GOProud gets to bring its closet to CPAC.
The Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, has taken a big step forward when it comes to inclusiveness. Like,
big, y'all. The annual gathering at which the far right's hold on the Republican Party is cemented and celebrated will be allowing Republican gay rights group GOProud to attend.
Oh, GOProud won't have an official role at the conference, or a booth in the exhibit hall. CPAC's not going overboard with this inclusiveness thing. But even being allowed to attend is a change from recent years:
The dispute with GOProud dates back to 2011, when a number of socially conservative groups, including the Heritage Foundation and the Family Research Council, objected to the group's involvement and declined to participate. Insults were traded between GOProud leaders and ACU board members, culminating in the group's exclusion.
Two former GOProud summer interns, Ross Hemminger and Matt Bechstein, took over last summer and sought to repair the bitterly frayed relationship. Under a compromise reached last week, they will attend the March 6-8 gathering as guests, without sponsorship or a booth. GOProud sees the lower-profile role as an important first step.
So really, it wasn't so much a dispute as a bunch of bigots refusing to be involved if the gays were going to be there, and the American Conservative Union, which hosts CPAC,
saying "OMG, you're right. Ick. Go away, gays." But now that's all water under the bridge, because GOProud is allowed to attend! You know,
like Hunter did last year.
What exactly do the members of GOProud think they have to be proud of, again? Having their right to breathe while gay affirmed by the great masters of the right?