Arrest Mr. Kolbe
AFA Action Alert, July 28,
2000
American Family Association
Dr. Donald E. Wildmon, President
Tim Wildmon, Vice President
Buddy Smith, Editor
P.O. Drawer 2440
Tupelo, MS 38803
Phone (662) 844-5036
Fax (662) 842-7789
According to ABCNews.com
July 24 – Rep. Jim Kolbe of Arizona is set to make history next Tuesday when he
will become the first openly gay member of Congress to address a Republican convention.
The Arizona congressman will have a prime-time speaking slot, addressing the GOP on
trade issues for three minutes between 8 and 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Kolbe, first elected in 1984, is the most senior openly gay member of Congress and is
the only openly gay Republican in the House.
Having Kolbe speak at the convention was an idea first raised by Washington city
councilman David Catania in April, when the Log Cabin Republicans, the most prominent gay
GOP organization, met with presidential candidate George W. Bush.
Bush met with the group, a first for a candidate preparing to pick up the GOP
presidential nomination, despite his opposition to many of the its issues, including gay
marriage.
Log Cabin Republicans Pleased
Members of the Log Cabin Republicans are delighted by Kolbe’s place in the
convention lineup , especially considering that he backed Bush’ s rival, Sen. John
McCain, during the primary season.
According to the group, this is the first time a well-known openly gay person has gone
to the podium at the GOP national convention. In 1996, a little-known Log Cabin Republican
member from California, Steve Fong, gave a low-profile, one-minute speech amid little
fanfare.
But some socially conservative Republicans, who are opposed to gay rights and have
warned Bush about reaching out to the gay community, are unhappy with the prospect of
having Kolbe speak.
One leading conservative Republican told ABCNEWS he was "flabbergasted" by
the decision, and called it a "shock."
"It is not going to be a happy time," said the Republican. "I think it
is a really bad decision."
Kolbe is a founding member of the National Advisory Board of the Log Cabin Republicans,
the nation’s most prominent gay GOP group. In 1997, he gave the keynote address at
the Log Cabin Republicans convention. Kolbe was a strong proponent of the North American
Free Trade Agreement.
[End ABC News Story]
Action Needed
AFA’s good friend and ally, Mr. Phil Burress, shared his excellent letter to
Republican National Committee Chairman Jim Nicholson. Here is Mr. Burress’ letter:
Mr. Nicholson,
I am Phil Burress, Chairman of Equal Rights not Special Rights based in Cincinnati,
Ohio. Cincinnati challenged the ideal that homosexuality or sexual orientation is a minor
class or a class of people worthy of special protection under the law. The Sixth Circuit
Court of Appeals unanimously upheld the right of the people of the Cincinnati to prohibit
special rights based on ones sex partner. Therefore, Mr. Kolbe as a self described
homosexual means nothing except to say he engages in sodomy. Did you know that in Arizona,
sodomy is against the law? Mr. Kolbe should be arrested when he returns to his home state
for violating state law. Would you agree that all lawmakers should insist that all laws be
enforced? Respectfully, Phil Burress
What follows is the address for Republican National Committee Chairman Nicholson in
case you wish to contact him about the Kolbe invitation. For your reference, the Arizona
Sodomy Law is Arizona Revised Statue Title 13 Section
1411.
Mr. Jim Nicholson, Chairman
Republican National Committee
Republican National Convention
Phone: (215) 762-9900
Email: kgilbert@republicanconvention.org
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