Although "Weak" on Night Life, S.L. Could WIn Chance to Host
Convention for Gay Republicans

by Dan Harrie
Salt Lake Tribune

    Salt Lake City is one of six cities in the running to play host
to a 1995 convention of more than 200 gay Republicans.
    Utah's capital city begins as "an underdog" in competition to
land the Log Cabin Federation convention said Chris Ryan, president
of the Utah Log Cabin Club.  "But if we get some really good support
from the Convention & Visitors Bureau, I actually think we have a
good chance.
    "I don't know how well we'll compete with New Orleans and Las
Vegas when they have so much gay night life.
...That's one thing we'll probably be weak on."
    In addition to Salt Lake, New Orleans and Las Vegas, Dallas,
Minneapolis and Cincinnati have been nominated as conference sites.
    Utah, with its reputation as a conservative bastion, may seem an
odd place for a gay-activist group's convention.  It also is world
headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
which teaches that homosexual activity is sinful.
    But those realities don't dampen the enthusiasm of Log Cabin
members.
    "We're not afraid of controversy.  Dialogue is the best thing
going for us," said Brian Perry, head of the group's site-selection
committee.
    Controversy, in fact, is one of the reasons that makes places
such as Salt Lake or Cincinnati attractive to the group.
    Cincinnati passed an ordinance, overturned in a court decision
this week, viewed as anti-gay.  Similar to a controversial Colorado
intitiative, it barred ordinances based on sexual orientation and
eliminates discrimination claims based on sexual orientation.
    That backdrop "is a perfect reason for us to go there," Perry
said.  "We don't look at it as seeking trouble.  But if we can go
somewhere and encourage dialogue, explain things in a way they are
not getting explained... those are certainly things we consider."
    Perry said the six cities will be asked to submit full-blown
bids.  The site will be picked by year's end.
    The group claims to be one of the fastest-growing gay activist
organizations in the country, with an estimated 4,000 - 8,000 members
nationally.
    Ryan said the Utah organization has a mailing list of 300, less
than a year after its establishment.  Eleven members were elected as
delegates earlier this year to county and state Republican
conventions.
    Leaders of the ultra-conservative Eagle Forum have declared war
on the group's agenda of legalized homosexual marriages and gays in
the military.
    "We'll fight against these people to the bitter end," Utah Eagle
Forum President Gayle Ruzicka said in an interview last spring.  She
could not be reached Wednesday.
    The Eagle Forum's influence in the Utah Republican Party has
grown in recent years, with the group taking credit for knocking off
state Rep. Nancy Lyon, R-Bountiful, in the June primary election,
despite her endorsement by Republican Gov. Mike Leavitt.
    But the party line continues to be that all Republicans-whatever
their lifestyle-are welcome.
    "We are the big tent party,"Utah GOP director Mark Emerson said.
    "We'd like Salt Lake to get" the Log Cabin convention, he said.
"There's no problem with that."
    The GOP has declined to recognize Log Cabin as a sanctioned
auxiliary of the party.  But Emerson said that is due to their
relatively small numbers.  "It wasn't a bigoted decision."



Utah Log Cabin Club
P.O. Box 3493
Salt Lake City, UT  84110-3493
(801) 461-5086 [24 hours information line]

Membership is available for $20/yr.  All donations accepted.  Make
checks or M.O. payable to Utah Log Cabin Club