I don’t normally like to sites like Big Government or its sister site, Big Journalism. They tend to be a bit too bombastic for my tastes.
That said, this post by Bruce Carroll makes a strong point about the whole Ryan Sorba incident last weekend. He goes as far as saying that it was a “tipping point” within conservatism. I don’t know if it has made that big of a difference, but I do think it is an important event. But as Carroll points out, many on the Gay Left tended to do what Andrew Sullivan did, focus on Sorba’s incendiary comments on not on the response of the crowd.
There was a time that I scratched my head about something like this. I used to think that those on the Gay Left truly wanted to see an American Right that rid itself of homophobia. I still think there are a lot of people on the left that do want a homophobic-free Right, but many don’t seem to care and want to focus on the dark side and nothing else.
It reminds me a scene from C.S. Lewis’ last book in the Chronicles of Narnia, the Last Battle. In that book, several people were tossed into a dank stable. At least that’s what the elves thought. For the others that were in the stable, they saw a wonderful meadow. They rejoiced at their surroundings, while the elves remained huddled in what they thought was a stable.
I think there are many that will still see conservatism as a hateful collection of individuals who plot to destroy gays. Of course such people exist, but there are others that are fighting to stand up to hatred with in conservatism. I don’t know if what happened this last weekend made any difference or was a “tipping point.” Nevertheless, it should be celebrated. Whenever people stand up against hatred, it should be welcomed, not ignored.
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I think it was a pretty significant moment because of the venue. This is a pretty extreme bunch of folks. The kind of gay-baiting Sorba engaged in was once standard. For there to be that much hostile response to his rant in that venue suggests major changes in the conservative movement.
Interestingly, it also suggests that CPAC is pulling away pretty decisively from the evangelicals. It has always leaned more libertarian than fundamentalist, but the distinction has never been so clear.
It was a hopeful event.