Brad100 We are winding down to the end of one of the most bizarre election cycles in our history. We seem to have a record number of first time political candidates and an ample supply of colorful, unconventional resumes. In past elections the so called Moral Majority has been a vocal opponent of candidates who they viewed as morally unacceptable. Many are currently asking, ”Where are the religious leaders that in the past could be counted on to raise questions about the moral and ethical conduct of the candidates”?
In previous elections Christian Conservatives demanded that our politicians be of high moral character, profess family values, and support Christian ideals or face the wrath of their flock on Election Day. If politicians fell short of the group’s standards in their personal or professional life, religious leaders such as Tony Perkins, James Dobson, Pat Robertson, and Focus on Family, Moral Majority, and Family Research Council were there to shine a light on their bad behavior. The difference to a candidate could be the difference between winning an election or suffering a humiliating defeat. And the Moral Majority didn’t just criticize politicians, but scrutinized all parts of society.
They railed at Bill Clinton’s infidelity as a corrupting moral example to the nation’s youth, criticized media programming as pornographic, and even accused the Women’s Movement of failing to follow Christian teachings. Mr. Robertson famously said, “The feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians”
In an election year when the behavior of many candidates is appalling, the so-called leaders of the “values voters” are strangely silent. Why have these men chosen to stay on the sidelines now while some of the most questionable political candidates in our country’s history vie for some of our country’s most powerful positions?
Many current candidates had careers or personal histories before politics that in the past would have disqualified them for office. Take Carl Paladino, candidate for Governor of New York for instance. Before the election, Paladino was infamous for sending hate mail to friends and supporters. One email showed our President and the First Lady dressed as a pimp with his whore. Another Paladino video showed a horse having sex with a woman.
Paladino’s personal behavior is just as crude. Recently when a local reporter asked a question he didn’t like, Paladino threatened him saying he would, “take you out, buddy”. At another rally he was asked about the US Attorney General and government position on terror trials, Paladino gruffly replied: “F**k him, F**k him.” This is a man who has already admitted to having a 10 year old child with another woman while still married, and has repeatedly made homophobic comments about gays and lesbians. Incredibly, we haven’t heard Focus on the Family or the Family Research Council criticize, condemn, or even object to Paladino’s truly disgusting behavior.
Next there is Connecticut Senate candidate of Linda McMahon. Linda is the former CEO of the World Wrestling Federation who campaigns as a pro-business Republican. Linda has portrayed herself on the campaign trail as a business woman who reached out to families and children. McMahon doesn’t like to be reminded that the WWF promoted a story line where women were forced into the ring, told to get down on all fours by a male wrestler, and bark like a dog. She would like to forget the wrestler who slapped a competitor’s wife who entered the ring, then simulated her rape. The most disgusting story approved by McMahon, however, was a necrophiliac wrestler having sex with a corpse in a crypt.
Linda was also directly involved in the entertainment. She became famous for her battles, literally, in the ring. Google McMahon and you will see dozens of videos of her in the ring getting body slammed by her daughter or kicking a wrestler in the genitals. How can Christian Conservatives stay silent when we have a person running for one of the highest offices in the land who made a fortune advocating sick misogynistic and disgusting practices such as these?
Finally there is Delaware Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell,. Christine recently ran a campaign ad where she explained that she WASN’T a witch. Why would she feel compelled to make that comment? Christine’s outrageous views and behavior over the years is legendary. Here are a few examples;
“I dabbled into witchcraft. I never joined a coven.” / “One of my first dates with a witch was on a satanic altar.”
“We took the Bible and prayer out of public schools. Now we’re having weekly shootings. We had the 60s sexual revolution, and now people are dying of AIDS.”
“American scientific companies are cross-breeding humans and animals and coming up with mice with fully functioning human brains.”
Pat Robertson was horrified because he thought Feminists would turn into witches, yet fails to object when a Senate candidate admits to practicing witchcraft in real life. Why?
The behavior of the candidates mentioned above pale in comparison to what the Moral Majority have objected to in the past. Why are Christian Conservative leaders holding their nose and looking the other way while self styled witches, pornographers, and X-rated Entertainers run for some of most powerful positions in our country?
There are two obvious reasons. First, all three candidates are Tea Party candidates. They now claim to embrace the Tea Party philosophy which falls in line with the Religious Right. These born-again politicians now claim to support the anti-abortion, small government, tax cut, pro military Republican platform that Tony Perkins, James Dobson, Pat Robertson have always embraced. Apparently, beastiality is excusable as long as you are also pro-life and pro-big business.
Secondly, they are all Republicans. Perkins and Robertson have been Republican candidates in the past. Dobson is close friends with George Bush has closely aligned with other Republican Party members. It makes you wonder if Robertson thinks witches are only evil if they are Democrats.
The bottom line is that these men had a choice this election year. They could have stood on their principles. They could have spoken out against the adulterers, pornographers or misogynists. Instead they decided to stay silent, support their political party to win an election and sell out their flock.
In the end they showed all of us where they truly stand.
