Log Cabin Republicans
The Log Cabin Republicans is a group that supports the Republican Party and advocates for gay and lesbian rights. The group began in California in 1977 and defeated the Briggs Initiative (a proposed statewide ballot initiative by State Senator John Briggs to prevent gay and lesbian people from teaching in public schools).
“Log cabin” refers to the legendary first home of Abraham Lincoln. A “Log Cabin Republican Club” was formed iin several states by 1889. An April 15, 1981 story in the Los Angeles (CA) Times mentions “the predominantly gay Log Cabin Republican Club.” The name “Log Cabin Republicans” has been trademarked with a first use date of 1993, and is defined: “association services, namely, promoting the interests of the gay and lesbian community through education; political action committee services, namely, promoting the interests of the gay and lesbian community through political advocacy.”
Lincoln Log Cabin - State Historic Site
Welcome to 1845 Rural Illinois
Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site preserves the site of the 1840s farm of Thomas and Sarah Bush Lincoln, father and stepmother of our 16th president. Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer living in Springfield by the time his parents moved here in 1837, but he did visit them periodically.
Today, Lincoln Log Cabin is an 86-acre historic site that is owned and operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, Division of Historic Sites. The site includes an accurate reproduction of the Lincolns’ two-room cabin that was constructed on the original cabin site in 1935 as a CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) project. A working living history farm has been developed around the cabin, and a second farmstead, the Stephen Sargent Farm, has been moved to the site to help broaden visitors’ understanding of 1840s rural life in Illinois. One mile north is the Moore Home State Historic Site, a reconstructed frame home where Abraham Lincoln bid his stepmother farewell in January of 1861 before leaving to assume the Presidency.
Wikipedia: Log Cabin Republicans
The Log Cabin Republicans (LCR) is a federated gay and lesbian political organization in the United States with state chapters and a national office in Washington, D.C. The group’s constituency supports the Republican Party and advocates for LGBT rights.
On December 18, 2006, the National Board of Directors named Patrick Sammon as the organization’s new President. Sammon also serves as President of the Liberty Education Forum, a non-partisan educational foundation that is associated with Log Cabin. Sammon has been leading these organizations on an interim basis since September 1. Previous presidents have been Patrick Guerriero (January 1, 2003 to September 1, 2006) and Rich Tafel (? to January 1, 2003). Guerriero had stepped down as leader of the Log Cabin Republicans on September 1, 2006 to lead the Gill Action Fund.
History
The name of the organization is a reference to the first Republican President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, who was born in a log cabin.
Many of the persons involved in Log Cabin Republicans are also involved in The Liberty Education Forum, a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization.
Log Cabin Republicans was founded in 1977 in California as a rallying point for Republicans opposed to the Briggs Initiative, which attempted to ban homosexuals from teaching in public schools. The California organization had initially popularized the “Log Cabin Republicans” name, so the national organization adopted the name as well.
According to their website, the California group initially proposed to name themselves Lincoln Club, but found that name was already in use by another California Republican organization. Thus, an alternate name was chosen that still invoked the memory of President Lincoln: Log Cabin Republicans.
Their website further states, “The GOP rose to power because it embraced the ideals of equality imagined by our nation’s founding fathers and ensured by our Constitution. When Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, a ‘new birth of freedom,’ was indeed given to our country. Now, more than 150 years later, the GOP has another chance to choose fairness over discrimination, equality over bigotry, hope over fear, and freedom over oppression.”
The organization originally featured a portrait of Lincoln on its website and other publicity material.
Log Cabin Republicans
A Proud History
The Log Cabin Republicans have a proud history—fighting to build a more inclusive Republican Party for gay and lesbian Americans. Gay and lesbian Republicans have chosen to transform the GOP from the inside, working to overcome the forces of exclusion and intolerance.
The name of the organization is a reference to the first Republican President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, who was born in a Log Cabin. President Lincoln built the Republican Party on the principles of liberty and equality. The party should return to its roots. When the organization was founded, the name, “Lincoln Club” was already taken by another GOP group, so organizers settled on the name Log Cabin Republicans.
President Reagan Linked to Log Cabin’s Founding
Log Cabin got its start in California during the late 1970s. After several years of advances for the cause of gay and lesbian rights, a backlash was building. Singer Anita Bryant led a successful “Save Our Children” campaign to overturn an anti-discrimination ordinance in Dade County, Florida. Also, the legislatures of Arkansas and Oklahoma had banned gays and lesbians from holding teaching positions.
In California, Republican State Senator John Briggs, who had ambitions to be governor, proposed a statewide ballot initiative to prevent gay and lesbian people from teaching in public schools. The so-called Briggs Initiative also permitted the firing of any educator who was determined to be “advocating, imposing, encouraging or promoting” homosexuality. Briggs’ vicious campaign to “defend your children from homosexual teachers” seemed to be heading for victory. One poll showed support for the Briggs Initiative leading 61% to 31%.
Many prominent politicians in the Republican and Democratic parties were hesitant about standing up to the bigotry of Briggs and his allies. That’s when gay conservatives turned to former governor Ronald Reagan. At the time he was preparing to mount a campaign for the Republican presidential nomination in 1980. His advisors all thought he was committing political suicide when he decided to be an outspoken foe of the Briggs Initiative. Reagan declared that the initiative “is not needed to protect our children - we have the legal protection now.”
Reagan went further, detailing the dangers of passing such a measure. “It has the potential for real mischief,” the former governor explained. “What if an overwrought youngster, disappointed by bad grades, imagined it was the teacher’s fault and struck out by accusing the teacher of advocating homosexuality? Innocent lives could be ruined.”
Reagan’s forceful opposition helped defeat the Briggs Initiative.
19 February 1889, Baltimore (MD) Sun, “Almanac for Baltimore—This Day,” pg. 4:
The front is white, with the words “Fifteenth Ward Log Cabin Republican Club” in gilt on the face. On the reverse side is the date of the club’s organization, March 5, 1888.
Chronicling America
5 March 1889, Pittsburg Dispatch (Pittsburgh, PA), pg. 15, col. 6:
...Nineteenth Ward Republican club, Log Cabin Republican club,...
27 December 1895, Baltimore (MD) Sun, pg. 8:
LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS.
They Will Go to the Inauguration—A Handsome Decoration.
About two hundred members of the Log Cabin Republican Club will attend the inauguration of Governor-elect Lloyd Lowndee on January 8.
15 April 1981, Los Angeles (CA) Times, “L.A. Homosexuals Create Own Brand of Political Activism; Gays, Lesbians Succeed in Building Unusual Network of Election Clout” by Austin Scott, pt. II, pg. D1:
The predominantly gay Log Cabin Republican Club has four to five dozen members and makes endorsements.
(Trademark)
Word Mark LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS
Goods and Services IC 035. US 100 101 102. G & S: association services, namely, promoting the interests of the gay and lesbian community through education; political action committee services, namely, promoting the interests of the gay and lesbian community through political advocacy. FIRST USE: 19930212. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19930212
Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number 78901899
Filing Date June 6, 2006
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Published for Opposition August 7, 2007
Registration Number 3317857
Registration Date October 23, 2007
Owner (REGISTRANT) Log Cabin Republicans CORPORATION D.C. 1607 17th Street, NW Washington D.C. 20009
Attorney of Record William E. Marames
Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE “REPUBLICANS” APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Type of Mark SERVICE MARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE