Posted on 08/22/2003 7:08:16 AM PDT by xzins
It is reported that Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “It is religion that keeps the poor from murdering the rich.” Rich is, of course, a relative term. One can be “rich” in money, and in the world of religion one can be “rich” in spirit, and in the political realm one can be “rich” in power.
Who is in danger of being murdered?
James Dobson, the leader of “Focus on the Family” has recently voiced his displeasure with the Republican Party over their failure to deliver benefits to the Christian conservatives for their support over these many years. Despite a Senate majority, despite a ‘conservative’ President, despite an iron-grip conservative hold on the House of Representatives, there is precious little (nothing?) from the conservative Christian agenda that has been successfully guided to implementation. In fact, there appears to be backward momentum.
Abortion is as big as ever. School vouchers are little experiments here and there but not under federal authority. Sexuality is now considered under the heading of a newfound freedom of ‘privacy’ that allows any sexual practice to escape even the most reasonable bio-medical review by a state legislature. Marriage is in jeopardy from Massachusetts to California as liberals successfully redefine that institution, considering any form of partnering leading to sexual release on the same par with a man and woman creating and rearing a family.
And now activist judges, seemingly in league with the ACLU, are excising our country’s religious symbols at what can only be described as a hostile pace. They are being permitted to dismantle America’s historic culture of Judeo-Christian morality and replace it with a culture that these judicial architects claim will be neutral, but which is in fact anti-theistic.
Permitted? Who is permitting it?
The religious conservatives would say, “Those we placed our hope in have permitted it. None of the big names stood with us on the firing line. None of them picked sides, went public with their verbal support, and then went public with their actions which demonstrated support.” Not even Attorney General John Ashcroft, the supposed insider religious conservative, spoke up. (John hasn’t spoken up in some time now. Is he gagged?)
We are reminded of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: "In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
The Republican Party, very rich in power, is in danger from the common people who make up its religious base.
And right now Judge Roy Moore has immense “good will” with that same religious conservative base of the Republican Party. Where did this good will come from? In the eyes of those conservative Christians, Moore was willing to sacrifice himself for one of their concerns. Make no mistake, they trust this man. His stock is very high in that group at this moment.
We’re told that if Al Gore had received even one percent less of the African American vote, that the 2000 election wouldn’t have even been close. How much more if George W. Bush had received one percent less of the Christian conservative vote? We’re told that Bill Clinton won two elections without ever having a majority of the vote because Ross Perot took up to nineteen percent of the Republican vote away from them. The message is clear. A third candidate popular with religious conservatives will kill the Bush Re-election.
"Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you...." (William Arthur Ward.)
To refuse a hearing at the highest level is an insult to a man who in his own sphere has reached the top rung. Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Judge Roy Moore, has definitely worked his way to a high enough position to have earned the right to be heard. And, in giving a hearing to Moore, they give a hearing to his supporters. Whether the powers in the Republican Party understand the necessity of giving him his hearing is entirely a different subject.
But, if I were an operative for the Constitution Party, and if I were a disgruntled conservative Christian, I would definitely see a man with tremendous name recognition, a solid base of support, and a whole boatload of determination.
Someone needs to talk real-politik to the Republican members of the Supreme Court.
He is a true believer. Do not be misled by those who deny the existence of committed true believers.
I don't doubt the existance of true believers, I just doubt Moore is one. Everything about the way he has stage managed this confrontation smells of Elmer Gantry and Jimmy Swaggart.
So9
Really? Where has this happened? What I recall seeing over the past few years is the 'left-wing' Republicans such as Jeffords, Chafee, etc walking away from The Republican party. How many 'left wing' Republicans voted for Bill Clinton over Bob Dole? Some. Maybe a lot. How many Christian Conservative Republicans voted for Clinton over Dole?
Ronald Reagan set the model for winning swing votes by maintaining the Christian Conservative positions. Nobody has reached the level of popularity and success he had. And it was Reagan who dominated the Southern votes, somewhat true with Nixon in '72, but certainly not Ford in '76...and Reagan captured more overall Democrat votes than any other Republican.
It is the 'left wing' of the Republican party that is both threatening and has already helped shift votes to the Democrats. The assumption that Christian Conservative voters (forget the nationally known personalities) are not in the mainstream of The Republican Party is false.
And if this insult doesn't work, what next, call me a Jew Lover?
If your lowlife scumbag ass is not capable of debating the issues instead of personal invective, then get it on you fascist boot licker.
So9
Well I don't live in Al and haven't seen his ads .. but if that was the only thing he ran on, instead of his record, then that is wrong
Reagan appointed O Connor, Kennedy and Scalia to the court. O Connor and Kennedy voted with the majority on the infamous 'stare decissis' Casey abortion decision. Kennedy wrote the Texas sodomy decision. Abortion was legal at the beginning of his term, and at the end of his term. He did nothing for school choice. He broke his promise to abolish the Department of Education. In what respect was he any more consistent in a Christian Conservative position than Bush?
The county seat of Baldwin County Alabama was moved the same way, in the dead of night, to where is still remains in Bay Minette.
I guess that's just how we do things down here.
Because it's a choice between some influence, or no influence.
He could be. Will have to see how he handles this situation as it plays out. If he is sincere and solid in his beliefs, who knows.
Precisely.
However, I think if the Supremes heard his issues and ruled on them, that that would be sufficient.
To totally ignore his plea is to push him into the house of your opponent, just so he can save face.
You wish.
Moore's eight associate justices ordered the rock removed, and it will be state law enforcement who will remove it.
Or, more likely, a janitor with a hydraulic lift will store it in a closet.
Moore would become as despised in the Repubican Party as Ralph Nader is for Dems, not that it matters.
I believe that Judge Roy Moore poses the same threat to the citizens of Alabama and the United States that Huey Long posed to the citizens of Louisiana and the United States 60 years ago.
Only, Moore is much more dangerous: he is a megalomaniacal demagogue who is using God to justify his crusade.
I believe that America, as the only Juedo-Christian country in the world, is being eaten away by poltical correctness from the inside. And as that religious and cultural iconography falls away, our society becomes riper in that vacuum, for the eventual imposition of sharia by force.
In this sense, yes, I feel your posts undergird Islamism.
Related to your response on this post, you have totally diverted from your original post about winning votes for the Republican Party, and the effect on winning swing votes by the Christian Conservative positions within the party, and possibly being countered by a move to the 'center' as you said (which, by the way, is toward the direction of The Left).
My reply to you was in direct response to those comments and issues. You have now totally gone off in another direction, totally avoiding the original points made by YOU and me about winning votes for the Republican Party.
Before I debate your comments on this post, I want to challenge something you said..."since becoming a Conservative". I have yet to see you present Conservative positions. Maybe it's just me...maybe not. But I do not recall seeing Conservative credentials from you. Can you 'enlighten' me?
The big difference might be if Moore is a SINCERE, life-long Christian acting on his beliefs.
If so, he will KEEP those who cross over to the "Big XYZ Party." And he will gather new ones.
Seriously, if Howard Brown was able to mobilize the Libertarians on a theme characterized by the as "ignore the rest of the world," then Moore will be able to mobilize troops around their common religion.
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