Joyce L. Arnold, Liberally Independent, Queer Talk, equality activist, writer.
The name itself – the “Values Voter Summit” – is revealing. At least by implication, it sounds as if the only voters who have “values,” defined in a specific way, would, if not attend, at least agree with, what the list of speakers will be saying. The 2012 edition of this gathering will take place September 14 – 16, in DC. Where else would you gather to show your “there’s no separation of church and state” values?
Among the lengthy list of confirmed (with a good number of unconfirmed) speakers is Paul Ryan. Last year Mitt Romney spoke to the “values” crowd. At this point, he’s listed as “unconfirmed,” and my bet is he won’t attend, in an attempt not to appear completely out of touch with “mainstream” GOPers. But VP wannabee Ryan will fill in for him, going where the top of the ticket doesn’t want to be photographed. Or, maybe R&R will both be there, photo ops and all.
You can see a complete list of confirmed, and unconfirmed, 2012 speakers here. A partial list, in addition to Ryan: Rep. Michele Bachmann; Gary Bauer, President, American Values; Dr. Bill Bennett, Best-selling Author and Host, ‘Morning in America’; Gov. Jan Brewer; Majority Leader Eric Cantor; Sen. Jim DeMint; Rep. Steve King; Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council and FRC Action; (former) Sen. Rick Santorum; Mat Staver, Chairman, Liberty Counsel, Dean, Liberty University School of Law; Tim Wildmon, President, American Family Association.
Sponsoring the event is the Family Research Council, with president Tony Perkins. Just think of the possibilities Perkins has with this platform, to keep his use of the shooting at the FRC offices going for his anti-Southern Poverty Law Center/Planned Parenthood/Obama/Etc., all of which are tainted by their support of, among other less or non-valued persons, LGBTs. Other sponsors: Tim Wildmon, American Family Association; Gary Bauer, American Values; Ed Feulner, The Heritage Foundation; Jerry Falwell, Jr., Liberty University; Mathew Staver; Liberty Counsel.
Not all Republicans are pleased with the Summit, nor with the use of anti-LGBT rhetoric in general, and as always, I think they deserve recognition.
I’ve written before about Republicans4Freedom here, and Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry here.
From Ron Hill, who writes “For the rational wing of the Republican party,” at Republicans4Freedom:
Republican VP Candidate Paul Ryan to Attend Hate Group Conference
… Gonna be hard for Romney to pretend he’s a mainstream candidate when his VP is addressing the … ‘Values Voters Summit’. … Want to paint Republicans as mean-spirited and divisive? Just tie Romney to leaders of America’s hate groups … .
This story deserves to be all over the news until Ryan is shamed into canceling his appearance. Being a Republican should be about uniting our nation instead of dividing it … about freedom and respect for every law-abiding American. …
The whole purpose of this site is to help bring the Republican party back to the mainstream by highlighting the extremism of the far right. … Responsible Republicans need to work toward making it shameful to be seen associating or collaborating with leaders of hate groups.
And at Metro Weekly, Justin Snow writes:
Young Conservatives Urge GOP To Support Marriage Equality as Log Cabin Nears Endorsement
A group of young conservatives urged the platform-drafting committee for the Republican National Committee to endorse marriage equality in a letter sent earlier this week.
Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry, which is under the umbrella of the national organization Freedom to Marry, wrote that if the Republicans ‘truly believe in family values, then we must value all families.’
Of course, as the article states, there isn’t any expectation that the Republican Party will, as the Democratic Party has, add support of marriage equality to their platform. Romney’s pick of anti-LGBT equality Ryan as his running mate signals exactly the opposite thinking.
There’s another group (this one from outside the GOP) pushing Republicans, in specific, the Log Cabin Republicans, not to endorse the Romney/Ryan ticket. I wrote earlier about “Mitt Gets Worse” here. The effort was organized by The Courage Campaign, an online “multi-issue advocacy organization,” and American Bridge 21st Century, a “progressive research and communications organization.”
In a letter sent to (LCR) Executive Director R. Clarke Copper and the board of directors for Log Cabin Republicans, David Brock of American Bridge 21st Century and Rick Jacobs of Courage Campaign Super PAC urged the group of gay Republicans to withhold their endorsement for Romney.
Citing Log Cabin Republicans’ decision to not endorse George W. Bush in 2004 by a 22-2 margin, Brock and Jacobs write, ‘We believe Mitt Romney’s record shows there is little daylight between him and George W. Bush when it comes to our rights …’
Responding to the letter, Cooper said the petition would have no impact on the group’s internal deliberations.
If LCR really won’t listen to voices like Ron Hill, “Mitt Gets Worse” and Young Conservatives, they are, even if by default, supporting “Values Voters,” people who are unlikely to welcome them to their Summit. Tony Perkins and company will clearly show, again, that their values include a great deal of judging people not like them, and warmly welcoming people very much like them, including speakers.
(God Hates Everyone sign via Wipeout Homophobia on FB
Values Voter graphic via Values Voter Summit)
You have to admit, it is rather ironic, when you consider that a bunch of people who apparently have no values are attending a values summit. Maybe Ryan should take his shirt off and do some modeling; better cover up those spindly legs though.
They have a very specific understanding of “values.” Or probably better said, a very exclusive understanding.
“Young Conservatives Urge GOP To Support Marriage Equality as Log Cabin Nears Endorsement”
BWAHAHAHAHA! Sortta like a Jew in 1940 Germany saying…you know….he may want to kill us all but he sure makes the trains run on time don’t he?
It’s not going to happen any time soon, of course, but I give these young people credit and cheers for their efforts. Each push toward sanity is helpful, and … someday these “young conservatives” will be the older conservatives. No guarantees what will happen, of course, but there is no doubt that younger people are more supportive of LGBT equality.
Of course, I personally would love to see them, conservative and liberal / progressive, also pushing for more than Duopoly choices.
I don’t expect everyone in my community to vote for the same person because I know we have different opinions on economic issues among other issues facing us, but I just don’t understand anyone in the LGBT community to vote for Romney/Ryan. They are not for LGBT rights. If you disagree with Obama/Biden then vote third party but I personally would not give my vote to someone that wants to take my constitutional rights away from me. One thing I will give Mitt Romney credit on is that he came out against the discrimination of the Boy Scouts, but he needs to look at his own party and put the puzzle pieces together.
I’m sure you know by now that I’m a “third party” proponent, and will once again vote Green Party, among other reason because I think we (Left, Right or wherever in between) are in very serious need of more options.
I love that pic that say’s “God HATES everyone except me”. Boy, if that doesn’t capture these zealots. And, I just love how they have a direct line to GOD, heh?
It’s not going to happen any time soon, of course, but I give these young people credit and cheers for their efforts. Each push toward sanity is helpful, and … someday these “young conservatives” will be the older conservatives. No guarantees what will happen, of course, but there is no doubt that younger people are more supportive of LGBT equality.
I agree here, Joyce. I do think there is ample evidence that this younger group, the twenty to thirty somethings who one day not too far in future will be the new GOP and will be far more socially liberal and accepting of all people and not only gay people. And, they will be force in the GOP that will, imho, drown out the tea party extremist irrationals. In the corporate world there are two ways in which to have what is called a “reduction in force”. One is to fire some of it’s employees and the other is by attrition (employees leave the company or pass away). That is what, imo, will happen with the GOP as the older group dies away and this younger group comprises the leadership which will resut in a social sea change in that party. It will take another generation for that to happen. Will this country last as a republic in the meantime? Depends on the sea change in the Democratic party. Depends upon how third party’s will break through our own Iron Curtain Duopoly.
I think this is very much on target, newdeal, that it will take another generation for the GOP to be changed. And for that matter, for the Democratic party, hopefully, to stop chasing the GOP further Right, and track back to the Left. And of course my hope, that maybe enough people will do the work necessary to have a real chance at having alternatives to the Duopoly.
The question as you put it really is key: “Will this country last as a republic in the meantime?” To this point, the Duopoly is doing a very good job of suppressing “third party” and reform efforts, and of course, outside-the-two-party-box efforts like Occupy.