We Need the Support of the LBGT Community

[freedom-maniac]

Okay, let's talk seriously here. We normally direct our proselytzing efforts towards Tea Party types of old-school conservatives that we think will help us in the primaries and caucuses. Since Huck left, we've also been marketing Dr. Paul to Christian conservatives.

This is all fine and great. But there is a HUGE section of the American population we've been forgetting. I'm talking about the LBGT community. Normally they don't vote Republican because the GOP has been active in persecuting them, but there actually is a group of gay and lesbian GOPers known as the "Log Cabin Republicans"

Log Cabin works to build a stronger, more inclusive Republican Party by promoting the core values of limited government, individual liberty, personal responsibility, free markets and a strong national defense while advocating for the freedom and equality of gay and lesbian Americans

http://www.logcabin.org/site/c.nsKSL7PMLpF/b.5468127/k.A241/Our_Mission.htm

The Log Cabin is large enough to have influence:

Since 1977, LCR has expanded across the United States and has 43 chapters, representing 26 states and the District of Columbia.[28] Log Cabin has thousands of members nationwide and a staff of registered lobbyists in Washington, D.C.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Log_Cabin_Republicans#Membership

In 2008 they actually aired attack ads against Mitt Romney for his anti-gay stances, and endorsed McCain for being more moderate. One of their video questions was even featured in the CNN YouTube Debate.

This year, there is no "moderate" John McCain. Cain and Pawlenty both are anti-gay marriage. Santorum's trying to be to the right of Huck on social issues. Romney is detested by the LBGT community. Bachmann actually co-authored a constitutional amendment when she was a state senator that would have banned gay marriage in her state. Newt Ginrich is so anti-gay that homosexual activists have taken to pouring boxes of glitter on him at book signings.

Dr. Paul's message of keeping the federal government out of the marriage issue and allowing it to be decided at the state level makes him the most likely candidate to recieve the support of the Log Cabin Republicans this year.

Outside of the GOP, there are many independent LBGT voters who would normally vote in a Democratic primary, but, because Obama's got this all to himself, we could convince to vote for Dr. Paul in a GOP primary/caucus. Nationwide it's estimated possibly as much as 10% of the population is LBGT. This is a demographic we can't ignore.

 

[libertybrewcity]

Good luck reaching out to the community. My gay/lesbian friends could care less about how RP votes. What matters are his personal views. Remember that people are still stuck in the two party track mindset. It is either you vote to make it illegal or you vote to make it illegal. There are no other options in other people's mind.

 

[Krugerrand]

I disagree.

From the primary perspective - as you point out - there is little other option out there. Thus, there is little need to reach out to them. Plus, reaching out to the gay community risks alienating the Christian right - which is a far larger and more crucial primary voting block.

From a general election perspective, RP would again risk losing the religious right - which would certainly cost him the election. Plus, most in the gay community like an authoritarian government that tells people what to do - thus pushing for things like hate crime legislation and gay marriage.

 

[StudentForPaul08]

As a gay person I would like to add my input into this idea. I don't think Ron Paul needs to reach out to the LGBT community - we do. We need to reach out to everyone no matter who or what they are.

 

[Krugerrand]

As a gay person I would like to add my input into this idea. I don't think Ron Paul needs to reach out to the LGBT community - we do. We need to reach out to everyone no matter who or what they are.

Agreed.

 

[sailingaway]

I disagree. I agree with student for paul 08 that supporters can convey his views, but the media and neoconservatives (who DO make up a huge chunk of primary voters) are trying to spin Ron as not just 'unconventional' but far beyond that, and the campaign needs to push his attractive points to primary voters. He shouldn't shy away from his views but I don't want to market them as his main platform when the issue of the day is the economy, either. The economy IS his issue. We really need to go with that. That and civil liberties - the itch NO ONE is scratching right now...

 

[Verrater]

The economy IS his issue.

Yup. Ron needs to focus on how none of them know the real root cause of the problem and how he predicted the 08 housing bubble collapse.

 

[outspoken]

I think to come out of the closet and pronounce oneself as gay takes a lot of courage. It take strength to look within yourself and figure out who you are and what you believe in apart from what the outside world tells you to believe. It is such a spirit that dwelled in the hearts of all men and women through history, Jesus included, who challenged the authority of their day. I strongly believe that your sexuality is just something you are born with and believe regardless of one's preference we still should value the sacred relationship bound by love between two individuals above all else... you don't need a license to determine who you love (or anything for that matter!) Seeing people prance around in the street professing their sexuality and living a life of promiscuity gay or straight is detrimental to the human race and we all have to be consciously aware of that. My point is that I think we need to embrace this community with open arms and feed off the same strength they as individuals have in the personal lives to challenge authority telling them how to be and what to believe. The power mongering liberals have highjacked the gay community in an effort to usurp power. They will tell anyone anything to achieve their goals of creating a top down authoritative oligarchy controlling every aspect of our lives making us less free and permitting less love in the world to exist. What the world needs now is love more than anything and Ron Paul is leading the freedom to love charge. I say all this a straight married, libertarian minded Christian. In almost all conflicts in this world, it is not another who is the enemy but rather our own ignorance.

 

[freedom-maniac]

As a gay person I would like to add my input into this idea. I don't think Ron Paul needs to reach out to the LGBT community - we do. We need to reach out to everyone no matter who or what they are.

That's exactly my point. Ron Paul doesn't believe in "people groups" so he would never specifically reach out to such a group, but we can. My point is we've been going after other groups (free-marketiers, Christian conservatives, even anarchists), but ignoring this huge section of the voting population.

You are absolutely right that "we need to reach out to everyone". We need the support of everyone we can get, and there is no need to ignore certain demographics.

 

[dannno]

Does anybody know why they call themselves Log Cabin Republicans? The only reason I can think of is kind of gross.

I agree that RP already reaches out to them just as he reaches out to everybody with the message of individual liberty. It's our job to reach "groups".

 

[randolphfuller]

When Dr. Paul voted to allow homosexuals to serve openly in the military didn't he kiss goodbye all hope of support from the Christian Right? I agree that the economy can push social issues into the background.

 

[Dr.3D]

Does anybody know why they call themselves Log Cabin Republicans?
~snip.

The name of the organization is a reference to the first Republican President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, who was born in a log cabin.

http://www.search.com/reference/Log_Cabin_Republicans

 

[Dreamofunity]

he name of the organization is a reference to the first Republican President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, who was born in a log cabin.

It appears GW was gay too.

 

[AlexMerced]

I have been working on this, living in NYC, a sizeable portion of my social circle is gay and/or transgendered so I created the Martini Party Facebook group for Libertarian LGBT and LGBT advocates

http://www.facebook.com/MartiniParty

I also founded the Merced Institute of Creativity and Tolerance which spend it's time researching and showing how Creativity and Tolerance are pillars which make a free society work to it's maximum potential.

http://www.MercedInstitute.com

 

[speciallyblend]

This is Gay, I approve!

 

[BrendenR]

"The name of the organization is a reference to the first Republican President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, who was born in a Log Cabin. President Lincoln built the Republican Party on the principles of liberty and equality. The party should return to its roots. When the organization was founded, the name, "Lincoln Club" was already taken by another GOP group, so organizers settled on the name Log Cabin Republicans."

 

[1000-points-of-fright]

"The name of the organization is a reference to the first Republican President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, who was born in a Log Cabin. President Lincoln built the Republican Party on the principles of liberty and equality. The party should return to its roots. When the organization was founded, the name, "Lincoln Club" was already taken by another GOP group, so organizers settled on the name Log Cabin Republicans."

Also because there's a theory floating around that Lincoln was gay.

 

[sailingaway]

When Dr. Paul voted to allow homosexuals to serve openly in the military didn't he kiss goodbye all hope of support from the Christian Right? I agree that the economy can push social issues into the background.

No, only with the ones obsessed with this issue. He IS religious right, he just doesn't think it is the government's role to decide religion or morality.

 

[freedom-maniac]

No, only with the ones obsessed with this issue. He IS religious right, he just doesn't think it is the government's role to decide religion or morality.

No, only with the ones obsessed with this issue. He IS religious right, he just doesn't think it is the government's role to decide religion or morality.

Exactly. And if anyone on the Religious Right tries to condem Dr. Paul for this view, remind them that he served in the military, and ask them whether they have. If they've never worn the uniform, then they have no business condemning Dr. Paul for his vote, or the many gay or lesbian members of the military who are putting their lives on the line to defend America.

 

[dannno]

http://www.search.com/reference/Log_Cabin_Republicans

Ya that doesn't really answer the question..