A gay Democratic political group in Florida is threatening a boycott of members of a business group if they don’t rescind an invitation to Rep. Allen West to speak to the group. The Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus has told the Wilton Manors Business Association that it must un-invite West, or it will begin a boycott of their local business organization and call for its leader’s resignation.
Michael Rajner, legislative director of the Florida gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender group, which is affiliated with the National Stonewall Democrats, one week ago issued a statement, after West’s congressional email outburst, that his group “vehemently denounces Tea Party extremist Allen West.”
Rajner, who says the Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus has “[a]pproximately 13 chapters throughout the state of Florida,” today told The New Civil Rights Movement, “Several businesses have already dropped out of the Wilton Manors Business Association and several others have sent a strong message to the association’s president objecting to West’s appearance,” adding, “Whether or not a boycott will actually happen remains to be seen.”
“It was important for us to bring attention for the LGBT community to support businesses that help advance equality and social justice for all people,” Rajner added. “Wilton Manors is well known for businesses that support many of the LGBT-communities efforts and often donate to worthy causes.”
According to a report in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Rep. West sent the Wilton Manors Business Association a letter stating, “I am concerned about individuals or organizations that would call upon a boycott and try to hurt hard-working small business owners only because an association wants to be better informed on business related issues that are taking place in Washington, D.C.”
The letter also states that Rep. West was not very pleased the business association changed the format from a closed meeting to a meeting open to the public. Evidently, it has been changed back to a closed meeting.
“The August 8 meeting is closed to the public which prevents struggling community members from participating, some whom have been fired because of the lack of anti-discrimination laws in the workplace,” Rajner said. “We already know how West feels about gays and lesbians in the military. Paraphrasing his words, an individual can change their ‘sexual preference.’ West clearly doesn’t understand the issue of sexual orientation and is most likely someone who falls right in line with the Bachman’s and reparative therapy.”
“West wants to talk about businesses but doesn’t want to talk about the workers,” Rajner added.
But Rajner is undeterred. “West and the president of the association have their own Tea Party agenda that leaves social justice at the back door. The fact that the president of the association will not even permit that kind of dialogue is concerning.”
The boycott threat has gotten the local area talking. City Commissioner Julie Carson says Congressman Allen West is welcome in Wilton Manors, but residents in her city “know that Allen West’s anti-gay, misogynist, and disreputable rhetoric have no place in proper civil or political discourse.”
Earlier this month, just one day before the Allen West – Debbie Wasserman Schultz feud, West wrote on the tea Party blog, Red State, “when I see anyone with an Obama 2012 bumper sticker, I recognize them as a threat to the gene pool.â€
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For more Allen West lunacy, read:
Rep. Allen West Sees Obama Supporters As “A Threat To The Gene Poolâ€
Allen West: “Gay Marriage Is An Oxymoron,†Will Destroy Society
Allen West: Gays Can Change But “Unless I’m Michael Jackson, I Can’t Change My Colorâ€
Allen West: “China Is In Control Of The Panama Canal,†One Of Many Falsehoods
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