What separation between church and state? The Bush campaign is making a bid for the votes of churchgoers, getting churches to distribute campaign materials and enlist voters:
The Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of the liberal Americans United for Separation of Church and State, argued that any form of distributing campaign literature through a church would compromise its tax-exempt status. He called the effort "an absolutely breathtakingly large undertaking," saying, "I never thought anyone could so attempt to meld a political party with a network of religious organizations."
In a statement, Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance, a liberal group, called the effort "an astonishing abuse of religion" and "the rawest form of manipulation of religion for partisan gain." He urged the president to repudiate the effort.
In a statement, Mara Vanderslice, director of religious outreach for the Kerry campaign, said the effort "shows nothing but disrespect for the religious community." Ms. Vanderslice continued: "Although the Kerry campaign actively welcomes the participation of religious voices in our campaign, we will never court religious voters in a way that would jeopardize the sanctity of their very houses of worship."
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April 05, 2004
Palm Sunday With John Kerry Went to church.
A Catholic, Kerry marked Palm Sunday and the start of Easter week at the Charles Street African Methodist Episcopal Church where he was given a hero's welcome.
"We're thankful that there's going to be a revolution in this country ... a new movement," declared pastor Gregory Groover. " And we say, God, bring him on, the next president of the United States."
Kerry, who has worshiped at the predominantly black church at least twice before, and his wife Teresa both took communion.
Mara Vanderslice, program director for the Jubilee USA Network, says of President Bush's recent trip to Africa: "one of the single most pressing issues to the people of Africa (did) not (get) addressed on his tour --Africa's debilitating foreign debts. Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa pay out $14.5 billion every year in debt service. This is more than the continent receives in foreign aid... and more than is needed to stem the tide of AIDS,estimated at $10 billion annually."
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President Bush's faith = "Bad"
John Kerry's "faith" = Good
Democrats = Hypocrites