipe up any rights the "gay left" wins.

Posted by: Scott | Oct 24, 2008 4:53:19 PM

If this election has taught us anything about the LBGT community it is the utter irrelevancy of the Log Cabin Republicans. That "Gay Republican" is an oxymoron has never been so clear.

Posted by: David | Oct 24, 2008 4:55:18 PM

DOWN WITH THE GAY KAPOS!!!!!

Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Oct 24, 2008 6:00:51 PM

And I don't even think they picked a great soundbite for me either... McCain has been saying that he'll pick "strict constructionist" judges, which means no more right to privacy, which means Lawrence gets overturned.

But this is the party that institutionalized resentment that we're talking about. No matter how reasonably one engages with them, they're going to lash out. They don't want to be treated politely, they want everyone to agree.

Not that there's a problem with that, but it just makes their Miss Manners tactics more annoying.

Posted by: Alex Blaze | Oct 24, 2008 8:27:50 PM

Let me get this straight, so to speak: McCain supports state level anti-marriage amendments instead of the federal ones, he lets a gay person interview him, and he thinks we are not fit to be adoptive parents, and somehow this is supposed to be a pro-gay candidate? This reminds me of that old MAD-TV sketch about the dating service for hot messes, Lowered Expectations. It is sad when people are so willing to undergo such humiliation in exchange for a tax cut from white people...because let's be real, that's what the LCR is really about.

Posted by: ChristopherM | Oct 24, 2008 8:31:21 PM

If they keep this up there will be an LCR hunt, which I will gladly join in. I can get the feathers but I'll need someone else to get the tar.

Posted by: Rainbow Phoenix | Oct 24, 2008 10:16:55 PM

There must be a book or web site with fill in the blank letters, press releases and fund raising letters, some where only the far right, republicans, religious conservatives and other closed minded people have access to. They just fill in the blanks with their groups name. All say the same thing: those nasty gays are out to get me/us, they are meanies, they are wrong, they are bad, bad,bad people.

But then again, if you have nothing to say and really have to make a lot of noise, what better way to do it than to berate the other side. I have yet to hear the Republicans say anything that would make me want to vote for them.

Posted by: Bob Miller | Oct 24, 2008 11:21:15 PM

It goes to show how petty Patrick Sammon is - we can easily find anti-gay quotes and video clips from people who actually makes anti-gay amendments and so-forth, but all these guys can do is feature quotes from gay bloggers and stooping so low as to using a "typical" comment from an Advocate reader. Like those people have any power to affect the quality of life for gay people.

Posted by: Scott | Oct 25, 2008 1:23:37 AM

The glbt community needs to face the harsh reality that LCR is nothing more than another anti-gay hate group. They actively work to provide cover for homophobes and slander those who support civil rights as "leftist slime" and "homosexual extremists". For years, LCR has claimed that their financial and electoral support of Republicans has been so they can "work for change from the inside". Yet the GOP has gotten only more murderous towards glbt citizens. Enough is enough! LCR needs to be lumped in with groups like 'Focus on the Family' since they both seek to elevate bigots like Palin and McCain.

Posted by: Carl | Oct 25, 2008 5:26:21 AM

The only way I can respect the Log Cabin Clubbers or any gay republican is if they out and out refuse to support or endorse candidates that oppose gay rights. Even if that means failing to endorse a candidate election after election after election. By requiring this in candidates, the LCC might actually help to bring about positive change including a change in the Republican platform. Until they do this, they are just a bunch of self-haters.

Posted by: JP | Oct 25, 2008 6:26:18 AM

JP,

The LCR I believe refused to endorse Bush in 2004, which would have been the smart thing to do with McCain too. And if you ask me, Palin is WAY more anti-gay than GW Bush (Chimpy was just a puppet, Palin is the real deal).

The problem may not be LRC in general, as it is Patrick Sammon. If LRC is smart, they would quickly replace him with somebody who does more than repeating far-right-wing talking points.

Sammon is already insane for playing the "gay conservative victim" card, when all you have to do is look at that Free Republic for queers called "Gay Patriot", for more anti-gay attacks than most hetero republican websites.

No, you don't see any vicious attacks against the "gay left" there.

Patrick Sammon, up your meds.

Posted by: Scott | Oct 25, 2008 11:21:57 PM

The GOP is literally a heterosexist, racist, AIDSphobic, misogynistic, and Christian supremacist hate group. This is no deeply kept secret. To say that someone can be a Republican and not be homophobic is absurd.

LCR is using a talking point in its fundraising letter that originated with the Ku Klux Klan and was picked up by a lot of other Christian Right hate groups. They are saying that it is "intolerant" to speak out against intolerance.

Posted by: libhomo | Oct 26, 2008 7:04:04 PM

Someone else said it better....

It was thought that the LCR would be a way to bring Republicans over to supporting LGBT.

In practice, however, the LCR has become a way to bring gays over to supporting the Republicans.

While I may hold some conservative viewpoints..., republicans, or at least the ones I've met, don't seem to be connected to reality. It's like they don't connect with humanity. The Republicans are starting to make socialists and communists sound reasonable. That should scare everyone.


Posted by: Jason D | Jan 10, 2009 8:11:12 PM

Just gotta throw this in - say what you want about Andrew Sullivan on any number of issues. But he has been a passionate fighter for legalized marriage for decades, even in the face of early opposition from gays who thought legally marrying was simply assimilating, trying to be like straight people. He has earned his right to marry.

Posted by: El | Jan 12, 2009 12:59:31 PM

El: No, this isn't about going after right-leaning gays. At all. It's about this one particular organization's actions as an organization.

Posted by: G-A-Y | Jan 12, 2009 2:26:12 PM

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