"And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift of God?" -- Thomas Jefferson

"And yet the same revolutionary belief for which our forbears fought is still at issue around the globe, the belief that the rights of man come not from generosity of the state but from the hand of God." -- John F. Kennedy

"Because of their belief that power had come from God to each individual, the Framers began the Constitution with the words 'we the people'" -- Newt Gingrich

"There's never been a nation like the United States, ever. It begins with the principles of our founding documents, principles that recognize that our rights come from God, not from our government." -- Marco Rubio


Monday, January 10, 2011

CPAC Continues to Lose Social Conservative Groups

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 10, 2010
www.LC.org


Washington, DC - The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) continues to lose marquee conservative groups because of its inclusion of GOProud as a cosponsor of the annual event. GOProud holds itself out as a conservative organization, but it actively promotes causes that conflict with social conservative positions, such as advocating for same-sex unions, repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, and repeal of the so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.


In 2009, Liberty University was a scheduled cosponsor of CPAC's 2010 event, until GOProud's cosponsorship was announced. Liberty University sent a letter to CPAC signed by 45 organizations which theretofore supported CPAC. The letter urged CPAC to withdraw the cosponsorship of GOProud, stating there is a difference between being a cosponsor of a conservative event and an exhibitor or attendee. A cosponsor should not actively work to undermine the mission of another cosponsor.

When the American Conservative Union, which is the primary organizer of CPAC, refused to withdraw GOProud's cosponsorship, Liberty University withdrew its cosponsorship. This year neither Liberty University nor Liberty Counsel are participating in CPAC. The Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, Heritage Foundation, Media Research Center, and others have also withdrawn from CPAC.


Liberty University's letter sent in 2009 states:

"We do not expect every group to march to the beat of the same drum, nor do we expect consensus on tactics or priorities of each group that bears the conservative banner. However, when conservative groups come together as cosponsors of CPAC, these groups do not expect a cosponsor to actively work to undermine the raison d'etre of another cosponsor... Promoting same-sex marriage, for example, is neither a social nor an economic conservative principle."

Liberty Counsel and Liberty University are directing their focus on other conservative events where all three legs of Reagan's conservative ideals are respected - social, economic, and national defense. These events include The Awakening: Raising our Voices - Equipping and Empowering a New Revolution on April 8-9, 2011, to be held at Liberty University. Last year more than 27,000 people attended either in person or online. Liberty University and Liberty Counsel also cosponsored the Values Voter Summit in 2010 and will do so again in the fall of 2011 and 2012 in Washington, DC.


Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, commented:
"Same-sex marriage is not a conservative ideal. Deconstructing the family into motherless or fatherless unions harms children. It makes no sense for CPAC to have one cosponsor that is actively working to undermine the mission of another cosponsor. We hope that CPAC will soon return to all three legs of the conservative platform. A stool with only one or two legs will not stand for long."
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Personal view:  Gay conservatives should be welcome at CPAC, each as individuals, but when a group whose purpose is to espouse an ideal contrary to conservative values is a co-sponsor, then the original purpose of CPAC is conflicted..obviously.
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