Utah GOP group disinvites Glenn Reynolds from speech because of Reynolds' support for gay rights; Updated

To add insult to injury, Reynolds (aka Instapundit aka “The Blogfather“) had agreed to give the speech free of charge:

https://twitter.com/instapundit/status/288037447282077696

Moreover, Reynolds’ speech was about Internet activism, not gay rights.

https://twitter.com/instapundit/status/288040691672694784

Does the Republican Party really want to tell libertarians they are unwelcome in the party, that their views on social issues are so repulsive they cannot be permitted to speak on any subject at Republican-sanctioned events?

Not only is this bad politics on the part of whoever invited Reynolds (a “small tent” policy?), it’s also just plain bad manners.

@utahgop Chrmn Wright – this is what's wrong w/ #GOP now! MT @instapundit Just disinvited … support for gay rights "too controversial."

— Deplorable Dreg Bobanero (@askerlro) January 6, 2013

@instapundit @rogerlsimon @PaulZummo @cajunkate @UtahGOP No good deed goes unpunished. 😉

— Ed Morrissey (@EdMorrissey) January 6, 2013

#FAIL RT @instapundit: Just disinvited from speaking by @UtahGOP because my support for gay rights makes me "too controversial." Er, okay.

— Mile High Brendan (@MileHighBrendan) January 6, 2013

@instapundit @utahgop What in the hell? Sounds like something the DNC would do. They are generally afraid of ideas.

— Hell Tuve (@MillwallFCEO) January 6, 2013

@instapundit That kind of shit wears me out & makes my party look bad. FYI not all conservatives are anti-gay. I'm sure as hell not!

— Rebecca Iken (@marebiken) January 6, 2013

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@instapundit @UtahGOP And that is why we keep losing elections. We are dumb.

— Bradley Hope (@Brad_Hope) January 6, 2013

https://twitter.com/ToddKincannon/status/288058342985850881

It’s still unclear who exactly was responsible for this fiasco. State Party Chair Thomas Wright wasn’t aware of the incident until tweeters brought it to his attention earlier today.

@J_Kane @instapundit @utahgop disinvited from what event? As Chairman if the UTGOP I know nothing about this. Please advise.

— Thomas Wright (@th_wright) January 6, 2013

After he learned of the disinvitation, Wright expressed interest in bringing Reynolds to the state:

@J_Kane @instapundit I'd be happy to explore that.

— Thomas Wright (@th_wright) January 6, 2013

Smart move.

* * *

Update: It was the Utah County Republican Party that disinvited Reynolds.

https://twitter.com/instapundit/status/288105152513204224