Imagine if Rob Power, Outright Libertarians' popular chair, had been put in place as the LNC's communications director.
Imagine if, in every press release on behalf of the LNC, he referred to Ron Paul supporters as "Paultards."
And imagine if, after being contacted and asked to stop -- by a large number of paying members -- he refused.
Pretty amazing, huh?
What if I told you that a similar situation happened at the LNC for most of last year and into this year?
Former communications director (and Bob Barr recruiter/supporter) Stephen Gordon did the equivalent to Outright Libertarians for most of last year.
Last year, we had two very simple requests of the LNC -- a press release on Freedom To Marry Week slamming government marriage licensing, and the use of the word "LGBT" in place of "homosexual" (which has a pejorative connotation to many LGBT people).
Gordon refused both requests, and actively fought the simple language request. And then-LNC executive director Shane Cory refused to put out the press release unless Outright used its own lobbying e-mail base to lobby its own party. That's when I began to suspect something was wrong at the Watergate. (Cory ended up releasing the press release after Outright members clogged his inbox).
Fast forward to today. Mr. Gordon, after facilitating the Barr campaign, has written a number of pieces complaining about how unlibertarian the GOP is (well duh!). His blog has one of its most prominent links pointing to The Next Right, a far-right-wing blog that explains why gay marriage is bad (well that explains the "homosexual" row), and how to build up the GOP for young evangelicals.
Now one would think that someone with such obvious far-right GOP leanings would be encouraged to pursue them full-time, or at least take a break from LP activism for a while.
You'd be right, in a sane and vital organization. But in the death-spiralling LNC, Mr. Gordon is now sitting on the committee establishing your party's next platform.
Imagine if, in every press release on behalf of the LNC, he referred to Ron Paul supporters as "Paultards."
And imagine if, after being contacted and asked to stop -- by a large number of paying members -- he refused.
Pretty amazing, huh?
What if I told you that a similar situation happened at the LNC for most of last year and into this year?
Former communications director (and Bob Barr recruiter/supporter) Stephen Gordon did the equivalent to Outright Libertarians for most of last year.
Last year, we had two very simple requests of the LNC -- a press release on Freedom To Marry Week slamming government marriage licensing, and the use of the word "LGBT" in place of "homosexual" (which has a pejorative connotation to many LGBT people).
Gordon refused both requests, and actively fought the simple language request. And then-LNC executive director Shane Cory refused to put out the press release unless Outright used its own lobbying e-mail base to lobby its own party. That's when I began to suspect something was wrong at the Watergate. (Cory ended up releasing the press release after Outright members clogged his inbox).
Fast forward to today. Mr. Gordon, after facilitating the Barr campaign, has written a number of pieces complaining about how unlibertarian the GOP is (well duh!). His blog has one of its most prominent links pointing to The Next Right, a far-right-wing blog that explains why gay marriage is bad (well that explains the "homosexual" row), and how to build up the GOP for young evangelicals.
Now one would think that someone with such obvious far-right GOP leanings would be encouraged to pursue them full-time, or at least take a break from LP activism for a while.
You'd be right, in a sane and vital organization. But in the death-spiralling LNC, Mr. Gordon is now sitting on the committee establishing your party's next platform.
Comments
I always thought LGBT people had a natural home in the LP (as opposed to the Democrats). I'm glad to see them pushing for deregulating marriage as opposed to inclusion in the current regime of legal privilege.
Just so you know, Mr. Gordon is on the wrong side of this one. Every libertarian I know is tolerant of all lifestyles and sexual orientations. And we are not Republicans Lite!
Thanks for sticking up for your due respect, it makes us all stronger.
http://www.mikevine.com/
Most of us push for a transitional approach that opens up the marriage licensing scheme, since it's interwoven into the legal system to such a massive degree.
Every one of us also speaks against the concept of a marriage license and questions why the government needs to be in the role of licensing personal relationships.
Our position is identical to the plank on marriage and family that the convention-goers reinserted into the platform after most of the gay-rights language was deleted and replaced by Republican Lite garbage.