GOProud

Conservative Gay Leader To LGBT Glitterers: You're Not Helping

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 22, 2011, 1:06PM

Chris Barron, leader of the gay tea party-leaning group GOProud, is not amused by the string of glitter attacks LGBT activists have been carrying out over the past few months.

The latest was in Minnesota, where a group of activists dressed up like "barbarians" and dumped glitter all over the waiting room at Marcus Bachmann's Christian counseling clinic. The activists were protesting the gay reparative therapy Bachmann's clinic engages in, as well as the ardent anti-gay rights stances Bachmann and his wife, presidential candidate Michele Bachmann, have taken in public.

But Barron says the protests are just making it easier for homophobia to persist.

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CPAC

New CPAC Head: 'It's Going To Be Difficult To Continue The Relationship' With GOProud

Eric Kleefeld | February 11, 2011, 1:57PM

American Conservative Union chairman Al Cardenas

Do the folks at CPAC wish they knew how to quit GOProud?

As Frum Forum reports, the new head of the conservative conference's parent organization, American Conservative Union chairman Al Cardenas, now says that "it's going to be difficult to continue the relationship" with the gay conservative group. GOProud has been at odds with social conservative groups who have criticized its participation in CPAC, some having gone so far as to boycott the convention as a result.

"I have been disappointed with their website and their quotes in the media, taunting organizations that are respected in our movement and part of our movement, and that's not acceptable," said Cardenas. "And that puts them in a difficult light in terms of how I view things."

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CPAC

CPAC Out To Prove It Doesn't Need Social Groups To Be Important

Evan McMorris-Santoro and Jillian Rayfield | February 10, 2011, 8:48AM

Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and Michele Bachmann.

The lead-up to this year's Conservative Political Action Conference has mostly been a question of "will they or won't they" -- will the country's top conservatives attend, or will they be swayed by a bubbling social conservative boycott over the inclusion of the gay conservative group GOProud.

As the hootenanny kicks off today with an agenda that includes almost every whispered-about potential 2012 candidate, the boycotting social conservatives increasingly seem like they're on the outside looking in.

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CPAC

Good News, GOProud: New CPAC Boss Will Take 'Big Tent' Approach

Ryan J. Reilly | February 9, 2011, 4:40PM

Al Cardenas and Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)

Here's some bad news for South Carolina Republican Sen. Jim DeMint and others who want to ban gay groups from the Conservative Political Action Conference -- the new chair of the group that runs CPAC plans to stay the course on inclusivity.

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CPAC

Marco Rubio Skipping Boycott-Saddled CPAC This Year

Jillian Rayfield | January 31, 2011, 1:48PM

Former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio (R-FL)

Marco Rubio may have keynoted CPAC as a senate candidate last year, but now that he's a senator he's not going to show up at all.

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CPAC

Heritage Changes Reason For CPAC Dropout: GOProud Was Part Of It

Jillian Rayfield | January 28, 2011, 11:30AM

The Heritage Foundation has shifted its explanation for backing out of this year's CPAC conference, with James Weidman, a foundation spokesman, telling the New York Times: "GOProud was one element in the decision."

A number of conservative groups and politicians aren't participating in the annual conservative conference -- some citing GOProud's involvement as the reason.

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CPAC

Jim DeMint Joins Conservative Boycott Of CPAC

Jillian Rayfield | January 21, 2011, 3:07PM

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)

Sen. Jim DeMint will also not be attending the CPAC conference this year, Ben Smith of Politico reports.

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CPAC

GOP Rep. Jim Jordan Also Boycotting CPAC

Jillian Rayfield | January 11, 2011, 6:17PM

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) has said that he is joining the conservative boycott of CPAC.

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CPAC

CPAC Attacked For Inviting Mitch Daniels

Jillian Rayfield | January 11, 2011, 3:42PM

Gov. Mitch Daniels (R-IN)

The right has found yet another reason to hate CPAC: The decision to invite potential 2012 presidential candidate Gov. Mitch Daniels (R-IN).

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CPAC

More Conservative Groups Pulling Out Of CPAC -- And Blasting Gay Inclusion

Eric Kleefeld | January 7, 2011, 11:07AM

The 2010 Conservative Political Action Conference

Is the annual CPAC conservative activist conference coming undone -- with the inclusion of gays being the final straw?

As we've posted before, some social conservative groups have been pulling out of the annual event, due to the inclusion of the gay conservative group GOProud. As the right-wing World Net Daily, which has been hammering away at this issue, now reports, the Heritage Foundation and the Media Research Center -- an organization that cover a variety of issues, not just social conservatism -- have also pulled out of CPAC.

Dave Weigel argues that other factors are at play here -- notably financial disputes with the leadership of CPAC's organizers, the American Conservative Union. But these groups are simultaneously blasting CPAC for including gays.

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CPAC

Right-Wing Groups Pull Out Of CPAC Because Gay Group Will Be There

Eric Kleefeld | December 28, 2010, 4:03PM

Ryan Sorba at CPAC 2010

The feuding on the right continues over the gay conservative group GOProud, with two more social conservative groups announcing that they won't attend the big Conservative Political Action Conference this February -- in part because the gay group is participating.

As the right-wing World Net Daily reports:

"We've been very involved in CPAC for over a decade and have managed a couple of popular sessions. However, we will no longer be involved with CPAC because of the organization's financial mismanagement and movement away from conservative principles," said Tom McClusky, senior vice president for FRC Action.

"CWA [Concerned Women for America] has decided not to participate in part because of GOProud," CWA President Penny Nance told WND. [Ed. note: Penny Nance's title is chief executive officer of CWA. Another individual, Wendy Wright, holds the title of president.]

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Ann Coulter

Ann Coulter At Homocon: 'Marriage Is Not A Civil Right. You're Not Black.'

Megan Carpentier | September 26, 2010, 3:13PM

Ann Coulter at CPAC 2010

Ann Coulter doesn't mince words. And even when speaking to a gay conservative organization, GOProud, at their inaugural Homocon party on Saturday night, she apparently wasn't willing to start.

After a series of jokes about conservative that sounded -- and were received -- more like a stand-up act then a political speech, Coulter told the assembled (and predominantly wealthy) conservative gay crowd why they should oppose same sex marriage, adding, "I should warn you: I've never failed to talk gays out of gay marriage."

And then she did.

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CPAC

CPAC Speaker Condemns CPAC For Allowing Gay Conservative Group (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | February 19, 2010, 5:31PM

Ryan Sorba - California Young Americans For Freedom at CPAC 2010

During a CPAC segment to recognize student conservative activists from across the country, one particular conservative, Ryan Sorba of the California Young Americans for Freedom, denounced CPAC for allowing the gay conservative group GOProud to co-sponsor the event and host a booth. After finishing his short speech against homosexuality as being contrary to the concept of natural rights -- amidst booing from the crowd -- he walked off the stage.

"Just to change the subject for just a second, I'd like to condemn CPAC for bringing GOPride (sic) to this event," said Sorba. The young activist crowd erupted into booing, but Sorbs continued. "Bring it. Bring it. I love it. I love it. I love it.

"Guess what? Guess what? All right, guess what? Civil rights are grounded in natural rights," said Sorba. "Natural rights are grounded in human nature. Human nature is a rational substance in relationship. The intelligible end of the reproductive act is reproduction. Do you understand that? Civil rights, when they conflict with natural rights, are contrary -- hey, you sit down. The lesbians at Smith College protest better than you do. The lesbians at Smith College protest than you do. All right? Bring it."

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