I’m not gay. Happily heterosexual. Also, happily a “neo-conservative,” otherwise known as a “classical liberal.” That means I support minding my own damned business when it comes to most people’s lifestyles. People being gay is not a threat to me. Couldn’t care less. What they do is their business, and doesn’t affect me (see this post where I defended them for the 2010 CPAC). And Gov. Palin seems to share the same thought
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) said Wednesday evening she has no objection to the participation of gay Republicans at this weekend’s gathering of conservatives in Washington.
Palin said she didn’t see anything wrong with the participation of GOProud, a group of gay Republicans, at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which runs Thursday through Saturday.
“I don’t have a problem with different, diverse groups that are involved in political discourse, and having a convention to talk about what the answers are to their problems that face America,” Palin said Wednesday on Fox News when asked about GOProud.
And, while Social Conservatives are certainly entitled to their own opinions, it shouldn’t involve the government, and, to be perfectly honest, if they were true to their classical liberalism roots, they would take a more “live and let live” attitude (yeah, I know, I just pissed a whole lot of people off with that). That’s why this is so disturbing
But other prominent conservatives have said they’re skipping the conference. The conservative Heritage Foundation and other socially conservative groups withdrew due to the inclusion of GOProud. And with those groups out, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) followed suit. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) also declined participation, though it’s unclear if that decision is linked to GOProud.
Look, America was founded on freedom, and classic liberalism is about people being able to do what they want, as long as it doesn’t harm other people. Too many people are too worried about other people’s lives in America today. We aren’t talking about inviting Islamic jihadis or white supremacists, we are talking about people who simply have a different sexual orientation. Why should it matter what they do? Yes, I know, the Bible has passages against homosexuality, but, doesn’t Jesus also teach tolerance and love of your fellow humans?
