Rep. Paul Ryan may have dreamy Robert Redford eyes, but the GOP budget wizard—and potential Romney running mate—has a soul as black as tar.
Okay, maybe that’s overstating it. But he’s taken pretty much every anti-gay stance an elected official can: Ryan voted to constitutionally define marriage as between one man and one woman, and for an amendment banning same-sex nuptials. He also voted for banning gay and lesbians from adopting in the District of Columbia and against prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation.
He got a zero score from the HRC!
You’d think with that kind of record Ryan’d give activist gays a wide berth. But at the end of the month, he’s packing his bags and heading to frisky San Francisco—a.k.a. homo central—to pass the hate er, hat at a breakfast fundraiser. For $2,500 you can breath in the Congressman’s essence and for $5,000 you can even sit at his table.
Where is this nosh taking place? At Gap headquarters on Folsom Street! Prosperity Action PAC, Ryan’s little cash cow, is hosting the event at the retail giant’s “view room” on May 24 at 8am. (Too early for our tired asses.)
We’re disappointed to think that the company we’ve always relied on for sensible basics is tied in some way to a major gay hater and the architect of the GOP’s slash-and-burn budget. It’s enough to make us want to shop at Zara.
Kristin Hueter, who is organizing the fundraiser, told Queerty that Gap Inc. is just renting out the room and isn’t involved in sponsoring the event. “Not at all, no. I mean, we’re paying for the space like anyone else,” she said.
We’re still not happy, but we guess this means we can continue stocking up on skinny-fit jeans. Or does it? Tell us in the comments section!
Photos: Gage Skidmore, Gap Inc.
Clockwork
I think you should do some research on the companies that donate to Republicans.
You may find yourself boycotting much of what you buy everyday.
By the way “blue-eyed Republican Monster”; A little reverse eugenics thrown in there?
dewin
So easy to boycott GAP then-
Daez
GAP using the same labor force to make their products as Wal-Mart. They have had people die while making their product. They exploit labor in export processing zones then charge outrageous prices. They most likely mark up their product 500% from what it actually costs them to make it.
Forget the fact that they are hosting this bigot. I don’t care if the bigot is renting the space or not, GAP decides who it can rent to. Although, a company that has no qualms exploiting third world labor to get rich and still charges the prices that The Gap does probably doesn’t have any morals anyways.
(For documentation of these claims you can read No Logo by Naomi Klein!)
Charley
Sent aN email through gap.com protesting this.
Pushbutton
Seriously, Queerty? Paul Ryan is a “monster”? Jesus, you people are so eager to hear your own hate that you report something as innocuous as this as a news story.
Newsflash: Obama has fundraisers for $35,000 per plate so that commoners like us can “breathe in his essence” but not benefit from his policies, since he’s, you know, still EVOLVING.
What a bunch of tools you guys are. Luckily, Obama isn’t the rock star he once was, and voter turnout for him this fall will be tepid, at best. That’s right: This time next year, Scott Walker will still be WI governor and Mitt Romney will be occupying the White House.
Party Animal
@Charley: The Gap is a capitalistic corporation. Their goal is to make money, not to pander to special interest groups. They will happily listen to your objection, then privately mumble that you can take a hike. They know that for everyone who thinks a public figure is evil, someone else thinks that person is good, and they won’t want to get in the middle of any such squabbles. So go ahead and protest—just don’t get all weepy when you read that your militant voice didn’t get Ryan drummed out of S.F. He will be there, like it or not.
Mark
Agree with Pushbutton.
Daez
@Pushbutton: Yes, the extension of partner’s rights for federal employees, the overturn of DADT and refusing to defend DOMA in federal courts were nothing.
Mitt Romney will do a much better job in the White House…at garnering support for opening gay “liberation” camps. If you don’t realize that Mitt and his fellow Republicans that vote “No!” on every issue that involves gay rights are not a step down from Obama (rather he is still evolving or not) then you obviously lack the intelligence to exercise your political freedoms.
rozz01
Voted YES on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman. (Jul 2006)
Voted YES on making the PATRIOT Act permanent. (Dec 2005)
Voted YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage. (Sep 2004)
Voted YES on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance. (Sep 2004)
Voted YES on banning gay adoptions in DC. (Jul 1999)
Supports anti-flag desecration amendment. (Mar 2001)
Rated 13% by the ACLU, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)
Rated 0% by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance. (Dec 2006)
Rated 36% by NAACP, indicating a mixed record on affirmative-action. (Dec 2006)
voting record shows it all
Pushbutton
@Daez: Hmmm, you seem to be under the impression that Obama overturned DADT. He did not. The U.S. Congress did. Obama just signed it. Do you think he would have kept the liberal/libertarian vote if he had not? He did it for political gain. The same way he keeps us ‘moes at arm’s length to appease the black community. He’s a great speaker, granted, but he’s nowhere near the politician that Bill Clinton was. (note: I never said I was a fan of Romney’s, I just stated that Americans will likely fire Obama come November.)
tjr101
@Pushbutton: You gay cons are so dreamy and yet deluded. The only reason DADT was a topic of discussion was because Obama campaigned on it and pushed for its repeal, would that have happened if a Repug was in the WH? Oh, and the congress you mentioned that passed it, was a majority Democratic congress led by Nancy Pelosi, forgot that huh?
The vacuous flip flopper you hope will win in November opposed it and still does. The most unlikeable nominee in history donates money to NOM and other homophobic organizations. But ofcourse you gay cons will believe whatever your bigot masters in the GOP farts into you’re faces.
Clueless
I think the last sentence of this article is indicative of the lackadaisical attitude of so many Queerty commenters who love to fire off long commentaries about how terrible it all is but who wouldn’t put in the effort to look up a homophobic organization’s spokesperson’s phone number or write an email to a school that fired a teenager for wearing a shirt supporting queer rights.
Daez
@Pushbutton: I’m very aware of the process that overturned DADT. Do you think for a moment that they would have had the traction that they did with GW Bush in the White House, and if memory serves me correctly OBAMA signed the legislation to overturn DADT. I am not sure you know how things work in the national government, since you want to give no credit to the president what-so-ever, but you need a 2/3 majority to overturn a veto. If Obama had vetoed it, there is no way in hell it would have passed. Bush would have vetoed. Romney has already campaigned on the promise to overturn it, and you can bet your sweet ass he would have vetoed it too.
So, yes, while congress passed the actual legislation, if Romney would have been in the White House instead of Obama (or McCain for that matter) there is no way in hell the legislation would have passed, so this victory rests squarely in the hands of one man…Obama.
@Pushbutton: By Bill Clinton, you wouldn’t be referring to the sell out that signed DOMA and DADT just so he could keep getting head in the Oval Office would you? Bad example!
Joe
Yes pushbutton he is a monster you fool!
Pushbutton
@tjr101:
@Daez:
@Joe:
You guys need to understand that it’s not all about YOU. It’s not all about whether or not you can get married. That’s not what congress was elected to do. They’re there so they can address the needs of all Americans—but, maybe I’m wrong, but you you guys seem so selfish and self-centered that the only thing on your radar is gay marriage. You make your friends and your enemies based on their opinion of whether or not you should be able to marry, and that’s just sad. There’s more to the world than your marrying rights, but one would never know it by reading this site.
Hyhybt
The mindset that says you should refuse to rent space according to the potential tenant’s politics is too close to the mindset that says you should do the same for their being gay.
Hyhybt
@Pushbutton: Gay marriage would benefit many Americans while harming none. So it would certainly be a worthwhile thing for Congress to work towards… but more than that: THIS IS CLEARLY MARKED AS A GAY SITE. That doesn’t mean that either those in charge of the site or its visitors don’t care about anything else. It *does* mean that that angle will normally be the primary point of discussion.
J Stratford
@Pushbutton:
If people say that you can not get married because their private faith says so, then they are not friends. Maybe you can eventually become friends, but dont fool yourself, they are not your friends. Unless you are a masochist who befriends people who think you are trash, that is.
Rob
My thoughts on GAP “just renting the space and not sponsoring the event” – bullshit.
By taking the PAC’s money, GAP is consenting to the event and the content contained therein. If GAP really wanted to remain impartial it would have told Congressman Ryan to keep walking.
It is sad, however, that so many of our favorite and most treasured brands have at their core powerful people with very conservative views and very often an allegiance to the Republican mindset.
Bullshit
This is major bullshit. The family that owns the Gap is a major player in Republican politics. They don’t just rent it out to anyone. I am willing to be that the Fishers that own the Gap will be attending. How about the (Canadian) Gap CEO???
Chuck
Paul Ryan is one of the most loathsome creatures out there. Ryan took Social Security survivors benefits as a minor even though he had a mother and family, and used the funds to pay for his own college. Now he wants to deny Medicare and Social Security to everybody else who isn’t him. He got his, so screw you. I also can’t help but throw up a little in my mouth everytime someone calls Ryan “brave” for growing up white, straight, and male in the United States, ie. the most privileged group that has ever existed in mankind and now calling for…wait for it…more tax cuts for the rich. Maybe bravery means the opposite to Republicans than it does to the rest of the world.
Joe
Pushbutton, This isn’t just about gay marriage. He doesnt want any rights for gay people. Am I just suppose to forget I’m gay or something? Act like all anti gay stuff the republicans do wont harm gay people? Gay peoples rights are to be sacrificed to keep people like Ryan happy?
Mikel D McGrew
Gap could have – should have – refused to rent the room to this bigot. No more Gap shopping for this queen!
Rooney
@Pushbutton: Jeez, it surely pushed your buttons that against your expectations this is not a site where a good Christian like yourself can rent a rentboy’s dick for a few hours of abomination play, which is okay since you intend to repent them before you repeat them. Rentboy.com is that way, get the hell out.
Rooney
Boycotting the GAP anyway, just in case. Their jeans might turn my ass bigot.
Pushbutton
@Chuck: So, you’re implying that what we did as minors should be part of our political record? Fine. You’ve just confirmed that Barack Obama willfully and with malice ate dogs in Indonesia (and so what if he was a kid?).
@Rooney: Just to point out how utterly self-righteous you are in your opinions, I am not religious, not in the slightest, and I live with another man, so “rent boys” are not my thing. If you’re looking to insult me, you’ll have to be a little more creative in your name-calling than “Christian” and “rent boys.”
Erik
@Pushbutton: Yes, Obama “just signed” the DADT repeal, which is more than any Republican would have done. Also, Democrats provided 94% of the votes for the repeal in the House and 88% of the votes in the Senate.
The numbers don’t lie. They tell the story.
The Democrats are our allies. The Republicans are not. It’s that simple.
PTBoat
You all are just feeding a troll.