Gay group rejected from Republican conference
The Log Cabin Republicans have been told they cannot have a stand at a conservative conference.
The Western Conservative Summit is due to be held in Denver later this year, and will feature speakers such as Rick Santorum. The Log Cabin Republicans hoped to run a stand at the conference for the first time, but have had their deposit returned due to their support for same-sex marriage.
John Andrews is head of the group that is organising the conference, which is linked to Colorado Christian University. AP reports that he said: “We’d love to have them attend the summit and be in the discussion. But we have to draw the line at a formal relationship between two organizations with diametrically opposed policy beliefs.”
Alexander Hornaday, president of the Colorado Log Cabin Republicans, said “I think it’s very short-sighted. What turns young people off from the right is a perception that the right is intolerant or anti-gay. This reinforces that perception.”
His comments echo those of former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger, who said that the perception of the Republican party as being anti-gay was turning away younger voters.
In February the group reported they had also been banned from The Conservative Political Action Conference. Executive Director Gregory T. Angelo said at the time: “The only conclusion that can be made is that the organizers of CPAC do not feel gay people can be conservative.”
