April 16, 2015 03:50 PM UTC

Call For Politicians To Boycott Western Conservative Summit

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• by: ProgressNow Colorado

As controversy erupted over the decision by organizers of the Western Conservative Summit to exclude the Colorado Log Cabin Republicans from this year’s conference, ProgressNow Colorado, the state’s largest online progressive advocacy organization, called on prospective attendees to cancel their plans to attend.

“At a time in our history when discrimination against gays and lesbians is finally being repudiated, the decision by the Western Conservative Summit to exclude the Log Cabin Republicans is simply unacceptable,” said ProgressNow Colorado executive director Amy Runyon-Harms. “Even many Republicans are shocked by this decision and dismayed by what it means for the party’s future viability. When will the right wing finally understand that bigotry no longer has any place in American society?”

A press release from the Colorado Log Cabin Republicans Wednesday announced that the organizer of the Western Conservative Summit, former Colorado Sen. John Andrews, had “disinvited” the Log Cabin Republicans. Questioned by reporters about this decision, Andrews claimed that the Log Cabin Republicans “exists to redefine the family” and “advocate contrary to our agenda and our core beliefs.” [1]

“If Republican presidential candidates want to be identified as supporters of discrimination just as the 2016 elections are getting underway, the Western Conservative Summit is the perfect venue,” said Runyon-Harms. “If Republicans truly want to succeed in 2016, it’s time to set aside the religious right’s agenda of intolerance and show the voters they can stand up to the bigots in their party. The best way to do that today is to boycott the Western Conservative Summit, where organizers have made it clear they are not ready to give up their prejudice.”

“Colorado Republicans from Congressman Mike Coffman to Colorado Sen. Laura Woods have all claimed they oppose discrimination against anyone,” said Runyon-Harms. “It’s time for them to walk their talk by boycotting the Western Conservative Summit. Unless the Western Conservative Summit reverses course and allows the Log Cabin Republicans to participate, anyone who attends is legitimizing intolerance–and will pay the price in the next election.”

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