Where does a gay guy from Los Angeles go to get a little respect? The Republican National Convention, of course!
Dan Blatt explains how it is far easier to be gay among conservatives than it is to be conservative among gays.
As long ago as last spring, the John McCain campaign made clear that we would be welcome in St. Paul, offering to credential my co-blogger, Bruce Carroll and me. (Due to professional obligations, Bruce was unable to make it.)
I WAS NOT the only gay Republican to be welcomed by the party and the McCain campaign. Just as the campaign gave us press credentials, it also credentialed Log Cabin members as “officials guests.”
Mike DuHaime, political director to the McCain campaign, and Tim Morgan, treasurer of the Republican National Committee (RNC) addressed Log Cabin’s “Big Tent” luncheon on Sept. 2. Morgan said he accepted the group’s invitation as a “symbol” of the party’s outreach to the gay and lesbian community. Two days later, Steve Schmidt, chief strategist to the McCain campaign, addressed the organization’s luncheon in honor of gay delegates, calling the group an “important part” of the GOP.
Just as McCain campaign strategists reached out to Log Cabin, so did conservative bloggers reach out to me. The folk at the Pajamas TV, a new web television network affiliated with Pajamas Media, allowed me to use their space and (when available) Ethernet cables so I could hang out with other bloggers.
That gave me the chance to see how my fellow bloggers (and a few conservative intellectuals) would react when I identified the blog. It didn’t make any difference when they learned I was gay. Nearly all of them had heard of GayPatriot. Not a single one said anything offensive or that could remotely be construed as being anti-gay. Even social conservatives (and self-identified evangelical Christians) were courteous and continued to engage me after learning of my sexual orientation.
I had the same experience when I talked to other Republicans and conservatives in St. Paul. Waiting in line at the concession stand or whenever circumstances allowed, I would introduce myself to other participants, ask where they were from, their role at the convention. Even as they learned I was covering the partisan gathering as a gay conservative blogger, they didn’t reject me, chastise me or even direct me to “ex-gay” ministries. An alternate delegate from North Carolina did wonder how I dealt with the gay leftists as they could, in his words, be quite “vicious” adversaries.
As I have blogged before, it was my pleasure to meet Dan while he was in the Twin Cities for the convention. Knowing the conservatives that I do, and knowing Dan, it isn't difficult at all to believe that they all got along just fine.
Alas. Knowing some of the parochial liberals that I do - I can believe how Dan's conservative views would make him an outcast. Go figure.
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