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By Karoun Demirjian (contact) 
Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012 | 5:24 p.m.
TAMPA, Fla. — The Republican Party has had a long-running identity crisis about their relationship with the gay community. It played out in especially awkward fashion at Nevada’s delegation breakfast Tuesday morning.
In her morning announcements, Nevada RNC committeewoman Heidi Smith announced she had free tickets to HomoCon, the convention party thrown for Republican gays and lesbians, and asked who in the crowded breakfast ballroom wanted them.
You could have heard a pin drop.
“Any one?” Smith asked, looking around the room, as she gave more details about the affair – Tuesday night, until 2 a.m., free, fun?
Still crickets.
Finally someone spoke up.
“I’ll take ‘em,” called out Carl Bunce from the back of the room, getting up and making a broad stride up to the podium to grab a ticket. “Those guys know how to party.”
Vice-chair James Smack then also got up to ask for and claim a ticket.
But though the ice was broken, and though Smith had more tickets to offer, the requests stopped there.
One can’t assume that the lack of interest is a direct indicator of the Nevada delegation’s feelings about the gay community or their signature political issues, such as marriage rights. For instance, Cynthia Kennedy, a Nevada delegate who didn’t volunteer to party at HomoCon, make a point of speaking up in last week’s platform committee meetings in support of gay rights.
No word yet whether Smith has plans herself to take what passes she had left and party the night away.
Maybe they were afraid of running into people they know?
It' hard for those poor Republicans to break away from fear, and guilt by association.
Facts don't count. Republicans are to be pitied for lack of fortitude.
They don't want to party at a fetish bar with Sippy Cupp, Grover Norquist and Dana "gays want to marry therefore they hate Christ" Loesch?
Yes, the party of banning gay couples from adopting and amending the Constitution to discriminate against those who are different now demand the GLBT community celebrate their political heroes?
Too bad Sippy, Grover and Dana won't call out and be strong leaders against the discrimination their own party supports. THAT would be worthy of a party.
HomoCon, really? If a straight person labeled it they would be called a homophobe. I bet there will be a lot of tickets available for the same event next week in Charlotte. I hear the Ron Paul morons took the rest of the tickets.
"Maybe they were afraid of running into people they know?"
----------------------
Oh indeed...
:-)
Another example of media bias from the Sun reporters. There was alot of substance in the RNC. To bad our Sun reporters don't know how to find it. How ridiculous an article. No bias here either.
I look forward to a followup on the Party itself. Yes, that party usually always gets high marks. (I have inside information from two people on the floor of the welcoming party. They said their gaydar never stopped flashing. Do you know, Republicans, there are gays among you that are more conservative than you? Yes, and guess what, they were not born to gay parents, many call you "mom and dad". Thanks Carl, maybe next time Ron will have the "gay support" from Nevada.
That would put them right smack in 1972 on parity with Democratic party parity. It's as if the Republicans are an entire half century behind the rest of America. Sounds about right. To be sure, I'd have to ask all the Nevada LGBT DELEGATES to the Democratic Convention.
Ms. Demirjian,
Honestly, would anyone embrace a party that entitles itself HomoCon? Really?
Regardless of one's feelings about homosexuality, why would any mature person legitimize HomoCon? HomoCon? Perhaps if the LGBT folks would get out of everyone's face with their sexuality and take a more low-key approach, they could effect the change they profess to want.
I trust most are aware that there are more important issues than with whom consenting adults chose to love and have sex.
I can think of hundreds that rise above this.
Regards,
Purgatory
Well written Purgatory!
There are more Gays and Lesbians at any random Republican gathering than there will ever be at HomoCon.