What Sheer Idiocy: WND Drops Ann Coulter As Keynote Speaker Over Speech To Gay Republicans

This really tees me off. World Net Daily (WND) has dropped Ann Coulter as the keynote spearker at their "Taking America Back National Conference" because Ms. Coulter accepted an invitation to speak at Homoncon 2010, a conference being held by a conservative organization of homosexuals, GOProud. I blogged Ms. Coulter's acceptance here. And I for one was happy both that GOProud asked her and that she accepted. I would also note that John Hawkins of Right Wing News has endorsed the GOProud convention.

If you visit GOProud's website you will find the following:

GOProud’s Conservative Agenda

The so-called “gay agenda” is defined by the left through a narrow prism of legislative goals. While hate crimes and employment protections may be worthy goals, there are many other important priorities that receive little attention from the gay community. GOProud’s agenda emphasizes conservative and libertarian principles that will improve the daily lives of all Americans, but especially gay and lesbian Americans.

1 – TAX REFORM - Death tax repeal; domestic partner tax equity, and other changes to the tax code that will provide equity for gays and lesbians; cut in the capital gains and corporate tax rates to jump start our economy and create jobs; a fairer, flatter and substantially simpler tax code.

2 – HEALTHCARE REFORM – Free market healthcare reform. Legislation that will allow for the purchase of insurance across state lines – expanding access to domestic partner benefits; emphasizing individual ownership of healthcare insurance – such a shift would prevent discriminatory practices by an employer or the government.

3 – SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM - Bringing basic fairness to the Social Security system through the creation of inheritable personal savings accounts.

4 – DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL REPEAL – Repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.

5 – HOLDING THE LINE ON SPENDING – Standing up for all tax payers against wasteful and unneccessary spending to protect future generations from the mounting federal debt.

6 – FIGHTING GLOBAL EXTREMISTS – Standing strong against radical regimes who seek to criminalize gays and lesbians.

7 – DEFENDING OUR CONSTITUTION – Opposing any anti-gay federal marriage amendment.

8 – ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY ENTREPRENEURSHIP – Package of free market reforms to encourage and support small businesses and entrepreneurship in the gay community.

9 – REVITALIZING OUR COMMUNITIES – A package of urban related reforms; expanding historic tax preservation credits; support for school choice.

10 – DEFENDING OUR COMMUNITY – Protecting 2nd amendment rights

Most of the above is also my agenda, and indeed, the agenda of virtually all conservatives. So what is WND's problem? According to WND's President, they are upset that Coulter would agree to speak before "a group that is fighting for same-sex marriage and open homosexuality in the military . . . [and] the idea that sodomy is just an alternate lifestyle."

I too object to gay marriage on religious grounds, though I think that it is ultimately an issue for states to decide by referendum. Speaking from my experience as a former soldier and the father of soldiers, I also object to changing the don't ask don't tell policy on pragmatic grounds. As to sodomy, I think WND is off the reservation on that issue. That is a question between consenting adults. Neither the government nor, in its arrogance, WND, have any business telling people what they can or cannot do sexually in the privacy of their homes. (This is one of the few issues on which I am agreement with Nancy Pelosi - at least except for the gerbil issue.)

At any rate, as to the disagreements on gay marriage and gays serving openly in the military, a lot of Conservatives share similar concerns. That does not mean that conservatives should reject gays because of their sexual orientation, or that we should do anything other than welcome them with open arms as allies, close friends, and as full equity partners in the Conservative movement. And indeed, it is a mark of the maturity of GOProud members that they have risen above single issue politics.

As an aside, it is also a mark of that maturity that the GOProud members have developed a highly refined sense of humor, as the above poster for Homocon indicates. "Our gays are more macho than their straights" indeed. Heh. Take that, John Edwards.

Single issue grievance politics is the hallmark of the left. They make it work because it is their rasion d'etre. Conservatives can't do that because they will never be able to sustain such a conceit. Intellectual honesty demands that we recognize the host of issues facing our nation and address them all. Within that rubic, the Conservative Tent has ample room indeed to welcome in and give full support GOProud and its members, even if not all conservatives agree with them on the issue of gay marriage and gays serving openly in the military.

The only place you will find such "single issue" intolerance on the right is on the very fringes. And that is where WND finds itself now. For WND to start engaging in retributions based on such single issue politics is both idiotic and outrageous. Conservatives need to let WND now fully and completely the error of their ways.

At any rate, Go GOProud. And go Ms. Coulter. I hope that all of you have a great Homocon 2010. My only regret is that I won't be there to share it with you.