DALLAS — The national Log Cabin Republicans organization this week dissolved its Dallas, Texas chapter after a series of issues and missteps by the Dallas chapter’s president, Robert Schlein.
Christian Berle, Deputy Executive Director of the National Log Cabin Republicans, told LGBTQ Nation on Saturday that “there were a number of times and incidents that the leadership in the Dallas group had endorsed positions that contravened our stated policies.”
The latest hubris that propelled the national organization to take drastic action came after the Dallas chapter’s Schlein appeared on the Michelangelo Signorile radio program last month. During a conversation with Signorile on GOP party platform issues, Schlein steered clear of LGBTQ equality rights, instead discussing GOP platform issues regarding national security, Social Security, and the economy:
“What good are rights if you don’t have a job?” asked Schlein.
Signorile pointed out that LGBTQ people aren’t protected from workplace discrimination and could easily lose any job, Schlein said antidiscrimination laws don’t matter either.
“Texas is a right-to-work state. So as an employer, which I am, I can fire anybody at will,” he claimed.
“You cannot fire somebody for being African-American,” Signorile objected.
“Well, I wouldn’t tell them,” Schlein said.
“You wouldn’t tell them, but you’d do it anyway?” Signorile asked.
“I’d find a reason if I wanted to fire them,” Schlein said, defending discrimination against black people while trying to prove an anti-discrimination law would make no difference to LGBT people.
Schlein’s comments provoked a firestorm of protest over what many perceived as being racist remarks.
Berle told LGBTQ Nation the action taken is simply because the leadership in the Dallas chapter had consistently undermined the credibility, effectiveness and mission of Log Cabin Republicans through their actions.
“The Dallas leadership engaged in a consistent pattern of behavior that forced our Board of Directors to and dissolve the current chapter and start over rechartering a new chapter with fresh leadership,” he said.
The Log Cabin’s national Executive Director R. Clarke Cooper said in a statement released late Wednesday that the previous Dallas chapter has been de-chartered, and the new Dallas chapter will be led by Thomas Purdy as president and a new board.
The Log Cabin Republicans is an organization that works within the Republican Party to advocate for equal rights for gays and lesbians.
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Gays that vote republican are like chickens that vote for Colonel Sanders.
Pffft! Like the LCR has any credibility to start with! They represent a political party whose very platform is officially against gay marriage and LGBT rights. They are nothing but a bunch of self serving, self hating homos.
or cockroaches for Raid
Log Cabin Republicans should disolve nationally due to credibility issues…They are in the same camp as H Cain and about as laughable.
@Scott- You have no idea how much I’d love to use that as a status.
I’ve had gay republicans tell they vote republican cause they fiscally conservative but that’s not really true. They may be against social programs but, they have no problem spending trillions on wars. Hmm I’d rather spend the money.
They had credibility issues??? WTF doesn’t the whole concept of gay republican have credibility issues???
What the hell everybody??
Log Cabin Rebublicans are republicans that support gay rights.
Why so much hate for people who support us?
We have freedom for a reason.
Nearly 40% of gays and lesbians voted Republican because we’ve decided that we will not be part of a group-think mentality that permeates the left. My adopted daughter is being raised to respect all life, even that of the unborn. The Democrat party is intolerant of that core belief. My daughter is being raised to believe that hard work and dedication and commitment to your job can lead to just rewards. She is being taught to not covet our neighbors goods. Clearly the class warfare rhetoric of the left and the Democratic party is not a place for a family with these ideals. My daughter is being raised to spend within her means and to not rely on the government for handouts. Her dads — one of whom is black– work hard to give her a good life. It is almost humorous to see gays and lesbians who can’t or won’t debate the actually issues fall back on a ridiculous and childish argument that those gays and lesbians who vote Republican are self-hating homos. It is pathetic and sad. I am an openly gay man in law enforcement, with a partner and a daughter. My very conservative family loves me and my partner and our daughter unconditionally. We do not need the acceptance of those who posted here and are so full of hate to know our worth. Get off the plantation guys! There is a big world out here.
@ Ginny: Nope. They are republicans who happen to be gay and support their own agenda.
They are no different then many of the Jews who willing manned the Nazi gas chambers, the blacks who gladly sold their fellow black man into slavery, the fundy xian who is devote in church but gives blowjobs in the mens room or the democratic congressmen who accept huge campaign contributions from the self same people they allegedly oppose.
Yeah cute article. But to think that all that are Dems are lazy and look for handouts is ridiculous and you letting us know that your partner is black so you don’t prejudice is malignantly assisnine!
REPUBLICANS hate and hate horrifically!
**My daughter is being raised to believe that hard work and dedication and commitment to your job can lead to just rewards. **
So you’re raising her to believe in the 1950s? ‘Cause that’s the last time that was true. My husband has been a dynamic faithful employee for 12 years. He gets great performance evals, and lots of ‘atta boys. What he’s never gotten is a raise. He did everything right-got good grades, graduated from college, kept his nose clean, and kept it to the grindstone, only to watch the American Dream recede further into the distance.
YOU are the one who needs to get off the plantation you Uncle Tom. It’s so pitiful to watch a dog lick the hand of the man who kicks it.