So, CPAC Had A Gay Rights Panel. How Did That Go?
CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, tonight (shockingly) held a gay rights panel titled “A Rainbow on the Right: Growing the Coalition, Bringing Tolerance Out of the Closet.” The panel’s existence was thanks to the libertarian group, Competitive Enterprise Institute, which sponsored the event after it was confirmed gay Tea Party group GOProud would be banned this year, again.
How did it go?
Among the speakers were Jimmy LaSalvia, GOProud‘s co-founder, who said, “We have tolerated something in out movement for far too long: bigotry against gay people,” according to Alex Seitz-Wald at Salon:
LaSalvia, deploying stronger language than he’s used in the past, said “bigotry has to be called out and condemned.†It’s the “same as racism,†he said. He continued: “If we don’t stand up to it, everyone will think we agree with it.â€
He also said that he thinks homophobia “contributes more to conservatives’ image problem than anything else,†because there are gay people in every community and demographic group and almost every family in the country. Opposition to marriage equality alone, however, is not bigotry, he added.
Slated to appear on the panel, in addition to LaSalvia were Fred Smith of CEI, Liz Mair, Jonah Goldberg, Margaret Hoover, and Jennifer Rubin.
Here’s a Storify story of tweets about tonight’s event and how it went:
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[View the story “So, CPAC Had A Gay Rights Panel… How Did That Go?” on Storify]
So, CPAC Had A Gay Rights Panel… How Did That Go?
CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, is rabidly anti-gay — at least the old guard of CPAC, including its founders, the ACU are. But there’s a rising tide for LGBT people, it seems…
Storified by David Badash· Thu, Mar 14 2013 16:35:58
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Image, top, by Dave Weigel via Twitter
Related:
CPAC Bans Gay Republican Group — But Gets A Gay Rights Panel In Return
CPAC Urged To Hold Panel On Why ‘Homosexual Movement Prone To Violence, Terror, And Treason’
In Policy Flip, Gay GOP Group Now Officially Supports Same-Sex Marriage
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CRIME
Who Is the Highland Park July 4th Mass Shooting Person of Interest? ‘Obsession With Mass Death and Nihilism’
The person police are describing as a “person of interest” in the Highland Park, Illinois Independence Day mass shooting that left six parade watchers dead and 38 injured has been apprehended.
Robert “Bobby” Crimo goes by the name of “Awake the Rapper” on social media. According to The Daily Beast, he is “an amateur rapper who posted disturbing videos on his YouTube channel, including a crude animation depicting a heavily armed shooter being killed by police.”
Crimo, a 22-year-old white man, “is a video-game enthusiast and professional wrestling fan. One photo posted to Twitter showed him wearing a Trump flag like a cape; in another he sported an FBI cap. But the same account also liked a video of President Biden.”
USA Today reports Crimo has been arrested in connection with the mass shooting. There are no reports he has been charged, and it’s too early to determine his political beliefs, if any. NCRM has not verified any of the photos in this report.
An FBI wanted poster published by Fox News says Crimo “has the following tattoos: four tally marks with a line through them on his right cheek, red roses and green leaves on his neck, and cursive script above his left eyebrow.”
The #FBI is assisting with the search for Robert E. Crimo, III, sought for his alleged involvement in the shooting of multiple people at a July 4, 2022, parade in Highland Park, Illinois. He may drive a 2010 Silver Honda Fit with Illinois plates DM80653: https://t.co/8RJLbCgyJQ pic.twitter.com/7t2soP3J3V
— FBI Most Wanted (@FBIMostWanted) July 4, 2022
NBC News senior reporter Ben Collins, who describes his work as covering the “dystopia beat,” writes: “The most important thing to know about Crimo’s online identity is his obsession with mass death and nihilism.”
In an NBC News article, Collins adds Crimo “left a long trail of tributes to mass shootings and public killings on social media platforms, according to numerous profiles that appear to belong to him.”
“Crimo didn’t frequently post about major political figures on his websites, except for two posts about former President Donald Trump,” Collins adds.
A video posted to Crimo’s YouTube page on Jan. 2, 2021, appears to show Crimo among a throng of protesters cheering for Trump’s presidential motorcade outside an airport. Crimo flips the phone’s orientation to reveal his face at the end of the video.
Crimo is also seen draped in a Trump flag in a June 27, 2021, post on Twitter. The post is captioned with only the word “spam.”
Sawyer Hackett, a senior advisor to former HUD Secretary Julián Castro, posted these images that have been flooding social media, allegedly of Crimo.
This is Bobby Crimo, the “person of interest” in the Highland Park shooting, in Trump flags. pic.twitter.com/T7R8y88M9n
— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) July 4, 2022
Investigative journalist Steven Monacelli, who writes about extremism, warns about jumping to conclusions, but adds these photos he says are of Crimo and says he “does appear to have been active in some right wing political events.”
Crimo does appear to have been active in some right wing political events. See this photo to the left, in which he is wearing the same shirt seen in one of his videos at a right wing protest. pic.twitter.com/nnfJR084DI
— steven monacelli (@stevanzetti) July 4, 2022
RIGHT WING EXTREMISM
GOP Nominee for Illinois Governor Offers Prayers Then Quickly Dismisses July 4 Mass Shooting: ‘Let’s Move On’
Darren Bailey, the GOP nominee to become governor of Illinois, quickly dismissed the Independence Day mass shooting in Highland Park that left six people dead and dozens hospitalized.
In a poor-quality Facebook live video Bailey, a far-right Illinois state lawmaker stands with a group of supporters holding campaign signs and says, “20 minutes away from here in Highland Park there was a shooting, there were several people that we know have been shot, that’s all we know, and we’re just going to take a moment and pray for the families [inaudible] pray for the law enforcement and even the organizers of this parade.”
He says canceling the parade after the shooting started was ‘the right thing because people’s safety has got to come first.” He offers no mention of guns or gun control or gun safety measures.
“The shooter is still at large so let’s pray for justice to prevail, and then let’s move on and let’s celebrate the independence of this nation. We know the mission. We have got to get corruption and evil out of our government.”
On Facebook Bailey writes:
Please pray for the families affected by the shooting in Highland Park!
Skokie Parade has been canceled.
Demand law and order!
Invest in mental health!!
Pray for Law Enforcement!!!
Let Freedom Ring!!!
Watch video below or at this link:
Trump-backed GOP candidate for Illinois Governor Darren Bailey releases a video regarding the shooting in Highland Park:
“Now let’s move on and celebrate the independence of this nation. We know the mission. We have got to get corruption and evil out of our government.” pic.twitter.com/5UNJJjPVig
— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) July 4, 2022
BREAKING NEWS
President Biden: ‘Jill and I Are Shocked by the Senseless Gun Violence’ at Highland Park July 4th Mass Shooting
President Joe Biden quickly issued a statement expressing his “shock” over the mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois that has left six people dead and over 30 people hospitalized.
“Jill and I are shocked by the senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community on this Independence Day,” the President says in his statement. “As always, we are grateful for the first responders and law enforcement on the scene. I have spoken to Governor Pritzker and Mayor Rotering, and have offered the full support of the Federal government to their communities.”
“I also surged Federal law enforcement to assist in the urgent search for the shooter, who remains at large at this time. Members of the community should follow guidance from leadership on the ground, and I will monitor closely as we learn more about those whose lives have been lost and pray for those who are in the hospital with grievous injuries.”
President Biden notes that he “recently signed the first major bipartisan gun reform legislation in almost thirty years into law, which includes actions that will save lives. But there is much more work to do, and I’m not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence.”
The President and the First Lady are expected to speak around 5 PM Monday to deliver Independence Day remarks during their barbecue at the White House with veterans.
News reports state the shooter, who has not been apprehended, is believed to be a white man, 18-20 years old, armed with a high-powered rifle.
Many on social media are criticizing the NRA, which posted a tweet tying guns to Independence Day barely hours before the mass shooting began. It reads: “The only reason you’re celebrating Independence Day is because citizens were armed.”
There were many police officers at the Highland Park parade, yet the shooter was able to inflict great loss of life, a massive number of wounded victims, and massive terror. Nearby towns canceled their Fourth of July celebrations in response.
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Mass Shooting at Fourth of July Parade Leaves Six Dead, Possibly Two Dozen Wounded – Shooter at Large: Reports
GOP Nominee for Illinois Governor Offers Prayers Then Quickly Dismisses July 4 Mass Shooting: ‘Let’s Move On’
Who Is the Highland Park July 4th Mass Shooting Person of Interest? ‘Obsession With Mass Death and Nihilism’
GOP Nominee for Illinois Governor Offers Prayers Then Quickly Dismisses July 4 Mass Shooting: ‘Let’s Move On’
President Biden: ‘Jill and I Are Shocked by the Senseless Gun Violence’ at Highland Park July 4th Mass Shooting
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News23 hours ago‘Impeach Justice Clarence Thomas’: More Than One Million Signatures as Petition Goes Viral
News3 days agoTrump Hinted Jan. 6 Would Be His ‘Last-Ditch’ Attempt to Overturn the Election Results: Filmmaker Alex Holder
News20 hours agoTrump Celebrates Fourth of July by Attacking His Enemies as Biden Hails the American ‘Idea’ of ‘Hope’
News2 days agoMississippi Gov. Tate Reeves Dismisses ‘Real Small, Minor Number’ of Rapes Requiring Abortions
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RIGHT WING EXTREMISM14 hours agoGOP Nominee for Illinois Governor Offers Prayers Then Quickly Dismisses July 4 Mass Shooting: ‘Let’s Move On’
CRIME10 hours agoWho Is the Highland Park July 4th Mass Shooting Person of Interest? ‘Obsession With Mass Death and Nihilism’
