It turns out “inclusion” has its limits—at least when it comes to conservatives. In a stunning display of hypocrisy, Smyrna Pride, an LGBTQ+ organization, has decided that being gay isn’t enough to qualify for participants of a local Cobb Pride event.
You also have to hold the right political beliefs.
Now, the Georgia Republican Party is stepping in, making it clear that this blatant discrimination won’t go unchecked. Georgia GOP Chairman Josh McKoon has put Smyrna Pride on notice: allow the Georgia Log Cabin Republicans to participate, or face a lawsuit.
McKoon posted the official demand letter on X, spelling out exactly why Smyrna Pride’s exclusion of conservative LGBT members isn’t just wrong—it may very well be illegal. Since the event is being held on public property with a public permit, Smyrna Pride cannot simply pick and choose which political voices are allowed based on ideological preference. That’s not inclusion—that’s viewpoint discrimination. And under state and federal law, it won’t stand.
The “Inclusive” Event That Actively Excludes
Here’s what happened: the Georgia Log Cabin Republicans applied to be a vendor at the 2025 Smyrna Pride festival, just like any other group. Their mission? To show that conservative values and LGBT identity are not mutually exclusive. But instead of being welcomed, their application was rejected—solely because they wanted to promote a different political viewpoint.
Smyrna Pride’s leadership tried to justify the rejection by claiming they wanted to remain “politically agnostic.” But there’s just one problem with that excuse: according to Smyrna Pride’s own founder, Mike Mitchell, the organization has actively solicited left-wing political groups for participation. In fact, the event has no issue welcoming the Human Rights Campaign—a group with direct ties to the Democratic Party.
The 2024 Smyrna Pride Event Sponsors Included Kevin Redmon and Erick Allen both Democrats running in the 2024 Commissioner District 2 Race.
So, let’s be clear: this isn’t about keeping politics out of Pride. It’s about keeping conservatives out of Pride.
Georgia GOP Draws a Line in the Sand
This is why the Georgia GOP isn’t standing by and letting this happen. Their letter lays it out plainly: Smyrna Pride is operating in a public space, meaning it must adhere to legal standards of fairness and equal access. If the event were being held on private property, the organizers could make whatever arbitrary rules they wanted. But the moment they apply for a public permit and use taxpayer-funded spaces, they are bound by the same legal protections that prevent discrimination against any other group.
And let’s not forget, this is coming from the very party that’s constantly lectured about “inclusivity” and “acceptance.” Yet here they are, openly banning fellow LGBT members simply for holding conservative beliefs.
The Left’s War on Dissent Within Its Own Ranks
This episode is just another example of a much larger trend: the modern left’s obsession with ideological conformity. It’s no longer enough to be a member of a marginalized group—you must also hold the correct political opinions. Step out of line, and you’ll find yourself erased, ostracized, and even legally excluded from spaces that claim to represent you.
Mike Mitchell, the event’s founder, has now resigned in protest over the festival’s political gatekeeping. And he’s making a powerful statement by considering joining the very group Smyrna Pride tried to keep out—the Georgia Log Cabin Republicans.
Because, at the end of the day, this fight isn’t about politics. It’s about principle. It’s about standing up to the hypocrisy of those who claim to champion “tolerance” while actively silencing voices they don’t like.
The Georgia GOP is absolutely right to call Smyrna Pride out on this double standard. If the organization refuses to correct its blatant bias, then a lawsuit may be the only way to remind them that “inclusion” means everyone—not just those who toe the progressive party line.
