Governonr George Bush, Jr.

Can’t Condone Texas GOP Spokesman Black’s Rhetoric  Log Cabin Says: “Sad that Party Can’t Police Itself, Needs Governor”    Compiled by Badpuppy’s GayToday From Log Cabin Republicans Reports

Governor George W. Bush (R-TX) criticized the Republican Party of Texas Tuesday for its series of attacks on the nation’s best known gay Republican organization.

Responding vigorously, the organization, Log Cabin Republicans, in the wake of this series of attacks, had called upon the Texas Governor to respond also.

Texas’ Republican Party is represented by over 50 elected openly gay delegates and alternates to the state convention in Fort Worth (during the upcoming weekend) who have been denied exhibit space at the convention.

"We urge Governor Bush to speak out against this behavior as soon as possible and unify all Republicans by saying that excluding GOP groups is wrong," said Steve Labinski, president of LCR Texas and a convention delegate at a press conference today at the State Capitol in Austin. 

"We are elected Republican delegates and alternates who support Republican candidates for office. If our members don't count as Republicans, maybe our party officials don't know a real Republican when they see one."

Labinski called on Bush to repudiate the state party's statements, particularly the comparison of Log Cabin with the KKK and to pedophiles, and to call on the state party to permit Log Cabin to rent an exhibit space like every other Republican organization which applied.

"We want to believe that these attacks do not reflect the views of Governor Bush, and we understand how there are pressures on a governor to avoid controversy," said Richard Tafel, a Christian minister and the executive director of the national Log Cabin Republicans in Washington, D.C. 

"But there is a clear moral imperative in this situation, and there comes a time in every political leader's life when they can no longer pander to the lowest common denominator and must do what is right."

Following their early Tuesday pleas, the Log Cabin Republicans were rewarded later in the day by the issuing of a statement by the Texas Governor’s communications aide designed to show that he will forthrightly stand up to Republican macho-grandstanding in Texas. 

"Governor Bush believes all individuals deserve to be treated with dignity and respect," said Karen Hughes, communications director for Bush, in the statement. 

"While he differs with the Log Cabin Republicans on issues such as gay marriage, he does not condone name calling. Governor Bush urges all Republicans to focus on our common goal of electing Republicans based on our conservative philosophy." 

“Name calling is easy enough—too easy-- to disavow,” said a skeptical gay Democratic worker, “Why doesn’t the Governor use the  ‘G’ word or the ‘L’ word and ask why the hell the G’s and L’s can’t get a Republican permit for an exhibit space?  Is he going to kick ass or just poke his head out the back door and say “Children, now all that name-calling just isn’t nice. Naughty Naughty.”

In spite of such commentaries, Log Cabin members were elated, seeing a kind of vindication writ large for Log Cabin efforts in the Texas GOP and nationally 

"Governor Bush should be applauded for criticizing the name-calling by the state Republican Party and distancing himself from these extreme and hateful attacks," said Richard Tafel, executive director of the national Log Cabin Republicans in Washington, D.C. 

"We appreciate his call to unity and we urge the party leaders to apologize in order to put this matter to rest. It's sad that the party couldn't police itself and had to be criticized by the Governor."

"We are eager to work hard all year to elect good Republicans across the state, and Governor Bush has taken an important step forward in helping us do that," said Steve Labinski, president of Log Cabin Republicans of Texas and a state GOP delegate. 

"We hope the party leaders will follow the Governor's advice and reach out to us in the spirit of unity. They should let us rent the exhibit space and welcome us into the convention like all other Republican organizations."

The Human Rights Campaign urged its membership to attend a Log Cabin Republican-sponsored Saturday June 13 rally in downtown Fort Worth. The HRC release said:

WHAT Is It About?: Rally in protest of Texas GOP's refusal to allow Log Cabin Republicans of Texas, representing over fifty openly gay, elected  GOP delegates and alternates, from having an official presence at the state convention in Fort Worth this weekend. The group was denied an application for a booth. 

WHERE: Fort Worth Water Gardens -- 100 East 15th Street, located in downtown Fort Worth 

WHEN: Saturday, June 13th at noon

WHO: Gay Republicans and their supporters. Members of the predominantly gay Metropolitan Community Church of Dallas will be on hand to sing hymns.