National Review: What Do We Need Now? More Purges!

23 Dec, 2009 by Robert Stacy McCain

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The John Birch Society announces it has paid for a booth at: February’s Conservative Political Action Conference, a Pajamas Media columnist has a conniption, National Review‘s Jonah Goldberg accuses CPAC of a “big mistake,” and even NRO contributor: Mark Krikorian: : jumps on the dogpile.

Understand this: CPAC has scores of sponsoring organizations, who pay money to rent exhibition space, to have tables at the banquets, to host receptions, etc. These sponsors represent a broad spectrum of political opinion. If you visit the exhibition hall, you’ll see Christian conservative organizations with booths right next to libertarian organizations that support: same-sex marriage and legalizing marijuana.

Having JBS at CPAC does not imply that the conference, as an organization, endorses every belief of every sponsor — which would be impossible, giving the vast diversity of beliefs among the sponsors.

This “urge to purge” reaction: at National Review is not part of the solution to what ails conservatism, it’s part of the problem.