New Mass. Republican Party Chairman says party will no longer oppose same-sex "marriage", abortion, other "social issues"
In interview in homosexual newspaper, featured on front page
April 8, 2009
Newly elected Republican Party Chairman Jennifer Nassour has wasted no time making it clear where she wants the party to go. Last week, in a front-page interview with the hardcore homosexual newspaper Bay Windows, she told the homosexual community that they didn't need to worry about the Republican party opposing them on "social issues" or "the culture wars."
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Mass. State Republican Party Chairman Jennifer Nassour's picture graces the front page of the homosexual newspaper Bay Windows. They titled her interview "The Thin Red Line." |
As Bay Windows reported to its readers in the article:
[H]er top priority is to reinvigorate the party's grassroots activists. But those looking for Nassour and her colleagues at the state GOP headquarters to rally the base by campaigning for social conservative causes such as opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion will be disappointed. Similarly, there are no plans for the party to take more progressive positions on social issues. Nassour said the state party would steer clear of social issues under her leadership, and would support candidates for office regardless of what side they take in the culture wars.
"To me social issues are personal issues. Those are personal views, and we are not legislating here - at least I am not legislating anyone's personal views," said Nassour. "I have no personal agenda I'm trying to push through other than electing Republicans."
Instead the party will focus on economic issues, which Nassour said are winning issues for the party, given the state of the economy.
Read entire Bay Windows article "The Thin Red Line" here
Well, she's certainly getting her message out.
This is essentially the same thing Nassour told MassResistance at a recent political event. She seems to want to make that very clear. This was the fear of many party activists who opposed her - and supported different candidates, most notably Mike Franco - at the State Committee meeting where she was elected in January. But Nassour was heavily backed by the party establishment and she won by a wide margin.
Harsh reaction by Republican activists
Pro-family Republican activists we've contacted have reacted with outrage and disgust to this "announcement" in Bay Windows.
One former Town Committee member fired an email to Nassour titled "Why I'm an ex-Republican", saying
"Social issues are not just personal. Redefining marriage, restricting religious expression and usurping parental authority by the state in public education are not personal issues. They affect the lives of every citizen."
People are particularly upset that Nassour (and the others quoted in the article including politicians and pro-family leaders) would participate in an interview with a newspaper that is so extremely profane, obscene, and anti-family as Bay Windows. Among other things, Bay Windows is well-known for its vicious anti-Catholic rants, its hideous demonizing of pro-family individuals, it obsessive promotion for all kinds of deviant sexual practices, and its general pornographic content. (Besides Nassour, why are Sen. Robert Hedlund, Sen. Richard Tisei, Rob Willington, and Kris Mineau talking with Bay Windows -- as if it were a legitimate media outlet?)
Seriously flawed Republican strategy
We could see it coming. In January, we couldn't find a single Republican to sponsor the David Parker Parents' Rights Bill, which would essentially cripple the homosexual movement in the schools by giving full parents power not to opt-in. We finally had to get a Democrat, William Greene (D-Billerica) to file the bill!
As in the national party, the RINOs in the party establishment are philosophically disconnected from much of the pro-family rank and file, and since the election of Bill Weld in 1990 that rift has only gotten larger. The establishment's position appears to be (1) fiscal issues will win elections, and (2) the pro-family activists have nowhere else to go, so they will eventually "listen to reason." That approach hasn't worked yet.
Years of drifting leftward
The Republican Party has been drifting leftward since the days of Bill Weld and Paul Cellucci. But this the most extreme it's gotten, and it's the first time that a break from supporting conservative social issues has been publicly stated as policy.
And since Weld and Cellucci took over in 1990, the party has continued to lose seats in the Legislature every election.
Under Mitt Romney, the party strenuously avoided social issues, particularly the homosexual "marriage" issue, even though that was the hottest issue of the day. That led to some absurd situations in the 2004 elections. For example, Romney's people gave huge financial and organizational support to Steven Howitt, a Republican who was running to unseat then-Rep. Philip Travis (D-Rehoboth). Although a Democrat, Travis was a leading pro-life, pro-family rep. Howitt was pro-choice and endorsed by several homosexual PACs. At one point the Republican Howitt even sent out flyers warning people that the Democrat Travis wanted to "take away a woman's right to choose." (Luckily Travis won the election 63% to 37%.)
That same year pro-marriage candidates such as then-Rep. Shirley Gomes (R-Harwich) and Dr. Gilbert Lavoie (running for state senate from Boston) had to appeal to MassResistance for help because the Republicans wouldn't aid them when they needed help. (Gomes, being challenged by a lesbian activist, won re-election 57%-43% after MassResistance did a district-wide mailing. Gil Lavoie unfortunately lost to Sen. Robert Travaglini.)
Have you had enough? Let them know!! SOUND OFF:
Jennifer Nassour, Chairman
jennifer@massgop.com
Massachusetts Republican Party
85 Merrimac St., Suite 400
Boston, MA 02114
info@massgop.com
tel: 617-523-5005
fax: 617-523-6311
Below: Newly elected Mass. Republican Party Chairman Jennifer Nassour gives acceptance speech after being elected at State Committee meeting at Holiday Inn Boxborough, January 27, 2009 as outgoing Chairman Peter Torkildsin looks on. Needless to say, she said nothing about "social issues" during her campaign for that position.
