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President Bush Praises Those Doing 'God's Work' In 'City of Angels'
Bush Addresses Southland Religious Leaders Seeking Federal Funds For Faith-Based Initiatives
POSTED: 5:55 pm PST March 3, 2004
LOS ANGELES -- A Los Angeles Convention Center hall seemed more like a church today and President George W. Bush as its pastor, as he spoke to hundreds of religious leaders seeking federal money to carry out their missions."Here in the City of Angels there are so many people doing God's work," he said to cheering attendees of the two-day White House Conference on Faith- Based and Community Initiatives.
"We're talking about healing our nation," he said. "We're not talking about politics."
The audience responded with raucous cheer, sprinkled with shouts of "amen."
Representatives from faith-based organizations attended the conference -- the 11th of its kind -- to learn how they can secure grants from the government to fund the services they provide to their communities.
Last year, a total of $1.1 billion was given to such groups through his initiative, Bush said.
"Church and states need to stay separate, but you can use federal money to help a person quit drinking. You can use federal money to help a person find housing," Bush said.
One attendee said her church could certainly use a little extra help.
"We want to broaden our missions," Laverne Holloway said.
That's why she drove all the way from Nipomo, near Santa Barbara, to learn how she might obtain a grant so the 200-member congregation of Victory Harvest Church can continue its programs for the homeless, elderly and at-risk youth, she said.
"If you're a church in the community, they expect you to do it all," said Holloway, who's hoping for $30,000.
Rolland Brown is a grant writer/consultant from Fresno who helps faith- based groups with no experience in accessing federal money. "The federal government has realized that faith-based and community organizations are really close to these social problems," he said.
When Air Force One landed at Los Angeles International Airport this afternoon, Bush greeted Charlotte Van Fleet, a volunteer at the Harambee Christian Family Center in Pasadena.
It's people like Holloway, Brown and Van Fleet that Bush commended today, calling them "social entrepreneurs."
"You're soldiers in armies of compassion," he said. "You're people who've put on the armor of the one above to save lives."
Bush also praised local leaders who were on hand, including Mayor Jim Hahn.
"His being here is a testimony to his understanding that the faith community in Los Angeles can help him do his job better," Bush said.
Outside the Concourse Hall stood three lone protesters holding anti-Bush signs.
Wade Novin of Los Angeles said he doesn't agree with federal money going into the hands of religious groups.
"It's called the First Amendment. That all that needs to be said on it," he said.
Bush's visit to a state he lost in the last election, but one now run by a Republican governor, comes a day after Democrats around the country signaled their intent to rally behind Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to reclaim the White House.
The president was scheduled to speak this evening at a "Bush-Cheney 2004" fund-raising reception at the Shrine Auditorium, where he will likely be greeted by a lot more protesters, including those with the Act Now to Stop War and End Racism Coalition.
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...The president was scheduled to speak this evening at a "Bush-Cheney 2004" fund-raising reception at the Shrine Auditorium, where he will likely be greeted by a lot more protesters, including those with the Act Now to Stop War and End Racism Coalition.To paraphrase Monty Python, "NOBODY expects the Iranian-American patriots!"
We REALLY caught the A.N.S.W.E.R. RATs flat-footed with THIS rally. ;o)There were four corners at the main entrance to the venue - where all the attendees had to drive into the "VIP" parking area.
The Shrine Auditorium itself was on the northeast corner, but since all cars had to enter from the east, and make a right turn - north - into the parking lot, the northwest corner had the best visibility.
That is where the Iranian-Americans set up their flags and banners.When I arrived, I recruited a few of their people to stake a claim the the southwest and southeast corners - using MY two ten foot by three foot banners.
That left only the least favorable corner for the RATs - who did not even START to get there until almost 5 p.m.By 6 p.m., they probably had over a hundred "anti-Bush" protesters, but they were marginalized in a poor position. :o)