Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2000 09:57:48 -0400
From: Kevin Ivers <kivers@lcr.org>
Subject: LCR CALIFORNIA PRESIDENT WRITES TO GOV. BUSH

LETTER FROM DAVID HANSON, President, Log Cabin California

April 5, 2000

Dear Governor Bush:

I want to thank you for your recent invitation that I received from Scott
Sadler, your California Coordinator, to join a meeting of gay Republicans in
Austin on April 12th and 13th.  I'm writing you today to respectfully decline
that invitation.  Please allow me to explain my decision.

First, Log Cabin Republicans is a national organization made up of state and
local chapters.  As the president of the Log Cabin California, I represent
the largest state organization.  However, I do not serve as a national
spokesman, nor do I serve on the national board.  I think it is only
appropriate that in a presidential campaign, which is national in scope, that
you would meet with our national leadership first.

I think it is inappropriate to meet with self-designated gay Republican
leaders when the Log Cabin Republicans already exists with a proud history of
work in our Party.  There are few Republicans who take the "slings and
arrows" for simply being Republican, and none more so than the leadership of
Log Cabin Republicans nationally.  The least the nominee of our Party for
president could do is to respect our organization and our chosen leaders by
having a cordial meeting to share perspectives. Our leaders have been on the
record for over a year stating that they welcome such a meeting.  Simply put,
it is inappropriate for your campaign to choose our national leaders.

I also hold a concern that this meeting is an effort to end the media story
concerning Log Cabin Republicans, but not to deal forthrightly with issues of
concern to our organization's membership.  It troubles me that in your six
years in office, you've never personally sat down and met with the LCR Texas
leadership.  We appreciated your comments at the Ft. Worth convention in
1998, but that cannot be a substitute for a serious policy discussion with
Log Cabin.

As you may know, I was a McCain delegate in California.  I'm frankly troubled
that the reason you gave on the Today Show for not meeting with our national
leaders was their support for John McCain.  I can tell you that though I was
a long-time McCain supporter that I joined with our national leaders in
keeping our local clubs from endorsing him here in California.  The reason,
simply put, was he had not yet earned such an endorsement.  However, now is
the time for you to pull our Party together, and by criticizing our national
leaders as McCain supporters you deepen the fractures that need to be mended.

Governor Bush, I'm a life-long Republican.  I'm a retired pharmacist and a
veteran. I believe in the principles of the GOP, and I've taken a leadership
position in Log Cabin to return our Party to the principles of individual
rights and responsibility.  I believe Log Cabin could be an asset to your
campaign for president, but media driven meetings and personal attacks on our
national leadership make that less possible.

I write today because I believe for us to win in November we must be united,
and I mean truly united.  I hope you'll reconsider your current meeting
strategy and set up a meeting with our national leaders.  I'd be honored to
be a part of such a meeting,

With great respect,
David Hanson
President, Log Cabin California
-- 
Log Cabin Republicans              	Kevin Ivers
(202) 347-5306 phone                	Director of Public Affairs
(202) 347-5224 fax                  	http://www.lcr.org