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New DNC religion adviser resigns, opposed ‘under God’ in pledge
BAPTIST PRESS NEWS ^ | Aug 5, 2004 | By Staff

Posted on 08/05/2004 3:33:33 PM PDT by Dubya

WASHINGTON (BP)--The Democratic Party’s new religion adviser has resigned after less than two weeks at the post.

Brenda Bartella Peterson, the Democrats’ senior adviser for religious outreach, announced Aug. 4 she was leaving the job because it was “no longer possible for me to do my job effectively,” Religion News Service reported.

Peterson resigned after the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights criticized her hiring in news releases on three consecutive days. In one of its releases, the Catholic League reported Peterson signed on to a friend-of-the-court brief in support of an atheist’s attempt to remove the words “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that Michael Newdow of California did not have legal standing to represent his daughter in the case.

Less than two months before Peterson’s resignation, the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry cut off news media access to its new religious adviser, Mara Vanderslice, according to The Washington Times. The action came after the Catholic League reported Vanderslice had spoken at rallies by the militant homosexual organization ACT-UP and had participated in street protests against the International Monetary Fund at Seattle and Washington, D.C.

“Why are Kerry and the [Democratic National Committee] imploding on religion?” Catholic League President William Donohue asked after Peterson’s resignation. “Because too many of the elites running the show are devout secularists who put a premium on freedom from religion.

“Kerry and the DNC now have two strikes against them in their religious outreach efforts. Whether they strike out is up to them,” Donohue said in a written statement. “We’re certainly not dropping out of the game, and we’re certainly monitoring Bush and the [Republican National Committee] on this subject just as closely.”

DNC National Chairman Terry McAuliffe named Peterson to the position July 23, just prior to the Democratic National Convention. Her hiring reflected the DNC’s “commitment to reaching all peoples of faith ... in this election year,” McAuliffe said at the time.

Peterson, an ordained Disciples of Christ minister, previously served as executive director of the Clergy Network for National Leadership Change. The network, which was founded late last year, is an interfaith group attempting to help choose a new president and Congress, according to its Internet site. On its website, the network criticizes some of President Bush’s policies, including his ban on federal funding for stem cell research that destroys human embryos.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: brendapeterson; newdow; resignation

1 posted on 08/05/2004 3:33:33 PM PDT by Dubya
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To: Dubya

Why isn't this juicy bit of news in the mainstream media?


2 posted on 08/05/2004 3:42:39 PM PDT by mgist
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In other news, Kerry announce his new music advisor, who is deaf."


3 posted on 08/05/2004 3:47:00 PM PDT by Darkwolf377
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To: Dubya

These are evil people, up to no good.


4 posted on 08/05/2004 3:49:43 PM PDT by Rome2000 (The ENEMY for Kerry!!!!!)
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To: Darkwolf377
That's hilarious.

Kerry wanted to introduce his new Secretary of Defense, but the Secretary is hiding due to the elevated terrorist threat level. He has a phobia of guns and bombs.

5 posted on 08/05/2004 3:50:11 PM PDT by mgist
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To: Dubya
Ms. Vanderslice, along with her able assistants, Betty Bumper and Liz Steele, will be leading the DNC charge.

I swear, you couldn't make this stuff up.

6 posted on 08/05/2004 3:53:36 PM PDT by NaughtiusMaximus (Proudly putting panties on liberals' heads since 1994.)
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To: Rome2000
These are evil people, up to no good.

I believe that.

7 posted on 08/05/2004 3:54:06 PM PDT by Dubya (Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,but by me)
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To: Dubya

More here on Brenda Bartella Peterson and her stand to take “under God” out of the Pledge of Allegiance.

http://www.townhall.com/news/politics/200408/CUL20040802a.shtml

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has replaced his religion adviser with a woman who was one of 32 clergy members to file a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of the atheist who challenged the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.

According to the Catholic League, Rev. Brenda Bartella Peterson's amicus brief on behalf of atheist Michael Newdow "shows infinitely more concern for the sensibilities of atheists like Newdow than it does for the 90 percent of Americans who believe in God." Peterson replaced Mara Vanderslice as director of religious outreach.
MORE AT LINK


8 posted on 08/05/2004 5:05:40 PM PDT by i_dont_chat
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To: i_dont_chat

Thanks for the info.


9 posted on 08/05/2004 5:49:54 PM PDT by Dubya (Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,but by me)
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