Beyond Conservatism: Is CPAC Going Omnisexual Proud?
More Americans now identify with the prolife movement than ever before in polling history, according to Gallup. As well, 31 out of 31 voter-friendly states have rejected “gay marriage” and even Democrats are losing faith in Al Gore’s climate alarmist theology. But as America turns right, the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), an annual political conference for so-called conservatives, is turning left.
How? In another example, of political correctness gone mad, CPAC co-supporter GOProud (a “gay conservative” group) is holding a party, headlined by two-hit wonder pop star, Sophie B. Hawkins, a decision that seems designed to promote controversy.
In her GO Magazine interview, dated July 10, 2008, Hawkins proclaimed, “I love my phrase ‘omnisexual,’” and pontificated about the meaning of love. “The truth about omnisexuality is my sexuality is spiritual. It’s creative. I absolutely can fall in love with any gender if I love the person’s mind, heart and soul.”
The evangelical omnisexual and Hillary Clinton loyalist isn’t one to hold back, to be sure. “I grew up in a family where there wasn’t monogamy. Both parents had affairs and did whatever they wanted,” revealed the progressive Los Angeles Women’s Music Festival-friendly green singer.
Values Clash
Sure. GOProud is a so-called conservative gay political group that proclaims it wants to stay clear of social issues and focus on fiscal conservatism. “But how do you divorce the two?” ask conservatives.
And another question. If an identity-first conservative group thinks all conservatives should stay away from social issues, then shouldn’t they lead by moral example? Or as the National Online Review’s Kathryn Jean Lopez wrote last week, “In the heat of the midterm campaigns, GOProud joined liberals in attacking DeMint over comments he made about religious freedom and education – comments that bore no connection to any kind of legislative initiative.”
It sounds odd indeed. On Monday, GOProud basically says conservatives should shut up when it comes to social issues. On Tuesday, GOProud promotes liberal positions on social issues. The impression: Help Hawkins’ career – trash DeMint’s.
“GOProud presents itself as a victim” too explains Lopez (and Jimmy LaSalvia, its executive director is no exception). “But GOProud has not simply disagreed with the rest of the conservative movement on marriage while highlighting other issues. It has become a go-to group for comments about family and sexuality – a gift to a media seeking to highlight divisions among the Right.”
Victimhood Talents
The prudent student of conservatism should also examine how America’s establishment media is covering GOProud and the related CPAC boycotts, as well as the many ways in which some of GOProud’s supporters are playing the victim card.
Also last week, LaSalvia informed the New York Times, “The reason the boycotters applied a litmus test to us is because we were born gay” against piles of statements, to the contrary.
So welcome to the language of media-approved victimhood and social issues, through the backdoor! In this new victimhood arena, tribal gay groups can make unscientific arguments, without debate, because remember that social conservatives and other independent thinkers are forbidden from raising social questions, and because many adults-first libertarians never did respect religious freedom, my guess.
And are we to deny that academics, like Camille Paglia, a self-identified lesbian, and many others, have described the “born gay” thesis as a “crock”? For the professor states: “P.c. ideology is usually simplistically social constructionist, but when it comes to gayness, biology currently rules the roost. Of course it makes no sense. As I have written in the past, homosexuality is an adaptation, the product of a multitude of social and psychological factors.”
Partying Politics
“This party will highlight the story the main stream [sic] media has missed in the weeks leading up to CPAC, namely that the vast majority of the conservative movement is united and welcomes GOProud and any other conservative into the fold,” reads a statement by Andrew Breitbart of GOProud’s Advisory Council.
It’s also the tribal group’s apparent ambition to showcase a new made-for-television view of “conservatism” where an expected 10,000 CPAC attendees will be portrayed as representative conservatives (read: groovy Meghan McCain Republicans).
More scientific voting patterns though show psychological disconnects between GOProud’s theory and Middle America. Turning again to our helper, sociology, Americans aren’t fond of rewarding tribal groups, bent on promoting fatherless families, rewarding anti-conservative singers or individuals with anti-DeMint agendas.
Why? Because Middle Americans are proud too. Proud of their beliefs, proud of their Founding Fathers, and proud of their conservative voting records. They might not be the fanciest people on earth, but hey they’re not going to throw Jesus under the bus, for a show.
My take: One shouldn’t knock conservatives for wanting to meet with real conservatives. After all, Hawkins can save her omnisexuality for the Los Angeles Women’s Music Festival.
B.P. Terpstra is an Australian writer and blogger. His works can be found on The Daily Caller (Washington D.C.), NewsReal Blog (Los Angeles), Quadrant (Sydney), and On Line Opinion (Brisbane).