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Gay Republicans continue pressure on their party

Group accused of ‘bullying’ tactics
Fort Lewis College students wave flags in honor of gay rights in front of a large crowd at the FLC football field. Gay Republicans are upset that they have been prohibited to serve as partners of an upcoming conservative summit in Colorado.

DENVER – The organizer of a conservative summit planned for Colorado defended rejecting gay Republicans from attending as a partner – even though the summit has welcomed gay speakers in the past.

John Andrews, a former state senator who serves as director of the conservative Centennial Institute, which organizes the Western Conservative Summit, remains steadfast in his decision.

However, the state Republican Party has invited Log Cabin Republicans to share their booth at the summit.

The controversy began Tuesday when Andrews told the pro-gay Republican group that they could not attend the June summit as a partner because the group’s “worldview and policy agenda are fundamentally at odds with what Colorado Christian University stands for.”

The Centennial Institute is on the campus of Lakewood-based Colorado Christian University.

But the annual summit has had gay speakers in the past, including Tammy Bruce, an openly gay pro-choice conservative radio host who spoke last year. Andrews said he didn’t anticipate that Bruce would speak from a gay person’s perspective but added her remarks seemed constructive.

The Centennial Institute also has welcomed gay lawmakers to panels in the past, including former Rep. Mark Ferrandino and Sen. Lucia Guzman, both Denver Democrats.

But Andrews said the summit must draw the line at Log Cabin Republicans, stating, “The defining reason for Log Cabin Republicans to exist is to see the law changed for an agenda topped by same-sex marriage. CCU, as a Christian college, holds the tenet of religious faith that marriage is one man and one woman, appropriately recognized by many centuries of Western civilization and hence by civil law in this country.

“It was a clash of policy goals, rooted in our spiritual convictions.”

Many, however, within the Republican Party are frustrated with Andrews and the summit. Since the incident came to light Tuesday, it made national headlines and generated extensive attention on social media, with calls for Andrews to reverse course.

Steve House, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, invited Log Cabin Republicans to share the state party’s booth at the Western Conservative Summit.

“The Colorado GOP has always allowed our allied organizations to join us in promoting our shared values of liberty and limited government at events across the state.” House said. “That will not change at the Western Conservative Summit.”

The announcement by House caused Log Cabin Republicans to declare victory.

“This is a huge win for Log Cabin Republicans and our allies,” said Alex Hornaday, spokesman for the group. “We are exceptionally grateful that the new chairman of the Colorado Republican Party has demonstrated that he truly believes in a big tent.

“We chose to use the free market and public square to inform and garner support,” Hornaday said. “This is what that looks like.”

But Andrews said he feels Log Cabin Republicans are throwing unfair punches.

“We’re not fine with the shaming and bullying pressure tactics of Log Cabin Republicans’ national office,” Andrews said. “We want to be fair to them if they’ll be fair to us.”

pmarcus@durangoherald.com

Apr 15, 2015
Gay Republicans angry with the right


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