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FOIA
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administrative marker by the William J. Clinton
Presidential Library Staff.
Collection/Record Group:
Clinton Presidential Records
Subgroup/Office of Origin:
Communications
Series/Staff Member:
Don Baer
Sub series:
OA/ID Number:
10134
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Folder Title:
Interfaith Alliance
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�MEMORANDUM TO DON BAER
FROM:
AMY BICE
SUBJECT:
THE INTERFAITH ALLIANCE
DATE:
FEBRUARY 29, 1996
This nonpartisan, interfaith organization, which is only a
year old and already has active branches in 17 states, promotes
religion as a constructive force in politics.
They rally around
their opposition to the Christian Coalition and religious right
movement, and they wholly reject any ideas tied to radical
religious groups advocating intolerance. They also refuse to
support Pat Robertson's efforts within the Republican party and
his newly formed "Catholic Alliance."
Among other activities, the Interfaith Alliance compiles and
distributes unbiased voter information and exposes stealth
candidates attempting to hide their affiliation with extremist
religion groups.
Though the Interfaith Alliance does not
officially endorse a presidential candidate, it is likely that
President Clinton is the one with whom they most closely
identify.
�The Interfaith Alliance
1511 K Street, N.W. • Suite 738 • Washington, D.C. 20005
February 20, 1996
To:
Dr. Albert M. Pennybacker, President
President of Ecumenical Development
Initiative
Mr. Donald Baer
Special Assistant to the President for Policy Coordination
From: Jill Hanauer
Enclosed please fmd the most recent material regarding
The Interfaith Alliance. I am happy to report that we are growing
by leaps and bounds, adding at least one chapter per week.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.
}i. )
Reverend Dr. J. Philip Wagaman,
First Vice President
Foundery United Methodist Church,
Washington D.C.
Denise Davidoff, Vice President at Large
Moderator of Unitarian Universalist
Association
Bishop Frederick Calhoun James,
Vice President at Large
African Methodist Episcopal Bishop of
D.C.,MD&VA
Bishop P. Francis Murphy,
Vice President at Large
Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop,
Baltimore Archdiocese
Rabbi David J. Gelfand, Secretary
Senior Rabbi of Anshe Chased
Fairmount Temple, Cleveland OH
Dr. Diane M. Porter, Treasurer
Senior Executive for Program,
Episcopal Church
Reverend Dr. Herbert D. Valentine,
President Emeritus
Former Moderator of the Presbyterian
Church, USA
Most Reverend Edmond L. Browning
Presiding Bishop and Primate of
Episcopal Church
Reverend Dr. Amos Brown
National Chairman, National Baptist
Commission on Civil Rights and
Human Services
Reverend Dr. Joan Brown Campbell
General Secretary of National Council
of Churches of Christ, in the USA
Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton
Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop,
Detroit Archdiocese
Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg
Former President of American
Jewish Congress
Reverend Leonard B. Jackson
First African Methodist Episcopal
Church, Los Angeles CA
Dr. Robert H. Meneilly
Senior Pastor Emeritus of
The Village Church
Dr. A. Knighton Stanley
Peoples Congregational Church,
Washington D.C.
Dr. John M. Swomley
Professor Emeritus. St. Paul School of
Theology
Reverend Gardner C. Taylor
Former President of the Progressive
Baptist Convention
William P. Thompson
Former President of World Alliance of
Reformed Churches
Dr. Foy Valentine
Former Director of Southern Baptist
Convention's Christian Life
Commission
�Jill S Hanauer
ExraJiiYe OimtrJr
The
Interfaith
Alliance
-:-
..... ,.
lSI I KStreet, NW
Suite 738
Washington, DC 2000S
202-639-6370
�Dr. Albert M. Pennybacker, President
President of Ecumenical Development Initiative
Whols
The Interfaith Alliance?
"The Interfaith Alliance is dedicated
to protecting America's basic freedoms of speech, press and religion
from the fringe groups who cloak in
religious garb their challenge to
these principles. In this importantnay, essential- cause, the Alliance
deserves the support of our concerned and thoughtful citizens."
-Walter Cronkite
The Interfaith Alliance (TIA) is a grassroots,
mainstream, faith-based countervoice to the
extreme religious right. It was established to
ensure that extremists such as Pat Robertson and
the Christian Coalition, Jerry Falwell and others
are not the only faith-based voices heard in the
ongoing debate regarding the direction of our
nation.
TIA believes religious and political diversity is a
source of strength for our nation - not a liability.
TIA confronts all who exploit religious language
and symbols to further political agendas that are
hostile, narrowly ~elf-serving and intolerant.
TIA ensures that the mainstream religious community has a say in the current political dialogue,
offsetting all distortions and demonization with a
constructive and healing response.
Reverend Dr. J. Philip Wagaman, First Vice President
Founda;y United Methodist Church, Washington D.C.
Denise Davidoff, Vice President at large
Moderator of Unitarian Universalist Association
Bishop Frederick Calhoun James, Vice President at Large
African Methodist Episcopal Bishop of D.C., MD & VA
Bishop P. Francis Murphy, Vice President at Large
Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop, Baltimore Archdiocese
Rabbi David J. Gelfand, Secretary
Senior Rabbi of Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple, Cleveland OH
Dr. Diane M. Porter, Treasurer
Senior Executive for Program, Episcopal Church
Reverend Dr. Herbert D. Valentine, President Emeritus
Former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, USA
Most Reverend Edmond L. Browning
Presiding Bishop and Primate of Episcopal Church
Reverend Dr. Amos Brown
National Chairman, National Baptist Commission on Civil Rights
and Human Services
Reverend Dr. Joan Brown Campbell
General Secretary of National Council of Churches of Christ,
in the USA
Bishop Thomas j. Gumbleton
Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop, Detroit Archdiocese
Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg
Former President of American Jewish Congress
Reverend Leonard B. Jackson
First African Meth~dist Episcopal Church, Los Angeles CA
Dr. Robert H. Meneilly
Senior Pastor Emeritus of The Village Church
Dr. A Knighton Stanley
Peoples Congregational Church, Washington D.C.
Dr. John M. Swomley
Professor Emeritus, St. Paul School of Theology
Reverend Gardner C. Taylor
Former President of the Progressive Baptist Convention
.
Wil/iamP. Thompson .
.
Former President of World Alliance of Reformed Churches
Dr. Foy Valentine
Former Director of Southern Baptist Convention's
Christian Life Commission
I ~eligious Right Faces aNew Foe;
.
Interfaith Leaders Form Group Agamst
_ Boston Globe
uThreatn To Tolerance
Religious Alliance to Oppose
"Rad.IC3I Righ t" -The Cincinnati Enquirer
INTERFAITH ALLIANCE VS.
CHRISTIAN COALITION -USA Today
Interfaith Alliance adds local chapter
in fight against Religious Right
-Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Alliance mkes on
Washington Righ~is~
-The Oregonian
t...,
Alli1111~ guides cou~!~!~~~
·-
A New Voice
In America ...
THE
INTERFAITH
ALLIANCE
�Why Are So Many
Americans Joining
TIA Today?
The Christian Coalition and other religious
extremists are gaining significant political power
by entering the political system from the grassroots up. Already, extremists control nearly half
the state-level Republican Party organizations in
our nation. And recently the Christian Coalition
announced their intentions to begin targeting the
Democratic Party. They have a goal of mobilizing
enough "Christian activists" to control the GOP
and Congress by 1996. Accomplishing that, they
will be free to create an America in their own
image by...
... Revoking First Amendment guarantees including
the separation of church and state and freedom of
speech;
... Dismantling government-supported public education;
... Mandating the daily exposure of all public school
students to state-sanctioned prayer;
... Instituting censorship to curtail free expression of
political and artistic ideas from venues including
public broadcasting to art museums and the Internet;
... Ending programs - such as the Legal Services
Corporation- that assist our nation's most at-risk
citizens.
TIA is on the frontline of the effort to uphold
our nation's long, proud social contract with
one another which respects and protects religious and political liberty.
Why Is The Interfaith
Alliance Such An
Effective Voice?
GRASSROOTS MOBILIZATION
TIA's state and local alliances consist of mainstream clergy, laity and other concerned citizens
who are working to make sure the extreme religious right does not have the only voice regarding
the direction of our nation. Their activities
include:
Shining The Light On Extremism: State and local
alliances shine the light on "stealth" extremist candidates and their supporters. They conduct voter education to ensure that voters know the real agenda of candidates running for local, state and federal offices.
Public Education and Voter Mobilization: State
and local alliances are holding public forums to educate their communities on the agenda and tactics of the
extreme religious right. Alliances are holding educational events to ensure their voices are heard in public
policy debates, and they are mobilizing all Americans
to vote.
• Monitoring and Responding: State and local
alliances are monitoring our country's governing bodies - from local school boards to Congress - to
ensure that the extreme right does not use religion as a
weapon to impose their political agendas on our communities or our nation .
Providing a National Voice: TIA's national Board
of Directors consists of mainstream religious leaders
who provide a strong, interfaith voice on a national
level. They have reached millions of Americans
through television, newspaper and radio interviews.
They work to ensure that an alternative faith-based
voice is heard in the debate regarding the direction of
our nation.
WE ASK YOU TO STAND WITH THE
INTERFAITH ALLIANCE TODAY.
JOIN US. TIA depends on the organizational and financial support of all
Americans, regardless of their political or
religious affiliations, who share our values
and concerns for our nation. Help us prevent Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition, as
well as other extremists with religious
claims for an exclusive political agenda,
from writing their extremist views into the
law of the land.
ONLY WORKING TOGETHER, CAN
WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
"The Interfaith Alliance is filling a huge
void, offering a real countervoice to the
extreme religious right."
-Senator Paul Simon
"By supporting The Interfaith Alliance, we
demonstratethatthe'~adicalreligious
right" does not, as it claims, speak for all
people offaith."
- Linda Ellerbee
�Clinton Presidential Records
Digital Records Marker
........
This is not a presidential record. This is used as an administrative
marker by the William J. Clinton Presidential Library Staff.
This marker identifies the place of a publication.
!f,f!-
Publications have not been scanned in their entirety for the purpose
of digitization. To see the full publication please search online or·
visit the Clinton Presidential Library's Research Room.
�•
I
inside
3 Ouistian Cooliro:
''Catholic Alliance"
4
TIA Website
wins award
4
TIAF sponsors
uugor oonference
on faith-hlsed
alternatives to the
Radical Right
5
TIAF retea;es
extensive repM
on tactics & agenda
of Ouistian Coolition
6
Catholic
s1atement on
faith-hlsed
political respollSlbility
8
Slate Alliance
. updates
10
11~
12
School Player
Amendments
introduced in
Congress
January 1996
TIA•s Grassroots Movement Grows
Oregon Alliance Distributes Voter
Guides in Special Election
Washington State Alliance Asks
Candidates to "Sign the Pledge"
On January 11, Oregon religious leaders came
together to announce the formation of a state chapter of The Interfaith Alliance. At a Portland press
conference, these leaders shared their conviction that
mainstream Oregonians deserve to have a faith-based
alternative to groups like the Oregon Citizens Alliance, the Oregon Family Council, and the Oregon
chapter of Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition.
"We intend to offer the citizens of Oregon an alternative voice to that of the extreme right." said Rev.
Rodney Page, Executive Director of Ecumenical
Ministries of Oregon. ''Christians, Jews, Muslims,
and others, The Interfaith Alliance is a nationwide
faith-based movement committed to reclaiming our
religious symbols and to revitalizing our civic life.
Today, we publicly identify ourselves with over
20,000 people of faith across the nation who have
already become a part of this nonpartisan, grassroots
effort." Describing the purpose of the new Alliance,
Rev. Page said, "We pledge to promote the positive
role of religion as a healing and constructive force in
public life, and to challenge those who manipulate
religion for partisan political gain."
Rabbi Emanuel Rose, the Senior Rabbi at Temple
The Inlerfaith Alliance of Washington Slate called on
candidates in local scbool-lxmd races to reject "religious
extremism" and to conduct their campaigns in a way consistent with the 'bmc principles of fairness and decency."
Candidates were asked to sign a pledge in which they
canmitted themselves to the following:
• an affinnalion of the religious diversity of the oountry.
• the rejection ofany political group prea:hing orpracticing exclusion and intolerance.
• the rejection of any appeal to prejudice or discrimination.
• the refusal to accept support or contributions from individuals or groups· appealing to prejudice or disaimi
nation.
• the avoidance of Wlfair campaign pmctices.
• the right of evezy qualified U.S. citizen to puticipate
fully and equally in the electoral process.
Along with copies of the pledge, questionnaires were
also sent to scbool-lxmdcandidates. These questionnaires
sought to detennine the candidates' positions on such issues as school prayer, the use of tax dollars for private
schools, and the teaching of aeationism in science classes.
Resu1ts were then canpiled and made public prior to the
see VOTER GUIDES, page 2
see PLEDGE, page 4
~.
.
Florida AUiance Speaks Out Against Christian Coalition During "Presidency Ill"
On Friday, November 17th, ,
Letters
newsletter of
The
Interfaith
Alliance
--...-~ for partisan political purposes.
One of the speakers at the
leadels of the Rorida Intflfaith
Alliance held a presscmference
press conference was the Reverend James Annstrong, Seto speak out against the Onistian Coolition's efforts to connior Minister of the Fust Congregational Chutdl of Wmter
trol the Republican Party. OrPark, and co-chair of the
ganized in conjunction with the
Florida Interfaith Alliance.
Florida Republican Party's
Speaking as a leader in the lo"Presidency Ill" straw poll, the
cal religious oommwlity, Rev.
press conference fealured .local
Armstrong insisted, "The
leaders who expressed their
Christian
Coalition does not
concerns about the growing
Wlseman,Armslrong. Harmony take on coalition In Florida
represent the mainstream faith
strength of the extreme right
and its efforts to push the GOP out of the mainstream of oommwlity in this COWltry. It is insteal using religious
American political life. Speakers were also concerned symbols and language to foist the agenda of the extreme
about the Christian Coolitioo's manipuJalion of religion
see PRESIDENCY III, page 2
�THE CHRISTIAN COALITION•s
•ROAD TO VICTORY•
WARNING
•
HAZARDS
AHEAD
A Report on the Political and Policy Agendas of
TI1e Christian Coalition
Prepared by
The Interfaith Alliance Foundation
and
Americans United for
Separation of Church and State
September 1995
�THE INTERFAITH ALLIANCE
FOUNDATION
In March of 1995 The Interfaith
Alliance Foundation (TIAF) was established
to conduct research and educational
programs. TIAF's goal is to educate the
American public about the radical right and
to encourage Americans to seek guidance
from their own faith tradition in
participating in public policy debates.
TIAF's mission is to educate the American
public on the radical right's extreme agenda
and their tactics. This education is
conducted, through the development and
dissemination of research materials, paid and
free media activity and hosting public
forums on a wide variety of issues. TIAF is
seeking to restore civility in the ongoing
debate concerning the direction of our nation
and to help our nation move beyond the
traditional "right/left" debate.
Also, thirteen months ago
mainstream religious leaders joined together
to form The Interfaith Alliance (TIA) to
provide people of faith with an alternative to
radical religious right groups who use
religion as a weapon to promote an extreme
political agenda. Since TIA's formation,
thousands of clergy, laity and other
concerned citizens have joined its effort,
with state and local alliances being formed
throughout the country. These alliances
monitor radical right activity, shine the light
on "stealth" candidates, and speak out
against groups and individuals who seek to
manipulate religion for political gain.
For more information about TIAF
contact us at: 1511 K St., N.W., Suite 738,
Washington, D.C. 20005. Phone: (202)
639-6370. Or find us on the World Wide
Web at http://www.intr.net/tialliance.
AMERICANS UNITED
FOR SEPARATION OF
CHURCH AND STATE
Americans United for Separation of
Church and State was founded in 1947 by a
coalition of leaders from the religious,
educational and civic communities to bolster
support for the religious freedom provisions
of the U.S. Constitution. Americans United
engages in a variety of activities to promote
and defend church-state separation, including
publishing educational materials,
coordinating grassroots work through state
and local chapters, educating legislators and
undertaking legal action.
In recent years Americans United
has been especially active in opposing the
religio-political goals of Religious Right
organizations such as the Christian
Coalition. Americans United's Church &
State magazine has reported on every
Christian Coalition "Road to Victory"
conference to date and regularly carries
articles and analysis about other activities
sponsored by TV preacher Pat Robertson.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C.,
Americans United represents 50,000
Americans from all walks of life and from
various religious and philosophical
backgrounds.
For further information about
Americans United contact the organization
at: 1816 Jefferson Place, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20036. (202) 466-3234.
�TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE ....................................................... 5
CHAPTER ONE
PAT ROBERTSON'S RADICALISM: WHAT RALPH REED DOESN'T WANT
YOU TO KNOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
On Church/State Separation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
On America As A 'Christian Nation' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
On Anti-Semitism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
CHAPTER TWO
STATUS REPORT: THE POLITICAL INFLUENCE OF THE CHRISTIAN
COALITION ................................................
What Are We Up Against? .......................................
Hijacking the Republican Party Apparatus .............................
Skirting Federal Election Laws .....................................
Subverting Tax Laws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seizing Electoral Victories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1994 - The Watershed Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Road to Victory Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13
13
14
14
15
16
16
17
CHAPTER THREE
PRESIDENTIAL PANDERING: GOP CANDIDATES AND THE CHRISTIAN
COALITION .......... ·, .....................................
Senator Robert Dole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Senator Phil Gramm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pat Buchanan ................................................
19
20
21
22
CHAPTER FOUR
ROBERTSON AND ALLIES ON OTHER PUBLIC POLICY MATTERS .... 23
On Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
On Helping Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
On the Justice System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
On Taxes ............. ·...................................... 25
On Abortion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
On Morality ................ · .................................. 26
On Tolerance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
3
�On Women .................................................. 27
On Crime Control and Prevention ................................... 28
Conspiracies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
On Democrats ................................................ 28
On Compassion for the Needy ..................................... 29
On Militias and the Oklahoma City Bombing ........................... 29
CHAPTER FIVE
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IN THE 104TH CONGRESS ................. 30
Onward Christian Soldiers . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Trojan Horse Strategy ........................................... 35
Legislation in the 104th Congress ................................... 36
Prayer In Schools ......................................... 36
Dismantling Public Education . · . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Protecting "Parental Rights" .................................. 38
Render unto Caesar ........................................ 39
Abortion .........•..................................... 39
Privatizing Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Expanding Government ..................................... 42
Crime ................................................. 42
Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses . . . ............. 43
The Environment ......................................... 44
Private Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Working Men and Women ................................... 45
Welfare ................................................ 46
Voting Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Official Christian Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Trade ................................................. 48
Homosexuality ........................................... 49
Affirmative Action ........................................ 49
4
�PREFACE
"We are seeing the Christian Coalition rise to where God intends it to be in
this nation, as one of the most powerful political forces that has ever been in the
history of America."
- Pat Robertson, President
The Christian Coalition
When TV preacher Pat Robertson ran for the Presidency of the United States in 1988 many
Americans were alarmed at his extremism, but found it hard to believe that anyone could really
take him seriously or that there was ever a real possibility that he would gamer enough support to
impose his radical views on all Americans. Many sincerely religious Americans were angered even
more by the fact that he was cloaking his extremist views in the language of religion, stating that
his views were the ones endorsed by God! But most of us were confident that religious Americans
saw through his rhetoric and drew different conclusions about how their faith directed them to act as
citizens of this Republic.
We still believe that most Americans who look to their faith for guidance on personal and civic
matters continue to reject Pat Robertson's vision of America. But we think all of us have
underestimated the Christian Coalition's ability to manipulate American politics and public policy in
startling and disturbing ways. It is well past the time when we must, in good conscience, speak out
forcefully.
The time has come for us to step back and take a serious look at what we are up against. The
Christian Coalition is a formidable force in America. It has become a well-oiled political machine with
immense resources and a daunting grassroots infrastructure. In a few short years the Coalition's
activists have raised money, organized at the local level in churches and political committees across
America, taken over school boards, elected county commissioners, state representatives, governors and
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, all in the name of a distorted ·
version of Christian values. Their influence has gained the attention and respect of Republican leaders.
In 1992 Americans saw the horror of a National Republican Convention dominated by their hateful
rhetoric, and in 1995 we see Republican presidential aspirants paying homage to this same divisive
spirit. We read that Ralph Reed promised to spend $1 million dollars in support ofNewt Gingrich's
"Contract With America," and we watched as the Congressional majority leadership returned the favor
of his financial and political support by standing with Reed as he announced his own "Contract With
the American Family."
As concerned Americans, we are obligated to examine the Christian Coalition's agenda more
carefully now that there is a real possibility that its proposals might actually become the law of the
land. That is the purpose of this report.
5
�This report documents several things.
•
The first chapter will examine the so-called "Christian values" agenda of Pat Robertson and the
Christian Coalition and how it relates to the organization's current efforts. Ralph Reed called
the "Contract With the American Family" only the first step toward the goal of enacting a much
broader reordering of American public policy. What would America be like when their final
goal is reached? (The fourth chapter documents Robertson's views on a wide variety of other
public policy issues.)
•
In the second chapter we will document the political influence of the Christian Coalition in
America. From taking over state and local party committees to electing members of Congress,
we will discuss these successes as well as their growing influence over other elected officials
aware of their power in getting out votes.
•
In the third chapter we will discuss the Christian Coalition's disturbing influence on the
upcoming Presidential campaign. An influence most obvious from the fact that numerous
Republican Presidential aspirants are attending this year's Road To Victory Conference to pay
tribute to Pat Robertson and his powerful political operation.
•
The fifth chapter will examine the agenda espoused by the Christian Coalition and its allies in
the 104th Congress. What exactly have they been fighting for? We will examine specifics of
their legislative agenda as evidenced by the bills introduced and supported by those Members of
Congress who actively support - and are supported by - the Christian Coalition.
Finally, we have attempted to undertake this entire analysis with the historic American
commitment to freedom of conscience in mind. We at The Interfaith Alliance Foundation and at
Americans United for Separation of Church and State are deeply committed to the religious pluralism
that is a fact of our national life. We respect the right of all Americans to follow the tenets of our
respective faiths. We feel strongly, however, that no religious group should be allowed to enforce its
narrow convictions on others through force of law. We also know that the strength of America has
always been in its acceptance of diversity and its reticence in dictating to individuals how to live their
own lives. We trust that this examination of the Christian Coalition agenda will expose Pat Robertson,
Ralph Reed and other so-called Religious Right leaders as motivated not by a reasoned understanding
of the words of Scripture, but by a mean-spirited, radical and extremist vision of an America far
different from the one that we all love and respect - far different from the one supported by the
majority of Americans.
The Rev. Herbert Valentine, Chairman
Interfaith Alliance
The Rev. Barry Lynn, Executive Director
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
6
�CHAPTER ONE
PAT ROBERTSON'S RADICALISM: WHAT RALPH REED
DOESN'T WANT YOU TO KNOW
"Indeed, it may well be that men of goodwill like Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy
Carter, and George Bush ... are in reality unknowingly and unwittingly carrying
out the mission and mouthing the phrases of a tightly knit cabal whose goal is
nothing less than a new order for the human race under the domination of Lucifer
and his followers."
- Pat Robertson
The New World Order, 1991
As this chapter will document, Pat Robertson has long advocated many extremist, radical
and even ludicrous ideas. From an insistence that only individuals with certain religious beliefs are
qualified to hold positions in government to thinly-veiled anti-Semitic musings and divisive and
hate-filled rhetoric on a wide variety of issues, Robertson has sought to exclude from positions of
power those who fail to share his vision of a Christian America.
Since November 1992, however, Christian Coalition Executive Director Ralph Reed has
waged a relentless campaign to moderate the organization's image. Many Republican Party leaders
blamed the defeat of GOP presidential candidate George Bush on voter revulsion toward the
prominent role of Pat Robertson and Pat Buchanan at the Republican Party's national convention
that year. As a result, Reed realized that the Coalition must change its reputation or risk being
ostracized by Republican leaders and excluded from the decision-making process.
In December 1992, Reed sent a six-page letter to Coalition activists recommending that
warfare imagery be dropped from their rhetoric. He suggested the use of sports metaphors instead.
Reed, Robertson and other Coalition leaders had repeatedly used battlefield language in their
description on the Coalition's advances, and the comments were cited by opponents as evidence of
their militant and extremist approach to politics.
For instance, Reed described his behind-the-scenes politicking in a 1991 interview. "I do
guerilla warfare," he said. "I paint my face and travel at night. You don't know it's over until
you're in a body bag. You don't know until election night." (November 9, 1991, Virginian Pilot)
Robertson's rhetoric was equally militaristic. "The strategy against the American radical
left," he wrote (Pat Robertson's PerspeCtive, April-May 1992), "should be the same as General
Douglas MacArthur employed against the Japanese in the Pacific... bypass their strongholds, then
surround them, isolate them, bombard them, then blast the individuals out of their power bunkers
with hand-to-hand combat. The battle for Iwo Jima was not pleasant, but our troops won it. The
battle to regain the soul of America won't be pleasant either, but we will win it."
Today, Reed stands transformed. He has even recast this coolly calculated rhetorical shift
as a moral transformation. In his 1994 book Politically Incorrect, he writes, "Early in my service
7
�at the Christian Coalition, I occasionally used military metaphors to describe our efforts to
encourage people of faith to get involved as citizens. A few appeared in print. Political
adversaries lifted these phrases out of context and repeated them in an attempt to hann us. At first
I was angry at them for distorting my words. But I learned an important lesson. I realized that I
bore a special responsibility to speak in a way that reflected God's character and love. Those of us
who bear His name have a unique obligation to choose words that represent our Lord in a way that
reaches others and makes knowledge acceptable." (Politically Incorrect, p. 68)
As part of its image shift, Reed also announced plans to broaden the Coalition's agenda
adding lower taxes, repeal of government regulation, budget balancing and other economic
concerns to the hot-button social issues that had been the organization's staple. He also announced
plans to broaden the organization's base, encouraging Catholics, African-Americans and others to
join the overwhelmingly white and evangelical Protestant organization. Most of his efforts to
include these demographic groups as members of his Christian Coalition have failed, but he has
succeeded in attracting many conservative Catholics and minorities to support his candidates and
portions of his agenda.•
The key component of the Christian Coalition makeover was a move to shift public and
news media attention to Reed from Robertson. For instance, the book-length version of the
Coalition's Contract with the American Family does not mentio~ Robertson once. In fact, at the
press conference announcing "The Contract With the American Family," Robertson was
conveniently in Zaire (supposedly fighting the Ebola vil\ls). The reason for this effort is clear.
Robertson has a well-documented and on-going record of extremism that poses grave public
relations problems. Reed, by contrast, is a polished political operative who never deviates from his
carefully crafted "mainstream conservative" script.
The public an~ news media should recognize, however, that Robertson remains the
dominant force behind the Christian Coalition, providing it with key financial support and retaining
absolute control over its direction. Robertson serves as president of the Coalition. He is one of
four directors who make up the governing board of the organization. (Robertson's son Gordon and
close friends Billy McConnack and Dick Weinhold are the other three.)
·
When pressed, Reed concedes that Robertson calls the shots for the Christian Coalition.
Although Reed has emerged as the leading spokesman for the Coalition, if there was any doubt that
Robertson still maintained control, Reed laid it to rest in a recent interview with David Frost.
Speaking of Robertson, Frost asked Reed: "Who's the boss, though, you or him?" Reed replied,
"He is." ("The David Frost Special," PBS, May 19, 1995) And Robertson's viewpoint and agenda
remain as radical as ever.
1 A sutvey of subscribers to the Christian Coalition's Christian American newspaper found that 23 percent of its readers were Baptists, 9
percent were Assemblies of God, I 0 percent were from other Pentecostal churches and 35 percent were from non-denominational or other
congregations. Only 14 percent claimed membership in mainline churches and a minusculeS percent identified themselves as Roman
Catholics. (Source, Church & State, November 1994).
8
�Following is a discussion of Robertson's views on the separation of church and state, on his
vision of a "Christian" America, and anti-Semitic declarations. (In Chapter Four, we document
instances of Robertson's extremist views on a wide variety of other public policy issues.)
On Church/State Separation
Reed has managed to extract a few public expressions of support for church-state separation
from Robertson himself. For example, when Robertson was under fire for extremism earlier this
year, the religious broadcaster wrote:
"I agree that church and state should be separate because the separation of
church and state is good for religion, religious institutions, and the religious liberty
of believers. These aren't merely words of acquiescence to the acrimonious
writings of a few - they are my most fundamental convictions." ("I Have Kept My
Vow" originaHy in the Wall Street Journ.al, April 12, 1995 reprinted in Christian
American [Coalition newspaper] May/June 1995)
In communications to his followers, however, Robertson has continued to excoriate the
separation concept, oft~n calling it a principle from the old constitution of the communist Soviet
Union. On a fund-raising telethon on his "700 Club" television program earlier this year, he
quipped:
"That [separation of church and state] was never in the Constitution,
however much the liberals laugh at me for saying it, they know good and well it
was never in the Constitution! Such language only appeared in the constitution of
the communist Soviet Union." (700 Club, January 22, 1995)
Robertson has also sounded that same viewpoint in addressing Christian Coalition
gatherings. For instance, he said:
"They [the radical left] have kept us in submission. There is no such thing
[as separation of church and state] in the Constitution. It's a lie of the left, and
we're not going to take it anymore." (The State, November 13, 1993)
On America As A 'Christian Nation'
Just as Ralph Reed has moved away from militant rhetoric, he also has abandoned talk
about Christians taking control over the government. In 1990 Reed said, "What Christians have
got to do is to take back this country, one precinct at a time, one neighborhood at a time and one
state at a time .. .l honestly believe that in my lifetime we will see ~ country once again governed by
Christians ... and Christian values." (Religious News Service, May 15, 1990)
Today, Reed denies the remark and dismisses any wish for religiously based control over
government. He now says Coalition activists seek only to participate in American political life.
"We strongly support the principle of the separation of church and state," he says. "We oppose
9
�government legislation of theological beliefs. We are trying to legislate family-friendly political
views .... What we want is a place at the table." (Christianity Today, October 3, 1994)
Robertson, however, has sent decidedly different signals on this issue. While he claims to
oppose theocracy, his words to his television audience suggest otherwise.
On a Sept. 1, 1995, broadcast of his 700 Club, Robertson answered a question about the
proper role of Christians in politics. "I think Christians were intended by God to be the leaders,"
he responded. (700 Club transcript)
On April 25, 1995, Robertson's show featured an interview with Frederick Chiluba.
Chiluba, who serves as president of Zambia, formally declared his country to be a Christian nation
in a 1991 ceremony at the statehouse. Robertson told Chiluba, "Your country is a standard for not
only Africa, but the rest of the world." After the interview concluded, Robertson excitedly told his
studio audience, "Wouldn't you love to have someone like that as president of the United States of
America!" (700 Club transcript)
Voices at the Christian Coalition's annual conferences certainly suggest that Robertson's
views, not Reed's, are those of the organization and its members. At the 1994 "Road to Victory"
Conference, speaker D. James Kennedy said, "When we say this was founded as a Christian nation,
that's not the assertion of an idea, that is a statement of historical fact." Kennedy, a television
preacher based in Florida, said Christians have a divine mandate to take "dominion over all things
as vice regents of God." ("Behind the Mask," November 1994 Church & State)
At last year's Road to Victory Conference, "Christian nation" advocate David Barton urged
Coalition attendees to support only "godly God-fearing people" for public office. "If the nation's
going to be blessed," he said, "it's because the righteous rule ... .lf they're going to be elected,
who's going to do it? The righteous have to elect 'em." When Barton displayed provisions from
American colonial governing documents requiring officeholders to believe in the divine inspiration
of the Old and New Testaments as well as to profess faith in the Trinity, his Coalition audience
burst into warm applause.
Both Kennedy and Barton have been invited to return to this year's Coalition conference,
presumably to reiterate their views on church-state relations and religion and politics.
On Anti-Semitism
Reed's greatest public relations challenge this year has been his effort to refute renewed
charges of anti-Semitism surrounding Robertson's 1991 book The New World Order. In a Feb. 2
essay in The New York Review of Books, former Bush administration official Michael Lind charged
that Robertson's book "purveys the Illuminati-Freemason-High Finance conspiracy theory of world
history familiar from generations of anti-Semitic propaganda."
While Robertson's book avoids the overt anti-Semitism of some of the works upon which it
was based, Lind concluded, "Not since Father Coughlin or Henry Ford has a prominent white
10
�American so boldly and unapologetically blamed the disasters of modern world history on the
machinations of international high finance in general and on a few wealthy Jews in particular."
Excerpts from Robertson's book certainly supported Lind's charge. For instance, Robertson
wrote:
"It is reported that in Frankfurt [Germany], Jews for the first time were
admitted to the order of Freemasons. If indeed members of the Rothschild family or
their close associates were polluted by the occultism of Weishaupt's Illuminated
Freemasonry, we may have discovered the link between the occult and the world of
high finance." (The New World Order, p. 181)
He also wrote:
"Communism was the brainchild of German-Jewish intellectuals." (/'he New
World Order, p. 17)
Lind's article and subsequent reports by New York Times columnist Frank Rich and others
ignited a firestorm of debate about the Robertson volume.
To try to mend fences, Reed appeared before a meeting of the Anti-Defamation League of
B'nai B'rith where he roundly denounced anti-Semitism, expressed support for church-state
separation and OP.posed the use of the term "Christian nation" to refer to the United States. He also
met with other Jewish groups and leaders. (In his own book, Politically Incorrect, Reed criticized
the very theories that Robertson advances. "The Populists of the 1890's forwarded a radical agenda
of economic and social change," Reed wrote, "often expressed in darkly apocalyptic and paranoid
rhetorical terms, that included vicious attacks on Jewish bankers and northern industrialists."
Politically Incorrect, p. 38)
Robertson, however, has merely denied that his book was anti-Semitic or even
conspiratorial and has stood by its often bizarre contents. In a March 3 statement, he insisted: "My
book, The New World Order, does not embrace a conspiracy theory of history, and it certainly is
not anti-Semitic." (March 3, 1995, press release) He insisted that his strong political support for
Israel should demonstrate that he is not anti-Semitic.
Robertson added that the book was "carefully researched and contains seven single-spaced
pages of bibliography from original historical sources." He charged that the "specious objections"
came from "the radical left in America desperately looking for an opportunity to discredit the role
of religious conservatives in politics."
Lind and scholar Jacob Heilbrunn, however, found Robertson's "original historical sources"
less than reputable. In an April 20 New York Review of Books follow-up essay, the pair noted that
Robertson's work relied heavily on three well-known anti-Semitic tomes- World Revolution: The
Plot Against Civilization and Secret Societies and Subversive Movements by Nesta Webster and
Secrets of the Federal Reserve: The London Connection by Eustace Mullins. Lind and Heilbrunn
11
�reported that Webster's books are loaded with overt anti-Semitism, yet Robertson based whole
passages of his New World Order on Webster's writings.
Reed has also found himself apologizing for the actions of his allies in the field. In a Feb.
8, 1995, forum at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif., John Stoos insisted that the
United States was founded on "biblical Christianity" and that Jews may not feel fully accepted in a
future America governed by Christian values. Stoos, a Christian Coalition adviser designated to
represent the group at the forum, said:
"If you have a Christian nation - I mentioned this earlier- you will have
more tolerance than any nation, than we've seen so far in the world. You won't
have total acceptance. It's not a Jewish nation, you're going to feel more accepted
in Israel. I'm going to feel a little out of place if I go to Israel. But I expect that
because that's a Jewish nation." (Tape transcript of forum, Center for Ethics and
Social Policy, Graduate Theological Union)
After the comment became public, Stoos gave up his relationship with the Coalition and the
group dissociated itself from the remarks.
Other alarming statements from Robertson include:
". . . Perhaps we can assume that the current wa~e of anti-Semitism is being
allowed J:?y God to force the large number of the chosen people residing in the
Soviet Union out of what the Bible calls the land of the north?" (Pat Robertson's
Perspective (newsletter), May/June, 1990)
Robertson printed a letter in one of his publications from a Florida man who said that
Christians should stop viewing Jews as God's chosen people.
Some [Bible scholars] say that 85 percent of the Jews in Israel are atheists
and really non-Jews. Since they control the media they determine the morals and
direction of the world. How can a Christian praise them? How can God choose
them? (Christian American, May/June 1991, p. 13)
Billy McCormack, one of the four board members of the Christian Coalition, apparently
shares Robertson's views. McCormack, the Christian Coalition's Louisiana director and former
member of that state's Republican Party Central Committee, refused to repudiate former Ku Klux
Klan leader David Duke during his campaign for governor and the U.S. Senate, saying Duke was
not as much a threat as the Jews in the ACLU. (The Religious Right: The Assault on Tolerance &
Pluralism in America, produced by the Anti-Defamation League, pp. 45-46)
12
�CHAPTER TWO
STATUS REPORT: THE POLITICAL INFLUENCE OF
THE CHRISTIAN COALITION
"I had access to the internal tracking, and I know he [Sen. Jesse Helms, in
his 1990 race for re-election] was down by eight points. So Pat [Robertson] called
me up and said, 'We've got to kick into action.' Bottom line is ... five days later we
put three-quarters of a million voters' guides in churches across the state of North
Carolina, and Jesse Helms was re-elected by 100,000 votes out of 2.2 million cast."
(January, 1992 Church & State)
- Ralph Reed at the 1991
Christian Coalition "Road to
Victory" Conference
. January 1992, Church & State
There is no longer anY. doubt that Pat Robertson and his Christian Coalition have become a
powerful force in America. While this might be alarming enough by itself, it is equally disturbing
that the Christian Coalition has enjoyed this not by participating in the process under the rules that
other political parties, committees and candidates abide by, but by subverting these rules, avoiding
disclosure laws and disregarding the spirit of the laws governing the operation of non-profit
groups. They have run from the bright light of public scrutiny and hijacked the system.
What Are We Up Against?
It is difficult to gauge exactly how large and organized the Christian Coalition has become.
Different sources will cite different statistics, but it is clear that it has grown into a formidable
force in recent years, no longer discounted by anyone involved in public policy debate.
•
Those troops, according to the Associated Press, now number 1.7 million, with over 1,425
local chapters and they armed with an arsenal of a $25 million. (Washington Times,
September 5, 1995)
The Coalition has the structure of a political party, including state and regional field
directors (some taken from Bush or RNC staff), state chairs, various finance divisions, a candidate
recruitment division, etc. The Coalition also has access to and makes use of all of the tools,
resources and methods available to the national party committees, including sophisticated efforts in
fundraising and persuasion mail, polling, paid and free media, voter ID and issue targeting, exit
polling, etc. Although the Coalition is legally limited in its partisan political activities, its
leadership apparently is not hesitant to ignore these limits.
Despite the claims of non-partisanship, Pat Robertson is sometimes candid about the
Coalition's integral role in the Republican Party apparatus. In an April 15, 1995 interview on
CNN's "Evans & Novak" program, he boasted, "I was in South Carolina, where we have elected a
governor, speaker of the House, I believe the various state offices - lieutenant governor, etc.,
13
�where Democrats are switching to the Republican Party, and the Christian Coalition is beloved
there. In certain states maybe there's a hostility. But if you go throughout the South particularly,
you find that the Christian Coalition members pretty much make up the working majority of many
of those state parties." (Transcript, April 15, 1995 "Evans & Novak")
Hijacking the Republican Party Apparatus
In the summer of 1994 the non-partisan magazine Campaigns & Elections performed a
survey of "campaign activists, political consultants, news reporters, university professors and GOP
officials from all 50 states." "They were asked to determine the extent to which the top
Republican party governing bodies in each state (typically the state central committee) consists of
people who are directly affiliated with the Christian right or with organizations commonly
associated with religious conservative causes, such as pro-life and home-schooling." The results
verify the success of the infiltration tactics specifically advocated by the Christian Coalition
leadership.
•
The survey revealed that the Radical Religious Right asserts "dominant strength" in 18 state
Republican parties, with a combined electoral college vote total of 239. While in 13 other
states, accounting for an additional 117 electoral votes, their strength has been determined
to be "substantial." There is no evidence to suggest that their stranglehold has in any way
dwindled since this survey was conducted last summer.
This level of control gives members of the Christian Coalition direct influence over
formation of the party platform; allows them to regulate allocation of campaign resources, to
choose which candidates will receive the coveted party endorsement for open seats, to determine
electoral tactics and to directly apply leverage in the 1996 presidential nomination process.
In addition to being able to handpick candidates for open seats, they also have the ability to
alter the priorities of sitting legislators through simultaneously revealing their conservative ideology
and electoral organizing prowess. As we have all come to learn, nothing endears a politician more
toward certain constituents' viewpoints than their ability to ensure re-election.
Skirting Federal Election Laws
Despite its status as a tax-exempt non-profit organization limited by the IRS in its political
activities, and despite disclosure laws regulating federal electoral activities by the Federal Election
Commission (FEC}, the Christian Coalition engages in avid campaigning for Republican candidates
by circulating stacked "voters' guides" and other means. The group has bragged about its influence
within the party and regularly uses its Road-to-Victory conference and other gatherings to woo
GOP Presidential aspirants. Its long record of aggressive partisanship belies the group's lip-service
to non-involvement.
The Christian Coalition is now under investigation by the Federal Election .Commission for
activities in the 1990 and 1992 election cycles. It has been publically reported that" the FEC has
14
-
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ j
�expanded this investigation to 36 states with Christian Coalition chapters. The FEC, while barred
from discussing cases or verifying details of inquiries, has confirmed that these matters are
currently under review. Christian Coalition leaders in South Carolina have reportedly been
questioned by FEC investigators.
The Coalition was the subject of two FEC complaints for activities in 1990 elections. One
involved the group's activities in Jesse Helms' (R-NC) Senate race, while another related to
campaigns against several Democratic members of Congress.
In the second case, the commission failed to pass a motion finding the Coalition in
violation of federal laws, but a plurality of commissioners did vote in favor of the motion, with
only the two Republican commissioners in attendance rejecting it. In considering the charges
against the Christian Coalition - which originated from the Montana Democratic Party, but which
addressed the organization's election-related activities in several other states- the Commission's
First General Counsel in a March 1992 memo stated that it was a "close call" as to whether the
Christian Coalition had expressly advocated the defeat of various Democratic Congressional
candidates.
Subverting Tax Laws
Pat Robertson has currently gone to court to clear one last stumbling block in his drive to
mold evangelical and fundamentalist churches into a political machine. At present, churches, like
other non-profit entities, are barred by federal tax law from direct or indirect involvement on
behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office. This rule keeps some wary pastors
and congregations from participating in the Christian Coalition's politicking.
To remove that legal barrier, Robertson's legal arm, the American Center for Law and
Justice (ACLJ), has filed suit against the Internal Revenue Service on behalf of a New York
congregation that lost its tax exempt status for partisan electioneering. The Church at Pierce
Creek, an evangelical congregation in Vestal, N.Y., (where anti-abortion radical Randall Terry is a
member) was notified by the IRS of its revocation in January. The federal agency took the action
because the church paid for full-page advertisements in USA Today and The Washington Times
urging Christians to vote against candidate Bill Clinton in the 1992 presidential election.
Robertson's ACLJ claims the IRS rules against church politicking violate the
congregation's First Amendment rights. The suit, Church at Pierce Creek v. Richardson, is
currently pending in federal district court.
15
�Seizing Electoral Victories
The Christian Coalition holds a modified tax-exempt non-profit status that allows it to
endorse candidates for public office but forbids the group from having political activity as its
primary reason for existence. Even a cursory look at the group's activities, however, indicates that
political shilling on behalf of favored office seekers constitutes nearly all of the Coalition's work.
As for political endorsements, Reed insists that the Coalition does not endorse candidates,
but the organization's stacked "voters' guides" are clearly designed to push voters toward
Coalition-anointed candidates in a given race. Coalition staffers sometimes admit to behind-thescenes work on behalf of candidates.
During the 1993 "Road to Victory" Conference, Florida Christian Coalition leader Max
Karrer told a workshop how he helped a Republican defeat a Democrat running for the legislature
by providing lists of Christian voters.
"You want to talk about stealth campaigns," he said. "It was quietly done,
and [the opposition] didn't realize they were in trouble until it was too late ... We
don't give our list to anybody. What we will do is print labels for some people.
That we will do. I sold him the labels, I didn't give them to him. It's legal then,
see.
"For five dollars!
"We were not allowed to give them away, so we charged him five dollars
- but we printed labels for him of the Christian voters, which enabled him to put
the direct mailings to the Christian voters, that he would not necessarily do to the
general public." (Transcript of conference workshop)
The Christian Coalition has been a major force in countless other campaigns for election to
a wide variety of public offices at all levels of state, local and national government. The most
recent and alarming, however, was in the 1994 national elections.
1994- The Watershed Year
In 1994 the Christian Coalition's grassroots network disseminated 35 million voter guides,
17 million Congressional Scorecards and phoned 3 million voters. The Christian Coalition reports
that their constituency of religious conservatives accounted for 33 percent of the national vote on
November 8, with their voters contributing a net vote gain of roughly 6 percent for Republican
candidates. In fact, Republican pollster Frank Luntz (who is also Newt Gingrich's pollster)
conducted an analysis of the November 1994 election and claimed that about 10% of those who
voted were Christian Coalition members.
•
Of the 48 newly elected Republicans in the House, they claim 38 won while embracing
religious conservative themes and religious conservative activists. In addition to the 38
freshmen Congressman the Coalition takes credit for the election of 8 freshman Senators
and seven freshmen governors because of their endorsement of the "pro-family/pro-life"
16
�agenda. ("Religious Conservatives lncre~se Influence in National Election Data, ProFamily/Pro-Life Candidates Account for Most of GOP Gains," Christian Coalition Report,
November 8, 1994)
•
Of those sitting Congressmen and Senators with a I 00 percent Christian Coalition ratings
on their "non-partisan" voter scorecards, everyone returned to Congress. Thirty-four others
who received a 93% rating also won re-election. (See Chapter Five for more on the
makeup of the 104th Congress.)
•
According to a Frank Luntz poll, 33% of the electorate consisted of religious conservatives
-up from 24% in 1992. "This turnout of religious conservative voters and their
overwhelmingly Republican orientation suggests an historic sea change in American
politics. Moving up from 18% in 1988 to the 33% today, turnout of religious conservatives
has almost doubled in just six years." (Christian Coalition Report "Religious Conservatives
Increase Influence in National Election l)ata, Pro-Family/Pro-Life Candidates Account for
Most of GOP Gains," November 8, 1994)
•
The Luntz poll also noted that "religious conservative voters contributed roughly 6% to the
typical Republican candidate - and if the Republican candidate won with less than 53% of
the vote, these voters provided the margin of victory." (Christian Coalition Report
"Religious Conservatives Increase Influence in National Election Data, Pro-Family/Pro-Life
Candidates Account for Most of GOP Gains," November 8, 1994)
•
"Pro-family, pro-life candidates scored victory after victory in virtually every region of the
nation allowing the Republican party to gain control of the U.S. House of Representatives
for the first time since 1946. Indeed, most of those Republican challengers who won
affirmed an agenda that appealed to religious conservatives." (Christian Coalition Report
"Religious Conservatives Increase Influence in national Election Data, Pro-Family/Pro-Life
Candidates Account for Most of GOP Gains," November 8, 1994)
By ensuring that control of both Houses of Congress went to the Republican Party in 1994,
the Christian Coalition also elevated Bob Dole (rated 100% on 1994 Christian Coalition Scorecard)
to his position as Senate Majority Leader and put Newt Gingrich (rated 100% on the 1994
Christian Coalition Scorecard) in the seat of Speaker of the House of Representatives to help
advance its extremist agenda.
Road to Victory Conference
The 1995 Road to Victory Conference (RTV) is a boot camp on precinct organizing for the
new recruits, and a refresher for the veterans of the political trenches. It is here that the Christian
Coalition members will learn how to incorporate the latest technology in political weaponry into
their stealth battle to enact the Pat Robertson agenda. These weapons were tested and refined
during the $1 million dollar lobbying offensive staged by the Christian Coalition on behalf of Newt
Gingrich's political manifesto, "The Contract With The American Family." These weapons
developed in their Virginia Beach armory include phone trees, fax networks, blast E-mail,
17
�computerized bulletin boards, talk radio, direct mail, "non-partisan" voter guides, phone banks and
web pages. (Time Magazine, May 15, 1995)
Attendance at the annual RTV conferences has increased from 800 in 1991 to over 3,200
delegates representing all 50 states at the RTV this past September. Those members then return
home armed with the latest and most effective tactics to engage in political warfare in their home
state, county and precinct. Most members begin their organizing efforts by holding a local
leadership school, where they disseminate to the local Coalition members the blueprint for a
successful road to victory. (The Freedom Writer, January 1994)
Those conducting these local leadership schools come from the national training seminars
with a clear understanding of the Coalition's goal to keep its true agenda under wraps. There is
ample evidence for this in the Pennsylvania Christian Coalition's "County Action Plan" which
promotes a variety of infiltration methods with a caveat to their activists to "never mention the
name Christian Coalition in Republican Circles." (Page 9.1 of "County Action Plan")
The national headquarters is, however, able to maintain tight control over the message and
instructions, indoctrinating their followers through the weapons listed above, as well as "Christian
Coalition Live" which is beamed live via satellite to chapters throughout the country on the third
Tuesday of eyery month. Although the first half of the broadcast is available to anyone with a
dish, the second segment is accessible only for chapters who are previously given a special satellite
address at which to aim their dish.
To assist in organizing the Coalition's ever growing membership, Ralph Reed succeeded in
recruiting a new field general in Charles Cunningham, who formerly served as the Director of
National Legislative. and Political Activities for the National Rifle Association. This NRA
veteran's new title is Director of Voter Education.
The Coalition's 1995 "Road to Victory" Conference is not the only Religious Right
gathering devoted to partisan politics. A major national conclave of the movement's leaders and
grassroots troops is planned for Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 19-20. Planned by long-time activist Ed
McAteer, the "National Affairs Briefing" has the support of Ralph Reed as well as a broad array of
top Religious Right figures, including Sen. Jesse Helms, Jerry Falwell, Gary Bauer, Beverly
LaHaye, Phyllis Schlafly and Don Wildmon. Former Attorney General Ed Meese is also serving
on the steering committee. ("Religious Right group plans presidential forum," Aug. 8 Western
Recorder) Candidate Ronald Reagan cemented his ties with the Religious Right at a 1980 National
Affairs Briefing, telling the crowd, "I know you cannot endorse me, but I want you to know that I
endorse you."
McAteer told the Western Recorder, a Kentucky Baptist newspaper, that there is "no
question" that religious conservatives organized through groups such as the Christian Coalition
represent "the largest single bloc of voters in America." He added that issues on the agenda
include abortion, school prayer, pornography, gun ownership, national defense, homosexuality and
education.
18
�CHAPTER THREE
PRESIDENTIAL PANDERING:
GOP CANDIDATES AND THE CHRISTIAN COALITION
"As activists in the pro-family movement, I think it's our duty to wait for
the candidates to support our causes, to woo our voters, before we jump on
anyone's bandwagon."
-lone Dilley, Iowa Christian Coalition President
May 1995 letter to Coalition members
The Christian Coalition's grassroots power has won Pat Robertson an enviable role as a
presidential king-maker. With former Vice President Dan Quayle, Jack Kemp and William Bennett
out of the race, the Religious Right has no clear favorite among Republican candidates. Robertson,
Reed and other Religious Right leaders have made it clear that they expect to be courted by all of
the candidates. Religious Right forces, they warn, will sit out the '96 election or bolt to a third
party candidate unless the GOP ticket and platform conform to Religious Right views on issues
such as abortion rights, homosexuality, education and church-state relations.
Ralph Reed told the Conservative Political Action Conference Feb. 10, 1995, "Let me be
sincere today. Pro-life and pro-family voters, one third of the electorate, will not support a party
that retreats from its noble and historic defense of traditional values and which has a national ticket
or a platform that does not share Ronald Reagan's belief in the sanctity of human life."
As. a result of these warnings, virtually every major GOP hopeful (with the exceptions of
'Robertson critic Sen. Arlen Specter and Calif. Gov. Pete Wilson, who is pro-choice on abortion)
has made significant overtures to Robertson, Coalition activists and their allies in other Religious
Right groups.
Sen. Robert Dole, Sen. Phil Gramm, Rep. Bob Doman, Sen. Richard Lugar, Lamar
Alexander, Alan Keyes and Pat Buchanan are all scheduled to address the Christian Coalition's
Sept. 8-9 "Road to Victory" Conference in Washington, D.C. Only Wilson has apparently turned
down an invitation. Specter, who has repeatedly criticized the Religious Right's role in the
Republican Party, was not invited. Coalition spokesman Mike Russell told The Washington Times
("Looking Ahead," Aug. 18, 1995 Times) that "it is painfully obvious by the past remarks of
Senator Specter that his message will not mesh with our constituency."
The Christian Coalition has demonstrated its power to manipulate the entire Presidential
selection process by demanding obeisance from whomever runs and by threatening to flex their
political muscle to back a fringe candidate if other candidates fail to toe the line. The three front
runners for the GOP nomination have all received the message loud and clear, and they are avidly
seeking Religious Right approval. Here are some examples:
·
19
�Senator Robert Dole
Underscoring the privileged position Robertson now holds in GOP politics, Bob Dole
delivered a special taped message to the Virginia Beach televangelist on his 65th birthday. Said
Dole, in remarks aired on Robertson's nationally broadcast television program,
"I hope you and Dede [Robertson's wife] can celebrate your 67th birthday
in the White House with Bob and Elizabeth Dole. I certainly look forward to that
and I hope you do, too." ("700 Club" Transcript, March 22, 1995)
There is no candidate who has demonstrated the power of the Christian Coalition to affect
the debate more than Sen. Bob Dole. Serving in Congress for 35 years, the longest serving
Republican, Dole compiled a record that included support for federal programs to help the
disabled, a willingness to cut the budget deficit through both spending cuts and tax increases,
c~ampioning the compromise that got the Voting Rights Act renewed in 1982 and provided
leadership on the creation and funding of a number of social programs including the school lunch
program.
Now, however, Dole has been forced to shore up his relationship with religious
conservatives. Viewed by the Religious Right as a pragmatic politician with little interest in social
issues, the Kansas Republican has taken both symbolic and substantive steps to win the
movement's plaudits.
For instance, Dole has named Judy Haynes, former Christian Coalition deputy executive
director, as deputy political director of his election bid. In addition, Steve Schemer, former
director of the Iowa Christian Coalition, has been chosen to serve as the Dole campaign's liaison to
religious conservatives. (Schemer was wooed unsuccessfully by candidates Gramm and
Buchanan.)
Meanwhile, Dole has taken concrete action in Congress to advance the Religious Right
agenda. Perhaps most significantly, the Senate Majority Leader played the key role in sinking
President Bill Clinton~s Surgeon General nominee, Dr. Henry Foster, after Ralph Reed and other
Religious Right leaders declared the confirmation vote a litmus test of commitment to their issues.
Dole has also moved to adopt Religious Right positions on legislative issues (in the 103rd
Congress he scored 100% on the Christian Coalition Scorecard.) After Reed and his allies
endorsed stringent welfare reform proposals introduced in Congress by Sen. Phil Gramm, Dole
included some of those same proposals in his welfare reform bill. Although civil liberties experts
say aid to religion is unconstitutional, a measure allowing churches to handle federal welfare funds
was also included in the Dole bill.
Dole has also hardened his rhetoric on hot button issues as a testament to his willingness to
put political expediency ahead of long-held personal convictions. His speeches now include
support for organized public school prayer and religious school vouchers, two favorite planks in the
Christian Coalition platform.
20
�Dole has also toughened his stand on homosexuality. After telling The New York Times he
had not "made a judgment" on gays in the military, he and his staff quickly backpedaled and
assured conservatives that he remains opposed to homosexuals serving in the armed forces. In a
letter to the conservative Washington Times ('I oppose lifting the ban on gays in the military,'
March 21 Times), Dole said "we must avoid creating special rights for special groups" and added
that he opposes the "special-interest agenda that runs from gays in the military and reaches as far
as to suggest special status for the sexual orientation under federal civil rights statutes." Dole's
words are reminiscent of Religious Right leaders' rhetoric, which frequently excoriates civil rights
protections for gays as "special rights." More recently Dole returned a $1 ,000 campaign
contribution from the Log Cabin Republican Club after the gift was publicized in the news media.
Dole's wife Elizabeth appeared at the 1994 Christian Coalition "Road to Victory"
Conference to deliver greetings from her husband. This year, Sen. Dole himself will speak on the
topic "Taking America into the 21st Century."
Senator Phil Gramm
Like Dole, Gramm has been perceived by the Religious Right as an economics-focused
conservative with little interest in social issues. To revise that image, the Texas Republican held a
series of meetings last spring with Religious Right leaders, including Robertson, radio preacher
James Dobson and Family Research Council president Gary Bauer. These conversations reportedly
did not go well, with Gramm telling Dobson in April that he was running for president, not
preacher. ("Not Running for Preacher," June 22, 1995, Washington Post)
Since then, however, Gramm has worked feverishly to win favor with the Religious Right.
On May 6 Gramm gave the commencement address at the Rev. Jerry Falwell's Liberty University,
where he combined fiscal conservatism with social issues such school prayer, a ban on gays in the
military and opposition to abortion. In a second speech devoted to social issues at a Heritage
Foundation dinner May 9, Gramm reiterated those themes.
·To further bolster Religious Right support Gramm has hired Georgia Christian Coalition
Chairman Pat Gartland to serve as his deputy national field director. Meanwhile, in Iowa, a key
early presidential caucus state, Gramm has lined up many radical Religious Right supporters,
perhaps accounting for his surprise tie with Dole in the Aug. 19 Ames straw poll. A campaign
official told Human Events ("Iowa Straw Vote Jolts Dole," Sept. 1) that the Texan "has several
Christian Coalition board members and more than 100 local clergymen supporting him."
To solidify this support Gramm has even weighed into a controver-sial Des Moines school
board race, where the Christian Coalition and its allies are trying to oust a board incumbent who
announced that he is gay. Gramm sent a letter to some 6,000 religious conservatives denouncing
public school curricula that teach tolerance of homosexuality. Seeking support for the Ames event,
Gramm took the perhaps unprecedented step of citing the Second Coming of Jesus in a campaign
appeal. "I ask you to tight tirelessly and when you are too tired to go on, remember that there is
only one person who has ever lived whose values we would be willing to see imposed on
21
�America," wrote Gramm. "And when He comes back, He's not going to need government's help to
get the job done."
Gramm's Coalition conference topic is "How Washington Can Win America's Trust."
Pat Buchanan
There is no one who agrees more with the Christian Coalition agenda than Pat Buchanan,
and he has become a willing tool of Robertson in his efforts to move the debate to the right. He
will be given prominent position among the speakers at this year's Road to Victory conference
and the message to the other Presidential candidates will be heard loud and clear: toe the line or
we will go with Pat.
a
With his "culture war" rhetoric and strong stand on social issues, Buchanan is a favorite of
many in the Religious Right. Writing in Human Events March 3, 1995, Buchanan relied on the
bombastic style that many religious conservatives love. "Sensing, rightly, that America's culture is
under attack from within, [Americans] are looking for a leadership that will cease appeasing those
.who despise America's past, assault her monuments, trash her history, and mock our traditions and
beliefs," Buchanan observed. "There is a war on for the hearts and minds of our children; and as
someone said in Houston three summers ago, it is a war for the soul of America and it will not end
in a brokered peace."
Operating with less cash than other campaigns, Buchanan is depending heavily on the far
right's grassroots troops to carry his effort forward. The candidate told The Washington Times
March 14, 1995, "We'll work with coalitions -right-to-life folks, the traditional Catholics,
Protestants and Jews, the Christian Coalition people, the pro-gun folks, the national sales tax
groups, the English-only people and those concerned about immigration."
Guy Rodgers, former Christian Coalition field director, was chosen to serve as Buchanan's.
campaign manager. Marlene Elwell, who helped lead Robertson's 1988 presidential bid and
remains a top Christian Coalition operative, is a senior Buchanan campaign adviser. (Buchanan
has also landed the endorsement of the Rev. Donald Wildmon, a Mississippi preacher who heads
the American Family Association, a Religious Right group that claims 500,000 supporters.)
Buchanan is scheduled to give the "keynote address" at the Saturday night banquet of the
Coalition's Road to Victory Conference. This top program billing -shared with Coalition favorite
Oliver North- suggests that Buchanan is viewed as the preferred GOP choice even though he
lags behind Dole and Gramm in public opinion polls.
22
-~-----------------------------
---------
- - - _ _ _ _ __ _ j
�CHAPTER FOUR
ROBERTSON AND ALLIES ON OTHER PUBLIC POLICY MATTERS
Despite Robertson's implicit and explicit claims that his views are derived from a desire to
see America follow the teachings of Holy Scripture, he extends his opinions well beyond issues
addressed in the Bible. It is in some of these other public policy areas that his allies in the U.S.
Congress and elsewhere seem equally willing to follow his teachings. In the final chapter of this
report, we discuss some of the legislative initiatives introduced and supported by his loyalists. It is
important to keep in mind what Robertson ultimately thinks about some of these issues in trying to
predict what America would be like were he successful.
On Education
Robertson has suggested that "tax money spent on public education instills atheism in our
society." (Federal News Service, Sept. 11, 1992)
. . . In a high-pitched voice, more fervent than the almost laconic tone he
uses as host of the 700 Club television show, he gave a brutally blunt political
speech. "This gang of idiots running the ACLU, the National Education
Association, the National Organization of Women, they don't want religious
principles in our schools," he said. "Instead of teaching the 10 Commandments,
they want to teach kids how to be homosexuals." (The Orlando Sentinel, December
9, 1989)
.
His support for religious school vouchers is clearly aimed directly at the idea of an
effective end to secular education .
. . . At the same time the scandal of American public education will surely
have forced the adoption of freedom of choice voucher plans and a wholesale
overhaul of public education. (Pat Robertson's Perspective, May/June, 1991)
In Georgia, Robertson supporters even opposed a move to make public schools more like
religious schools -- through teaching "values" (like "respect for others"). Such radical notions
fomented by secular institutions, Robertson supporters contended, would undermine that most
delicate of institutions -- the American family. Specifically, some Robertson followers apparently
"expressed fears that their children's Christian values would be undermined by teaching such traits
as tolerance and moderation."
... Teaching values in the public schools without a biblical base would be
opening a "Pandora's box" that some Christian parents find objectionable ...
(several) people spoke in favor of the state proposal that would teach three broad
topics of self-respect, respect for others and citizenship. But about a dozen people
expressed fears that their children's Christian values would be undermined by
teaching such traits as tolerance and moderation. Most advocated "absolute values"
23
�based on Judeo-Christian beliefs. "When you begin teaching tolerance, what all are
we going to be tolerant or?" asked Cindy Cathy, a Clayton parent. "As a Christian, I
am intolerant of sin." ... "We're afraid of what's going to happen when we open
the door," said Randy Keith, who represents a Christian Coalition in Clayton
County. "Let's keep the door closed. We're afraid of losing our children to a
government school system." (The Atlanta Constitution, February 14, 1991)
On Helping Children
Four years ago in Arkansas, the Coalition opposed efforts by then Gov. Bill Clinton to help
prepare underprivileged children for kindergarten, suggesting that this early preparation somehow
usurped the parental role.
Gov. Bill Clinton's legislative push to get underprivileged youngsters ready
for kindergarten sailed through a House committee Thursday without objection . . .
(The bill) is designed to establish preschool programs in all 75 Arkansas counties ..
. The only opposition came from representatives of Christian groups who worried
the "Arkansas Better Chance Program" would lead to mandatory school attendance
by age 3 and excessive government control over young children ... preschool
educators who have seen how early intervention gets youngsters ready for
kindergarten praised the committee's action ... Opal Crow, superintendent of the
Tillar School District in Desha County, said his school spends $1,500 per child of
federal Title 1 funds for a preschool program he says will pay for itself. "It's the
greatest thing we've done in 15 years," he said. Ten children in the Tillar program
were 18 months behind in mental and intellectual development when they began the
program. Crow said they will be ready to read when they start the first grade. "It's
easier to prevent early than correct late," he said.
Mark Lowry of the Christian Coalition of Arkansas warned against
developing programs that would allow the state to usurp parental authority. "The
services the family is responsible for- nurturing, feeding- are being given over to
the schools," he said. (The Commercial Appeal, February 1, 1991)
In La Mesa, California, a group called the Christian Coalition (presumably the local
chapter) opposed a feeding program for school children, despite the fact that one quarter of the
children would thus go hungry .
. . . As the dissidents saw this, it's to be regretted that roughly one-quarter
of their pupils come to school hungry each day. But it is up to the parents, not
government, to feed children, and "We shouldn't take away a parental
responsibility" ... (Christian Coalition member Donald J.) Smith scorned the food
program as "one more example of government interference in family life." (!'he
San Diego Union Tribune, 3/24/92)
24
�On the Justice System
"The courts are merely a ruse, if you will, for humanist, atheistic educators
to beat up on Christians." (Pat Robertson, The 700 Club, Oct. 2, 1990)
"I am bound by the laws of the United States and all SO states .. .I am not
bound by any case or any court to which I myself am not a party .. .I don't think the
Congress of the United States is subservient to the courts ...They can ignore a
Supreme Court ruling if they so choose." (Pat Robertson, interview with The
Washington Post editorial board, June 27, 1986)
On Taxes
The longer-term goal advocated by Pat Robertson and the Christian Coalition more
resembles eliminating the ability of the Federal .Government to raise revenue as a means both of
cutting taxes for the wealthy and crippling the ability of the federal government to provide for any
national programs at all.
. . . There is only one way out [of current national/international economic
decline]. A virtual scrapping of most of the federal government's entitlement
programs other than Social Security, a drastic overhaul and reduction of defense
spending, and a dramatic program to encourage personal savings and family
formation. Entire government departments, such as the Department of Education
should be abolished ... (Pat Robertson's Perspective, Undated)
(Robertson refers to taxes as) ... "extracted from me under the coercive
power of the federal government . . . (The Atlanta Constitution, October 8, 1990)
"God's way is every SO years to have a jubilee and cancel all the debts.
That's the only way to solve the recession and the national debt." (Federal News
Service, Sept. 11, 1992)
On Abortion
Pat Robertson calls abortion "a slaughter. A million and a half babies. It rivals - it
exceeds - the Holocaust of Adolph Hitler." (August 17, 1992, "Larry King Live")
"You know who's pushing [abortion]. You saw some of those women out
there. I mean those women aren't ever going to have a baby by anybody. I mean,
these are primarily lesbians and, lesbians don't have babies. And it's the one thing
a mother has- that a lesbian can never have - is this femininity, and they can never
achieve that. And so, in order to level the field, they say, 'Hey, let you abort your
baby so you'll be like us, because we don't have them.' ... They don't like
families." (Pat Robertson, 700 Club, July IS, 1990)
2S
�The willingness of the Christian Coalition to use subterfuge and trickery to
advance its anti-choice agenda is well-established.
"... When I communicate to pro-abortion voters what am I gonna
communicate with them about? Well, right here, the third voter down [on the ID
list is] ... a pro-abortion Republican; they got a letter about water. Saying that we
were going to do something about the terrible problem of water shortages in
Virginia Beach ... We identified issue_ burdens. We didn't really care what it was
... We had some people concerned about NEA funding of pornography ... race
relations ... we just wrote 'em all down." (Ralph Reed, unofficial transcript from
Nov. 15-16, 1991, Road to Victory conference)
... Ralph Reed Jr., head of the Virginia-based Christian Coalition, said he
felt sorry for the pro-choice advocates at the platform hearings. "They look like
steers who showed up at a cattlemen's convention." Reed also promised the U.S.
Supreme court opinion legalizing abortion will be overturned. "Roe vs. Wade is
dead and we're dancing on its grave," Reed said. (The Deseret News, May 27,
1992)
... Mirroring the divisive split seen in a handful of other Republican
Assembly primaries here and throughout California, former Assemblyman Jeff
Marston, a moderate backed by Gov. Pete Wilson, faces Dan Van Tieghem
(California Christian Coalition Director) ... (Van Tieghem frames) his thinking in
blunt terms that make even his philosophical allies uncomfortable. For example,
Van Tieghem likens pro-choice advocacy on abortion to the atmosphere in
pre-Hitler Germany - a stance that clearly places him in the far-right faction he
assiduously tries to avoid by describing himself as ''an Eisenhower-type
Republican." ... "Before Hitler took over, Germany had abortions, and that's
where the loss of respect for life began,'' said Van Tieghem, who has been arrested
three times for his Operation Rescue abortion protests. "People blame Hitler for
everything that happened, but the lack of respect for life was already there." · The
pro-choice movement, Van Tieghem adds, has also spawned support for euthanasia
and for programs assisting those wanting to commit suicide. (The Los Angeles
Times, May 28, 1992)
On Morality
... "The notion that you can't legislate morality is simply not true," said
Don Brown, head of the Christian Coalition in Walton County. "Law, by its nature,
is someone's definition of what is right. By definition, it is legislated morality. The
question is really, whose morality are you going to legislate? (News & Sun-Sentinel
(Orlando), June 21, 1992)
26
�On Tolerance
"It is interesting, that termites don't build things, and the great builders of
our nation almost to a man have been Christians, because Christians have the desire
to build something. He is motivated by love of man and God, so he builds. The
people who have come into [our] institutions [today] are primarily termites. They
are into destroying institutions that have been built by Christians, whether it is
universities, governments, our own traditions, that we have .... The termites are in
charge now, and that is not the way it ought to be, and the time has arrived for a
godly fumigation." (Pat Robertson, New York Magazine, August 18, 1986)
"You say you're supposed to be nice to the Episcopalians and the
Presbyterians and the Methodists and this, that, and the other thing. Nonsense. I
don't have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist. I can love the people who hold
false opinions but I don't have to be nic~ to them. (Pat Robertson, 700 Club,
January 14, 1991)
"When lawlessness is abroad in the land, the same thing will happen here
that happened in Nazi Germany. Many of those people involved in Adolf Hitler
were Satanists, many of them were homosexuals -- the two things seem to go
together." (Pat Robertson, 700 Club, 1992) ·
One of the nation's best-known evangelical leaders Wednesday issued a
thinly-veiled threat to ... supporters of the National Endowment for the Arts warning that voters would associate them with "sodomy, child pornography and
attacks on Jesus Christ." ... The advertisement also contained a threat that the
Christian Coalition would send copies of controversial artwork by photographer
Robert Mapplethorpe and artist Andres Serrano to voters throughout the country.
(States News Service, June 20, 1990)
We rej~ct the claim that, in any or all of the areas, tolerance requires the
promotion of moral equivalence between the normative and the deviant. (Pat
Robertson, in "Evangelicals and Catholics Together: The Christian Mission in the
Third Millennium," of which he is co-signatory, March 31, 1994.)
How can there be peace when drunkards, drug dealers, communists, atheists,
New Age worshipers of Satan, secular humanists, oppressive dictators, greedy
moneychangers, revolutionary assassins, adulterers, and homosexuals are on top?
(Pat Robertson, in The New World Order, 1991, p. 227.)
On Women
... "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
27
I
�lesbians." That is what television evangelist Pat Robertson wrote in a recent letter to
help raise money to defeat Amendment I, an Iowa ballot initiative that would
extend the protections of the state constitution to women ... The three page Jetter
was paid for by the Christian Coalition of Chesapeake, Va., and was an in-kind
contribution to the Iowa Committee to Stop ERA. It was sent to households in
Iowa and around the country that have contributed to the Christian Coalition. (/'he
Washington Post, August 23, 1992)
... (Robertson) chastised women legislators who support no fault divorce
laws that he says encourage men to split. "Any woman who votes for no fault
divorce is like a turkey voting for Thanksgiving," Robertson said, paraphrasing a
conservative commentator. (The State-Record, Columbia, SC, June 28, 1992)
"I know this is painful for the ladies to hear, but if you get married, you
have accepted the headship of a man, your husband. Christ is the head of the
household and the husband is the head of the wife, and that's the way it is, period."
(Federal News Service, Sept. 11, 1992, quoting a Ro~ertson newsletter.)
"Why are so many marriages falling apart? Why is the divorce rate so high?
... Why is there such a tragedy in marriage?...Now the basic answer to the basic
problem of marriages today is a question of leadership. The wife actually makes the
husband the head of the household and she looks to him and she says 'now you
pray, and I'm going to pray for you that the Lord will speak to you." (Pat
Robertson, 700 Club, May 22, 1986.)
On Crime Control and Prevention:
During debate over last year's sweeping crime bill, which included crime prevention
methods as well as an assault weapons ban, Ralph Reed said:
We are very concerned that the crime bill discriminates against the free
exercise of religious beliefs. It would make it impossible to impart to young people
the best values of Western civilization. (Washington Times, September, 1994.)
Conspiracies
... A sample of Robertson's bizarre ravings: The U.S. government is
secretly controlled by the Council on Foreign Relations. God intends to destroy the
Soviet Union with volcanoes and the occasional earthquake. The Antichrist, age 27,
has returned to Earth and awaits Satan's instructions. (The Miami Herald, July 11,
1990)
On Democrats
. . . As one delegate from the Christian Coalition angrily told a reporter on
28
�the convention floor: "You can't be a Christian and a Democrat." (The Baltimore
Morning Sun, August 21, 1992)
On Compassion for the Needy
When the poor rise up it's because there's an upper-class reformer
somewhere stirring them up.- Pat Robertson, in The New World Order (1991), p.
17.
On Militias and the Oklahoma City Bombing:
You know, here on this program and at CBN we have been strong
supporters of law enforcement...but since the advent of the head of the Justice
Department, Janet Reno, things have gotten out of control. Something is just going
on that is just very unwholesome in this. nation and you look for an explanation of
this craziness in Oklahoma City and a lot of it goes right back to what happened
with the Branch Davidians, Randy Weaver, and these other people. This is
shocking abuse of federal power. It's reminiscent of the Nazis, and something has
got to be done. -Pat Robertson, on 700 Club, July 11, 1995
On that same episode of the 700 Club, Robertson presented as an expert Robert Fletcher,
spokesman for Militia of Montana, in whose network of organized para-military groups Oklahoma
City bomber Till}othy Me Veigh participated and some of whose members openly espouse sympathy
for neo-Nazi groups.
29
----------------
�CHAPTER FIVE
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IN THE l04TH CONGRESS
"We are on a roll. .. We never expected to make so much progress so
quickly. We recognize that the wheels of legislative progress tum slowly. Our
grassroots will stay engaged until the final item is passed and signed by this or a
future president."
-Ralph Reed
Christian Coalition
Press Release, August 7, 1995
It is clear by now that the Christian Coalition has the political muscle to win races. As
discussed in Chapter Two, Coalition activists and their allies have taken over Republican Party
committees across much of America, they have won school board races, state legislative races and
other political campaigns. They enjoy the support of the majority leadership in both the U.S.
House and the U.S. Senate, and they have succeeded in convincing leading presidential candidates
to come to them, hat in hand, to pay homage and seek their support, promising fealty to the goals
of Pat Robertson. What, however, is the real price of this allegiance? What is it that Pat
Robertson wants in return.?
Neither Pat Robertson nor Ralph Reed has ever been shy about stating in very clear terms
what they think is wrong with America, nor how they would fix it once in power (see Chapters
One and Four). They have, however, become both more clever and much more politically savvy
over the last few years. Recent statements are marked by a notable softening in rhetoric.
Statements with undertones of anti-Semitism, condemnation and divine inspiration are made with
much less frequency. Appeals to family and concern about economic policy are more likely.
The "Contract With the American Family," the Christian Coalition's latest statement of its
legislative priorities, is remarkable for its relative moderation. Rather than a call for an outright
ban on all abortions, only "late-term" abortions would be regulated. Instead of an assault on
homosexuals, one sees a call for a tax-break for families. Where once there was a demand for
Christian prayer in public schools, now there is an amendment to "restore religious equality."
While Pat Robertson once declared that public schools instilled atheism in our children and should
be abolished, now he asks only for "school choice."
There is no reason to believe that Pat Robertson and his allies have· abandoned their
ultimate quest to reshape America in their image (see Chapters One and Four for more on the
ultimate goals of the Christian Coalition), but they understand the need to move slowly. The truth
is that much of their recent agenda is nothing more than a brilliant public relations ploy to
repackage their agenda in less alarming rhetoric. It is little more than a Trojan Horse, which when
allowed entry into the law of the land, will have repercussions far greater and far different than is
obvious from what is being offered.
30
�Onward Christian Solcliers
This chapter attempts a careful consideration of where America is heading now that the
Christian Coalition has succeeded in demonstrating its political power in the electoral arena. We
know what the group's allies have done in local school boards across America; what has received
less attention is what they intend to do on broader issues of national public policy now that their
influence has grown over the U.S. Congress and potentially in a White House occupied by Phil
Gramm, Bob Dole, Pat Buchanan or any of the other Presidential aspirants who march to this
year's Road to Victory Conference to seek the blessing of the Christian Coalition activists.
Since 1994, the Christian Coalition and its allies have succeeded in electing scores of
House members and Senators who are doing their bidding and who continue to measure their every
legislative action against the desires of the Christian Coalition. Chapter two discusses some of
these successes in detail, but focusing solely on the current Congress, we note the following:
•
In the 104th Congress there are 114 Members who either scored 100% on the 1994
,
Christian Coalition scorecard or who are freshmen and were elected with the backing of the
Christian Coalition (and were explicitly embraced by the Coalition as candidates who
supported its agenda.)
•
In the 104th Congress their are 26 Senators who either scored 100% on the 1994 Christian
Coalition scorecard or who are freshmen and were elected with the backing of the Christian
Coalition (and explicitly embraced by the Coalition as candidates who supported its
agenda.)
•
An additional 31 House Members and 5 Senate Members scored 93% or 92% on the
Christian Coalition 1994 scorecard.
•
An additional 20 House Members and 2 Senators received 86% scores on the 1994
Christian Coalition Scorecard.
•
An additional 79 House Members and 16 Senators received scores over 50% from the
Christian Coalition in 1994.
•
An alarming 165 Members of the House and 33 Senators are willing to support the
Christian Coalition at least 86% of the time! 1
1 Following is a list of those Members of the House and Senate who comprise this Jist of loyal soldiers of the Christian Coalition. For the
purposes of this re~rt we are defining as I 00% rated those freshmen whose victories were celebrated by the Christian Coalition in its
November 8, 1994 report as winning their elections because of their support for and appeals to religious conservative activists.
Representatives who won reelection in 1994 and who scored a 100% rating based on the 1994 Christian Coalition Scorecard:
Callahan (AL), Everett (AL), Bachus (AL), Young (AK), Stump (AZ), Hutchinson (AR), Dickey (AR), Herger (CA), Doolittle (CA), Baker
(CA), Pombo (CA), Moorhead (CA), Royce (CA), Lewis (CA), Calvert (CA), Doman (CA), Packard (CA), Cunningham (CA), Hunter (CA),
(continued ...)
31
�It is these 165 House Members and 33 Senators who comprise the core of the Christian
Coalition supporters in the U.S. Congress. It is these loyal Robertson soldiers who appear to be
willing to do the bidding of the Christian Coalition whenever called upon. Obviously, it is
impossible to predict just how far they will go in supporting the extremist views of Robertson in
the future, but what are they doing right now, in the 104th Congress? These are the Congressmen,
Congresswomen and Senators who the Christian Coalition supports and who know that their
elections and future reelections may depend on continued loyalty to Pat Robertson and his allies.
It is a useful exercise to examine the agenda of these legislators and see what America would be
like today if their current ideas were enacted into law.
Are these positions all· the absolute dictum of the Christian Coalition? Will these Robertson
soldiers, if given more power, implement the broader Robertson agenda described in Chapters One
and Four? It is impossible to see into the future and predict the answers to these questions.
Nevertheless, we can conclude that these Robertson allies show a remarkable unity in backing a
1
( ...continued)
Allard (CO), Hefley (CO), Stearns (FL), Mica (FL), McCollum (FL), Canady (FL), Kingston (GA), Collins (GA), Gingrich (GA), Crapo (10),
Hyde (IL), Ewing (IL), Manzullo (IL), Burton (IN), Roberts (KS), Bunning (KY), Baker (LA), Bartlett (MD), Hoekstra (MI), Ehlers (MI),
Knollenberg (MI), Talent (MO), Hancock (MO), Emerson (MO), Vucanovich (NV), Smith (NJ), Solomon (NY), Paxon (NY), Coble (NC),
Ballenger (NC), Taylor (NC), Portman (OH), Oxley (OH), Boehner (OH), Kasich (OH), Shuster (PA), Walker (PA), Spence (SC), Inglis (SC),
Duncan (TN), Johnson (TX), Archer (TX), Fields (TX), Stenholm (TX), DeLay (TX), Armey (TX), Hansen (UT), Goodlatte (VA), Bliley
(VA), Wolf(VA), Sensenbrenner (WI).
The following are freshmen Members who, according to the Christian Coalition report of November 8, 1994, are pro-life/pro-family
candidates who won election with the support of religious conservative activists and embraced religious conservative themes: Salmon (AZ),
Hayworth (AZ), Shadegg (AZ), Radanovich (CA), Seasb'and (CA), Scarborough (FL), Weldon (FL), Barr (GA), Chambliss (GA), Chenoweth
(IC), Weller (IL), Mcintosh (IN), Souder (IN), Hostettler (IN), Brownback (KS), Tiahrt (KS), Lewis (KY), Gutknecht (MN), Wicker (MS),
Christensen (NE), Forbes (NY), Funderburk (NC), Jones (NC), Myrick (NC), Chabot (OH), Cremeans (OH), Ney (OH), LaTourette (OH),
Largent (OK), Coburn (OK), Watts (OK), Cooley (OR), English (PA), Wamp (TN), Hilleary (TN), Stockman (TX), Thornberry (TX), GreeneWaldholtz (UT), Metcalf (WA), Smith (WA), Hastings (WA), Tate (WA), Neumann (WI), Cubin (WY).
Senators who won reelection in 1994 and who scored I00% ratings based on 1994 Christian Coalition Scorecard: Murkowski (AK),
Mack (FL), Coverdell (GA), Craig (ID), Kempthome (ID), Coats (IN), Grassley (lA), Dole (KS), Lott (MS), Bums (MT), Smith (NH), Helms
(NC), Faircloth (NC), Nickles (OK), Pressler (SD), Hatch (UT). Also former House Members, now in the Senate, who scored 100"10 on the
1994 Christian Coalition Scorecard: Grams (MN), lnhofe (OK).
Freshman Senators who, according to the Christian Coalition report of November 8, 1994, are pro-life/pro-family candidates who
won election with the support of religious conservative activists and embraced religious conservative themes: Kyl (AZ), Abraham (MI),
Ashcroft (MO), DeWine (OH), Santorum (PA), Thomas (WY)
Representatives with 93% ratings based on 1994 Christian Coalition Scorecard: McKeon (CA), Kim (CA), Schaefer (CO), Bilirakis
(FL), Young (FL), Goss (FL), Linder (GA), Crane I(IL), Hastert (IL), Buyer (IN), Myers (IN), Nussle (lA), Lightfoot (lA), Livingston (LA),
Tauzin (LA), McCrery (LA), Camp (MI), Smith (Ml), Taylor (MS), King (NY), McHugh (NY), Walsh (NY), Quinn (NY), lstook (OK),
Barton (TX), Geren (TX), Combest (TX), Smith (TX), Bonilla (TX), Petri (WI), Saxton (NJ).
Senators with 93% ratings based on 1994 Christian Coalition Scorecard: McCain (AZ), McConnell (KY), Cochran (MS), Thurmond
(SC), Bennett (92%, UT).
Members of the House who received 86% ratings on the 1994 Christian Coalition Scorecard: Gallegly (CA), Dreier (CA), Miller
(FL), Shaw (FL), Deal (GA), Fawell (IL), Rogers (KY), Hayes (LA), Upton (MI), Peterson (MN), Barrett (NE), Zeliff (NH), Zimmer (NJ),
Regula (OH), Gekas (PA), Goodling (PA), Hall (TX), Bateman (VA), Dunn (WA), Roth (WI).
Members ofthe.Senate who received 86% ratings on the 1994 Christian Coalition Scorecard: Brown (CO), Gregg (85%, NH),
Gramm (TX),.
32
�wide range of broad changes in American law. We can draw conclusions about how those
Members- who enjoy Christian Coalition support and express fealty to Robertson's political
machine - are acting now in the I 04th Congress. We can predict that America will be a far
different place if they or future Christian Coalition legislators gain the power necessary to enact
these ideas into the law of the land.
Pat Robertson's supporters, in the I 04th Congress have proposed:
•
That the U.S. Constitution be amended to fundamentally eviscerate the First Amendment's
church-state separation provision.
•
That the Department of Education be abolished, tax dollars be spent on private schools
instead of public schools and many higher education financial aid programs be eliminated.
•
That new laws be· enacted to ". . . protect the fundamental right of a parent to direct the
upbringing of a child, and for other purposes ... "
•
That retroactive taxes be prohibited, the IRS abolished and a flat tax enacted.
•
That all abortions be criminalized and that federal funding for abortions be denied.
•
That the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Council on the Humanities be
abolished.
•
That the Office of the Surgeon General be terminated.
•
That the Department of Commerce be abolished.
•
That the Department of Housing and Urban Development be abolished and funding cut for
many of its services.
•
That the Department of Energy be abolished.
•
That the death penalty be imposed for the intentional transmission of the HIV virus.
•
That the exclusionary rule be limited.
•
That the assault weapons ban be gutted or. repealed.
•
That citizenship be denied to those born in the U.S. to non-citizen mothers.
•
That non-citizens be excluded from a variety of social assistance and welfare programs
including Housing assistance, food stamps and AFDC.
•
That Clean Air enforcement provisions be eliminated or delayed.
33
�•
That enforcement of endangered species laws that limit the rights of private property
owners be restricted.
•
That the Davis Bacon Act be repealed .
•
That federal rules prohibiting hiring replacement workers for strikers on federal
construction projects be repealed.
•
That a National Right To Work law outlawing closed union shops be enacted .
•
That exceptions to the enforcement of minimum wage laws be allowed .
•
That the powers of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration be restricted by
requiring cost-benefit analyses of new rules, restricting rules relating to toxic materials,
limiting inspections at the workplace and limiting employer penalties.
•
That federal welfare programs be ended by replacing them with limited block grants to the
states and requiring states to cut .off welfare for mothers under 19 years old or for children
whose paternity has not been established.
•
That spending be restricted on newly established welfare block grants, Head Start, social
services to immigrants and assistance programs to Indians and that other social programs be
eliminated including: Social Security programs for AFDC, Supplemental Security Income,
foster care and adoption assistance, medical aid for mothers, children and migrant workers,
food stamps, school lunch programs, nutrition for the elderly, school breakfast programs,
housing aid, the Low-Income Energy Assistance program, Pell grants and other Higher
Education assistance, Elementary and Secondary Education programs, job training
programs, Community Service Block Grants, the Legal Services Corporation, emergency
food and shelter programs administered by FEMA, family planning programs, VISTA, and
Appalachian Regional Development programs.
•
That welfare benefits be denied to certain aliens, families without a minor child, families
not cooperating in paternity establishment, children born out of wedlock to a minor parent,
minor children born to benefit recipients and others.
•
That implementation of the motor-voter bill of 1993 be delayed .
•
That English be declared the official language of the U.S., requiring the use of English by
federal employees dealing with citizens and repealing bilingual education programs and
bilingual voting assistance.
•
That "... the direct or indirect use of Federal funds to promote, condone, accept, or
celebrate homosexuality, lesbianism, or bisexuality ..." be prohibited
•
That it be illegal to grant preferential treatment to minorities in hiring practices .
34
�•
That federal government affirmative action programs be abolished.
In the following pages, we examine, in detail, the legislative agendas of these Robertson
soldiers. What are they are proposing today as the law of the land?
Trojan Horse Strategy
Remarkably, Ralph Reed is completely up-front about his change in strategy and about how
the Christian Coalition has no intention of abandoning long-held goals. On the contrary, the
language of the published versions of the "Contract With the American Family," goes to great
pains to assure supporters that this document is nothing more than a ruse designed to gain public
acceptance for a more alarming agenda to come. It is a first step, a public relations ploy designed
to gamer support from a wider constituency.
The introduction to "The Contract With ~he American Family" explains the timing and
context of these proposals in a frank and illuminating manner. While implicitly abandoning prior
claims that the Christian Coalition is a non-partisan, educational entity, the document begins with
an explicit celebration of conservative Republican control of the 104th Congress. The introduction
then goes on to outline the recent efforts of the Christian Coalition, in the first 100 days of the
new Congress, to assist the new leadership in the passage of Newt Gingrich's "Contract With
America."
... The 104th Congress devoted its first hundred days to the Contract with
America, including a Balanced Budget Amendment, tax relief for families, welfare
reform, and term limits. Christian Coalition enthusiastically supported the Contract
and launched one of the most extensive grassroots campaigns in its history to
support the Contract's passage. The Coalition will continue this effort as the
Contract moves through the Senate. . .
"The Contract With the American Family" then launches into an overt political analysis of
the opportunity that the Christian Coalition has seized in order to advance some portions of its
long-held political and social goals. Polling data are discussed and a frank admission is made that
this document is designed to make small steps toward what are admittedly more alarming and less
popular goals .
. . . These items do not represent the pro-family movement's entire agenda.
There are many other prominent pro-family organizations that will work on many
other issues . . . This contract is designed to be the first word, not the last word, in
developing a bold and incremental start to strengthening the family and restoring
values ...
The document repeatedly refers to polling data by Republican pollsters Richard Wirthlin,
and Frank Luntz (the pollster who assisted Newt Gingrich in designing "The Contract With
America.")
35
�CHAPTER FIVE
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IN THE 104TH CONGRESS
"We are on a roll. .. We never expected to make so much progress so
quickly. We recognize that the wheels of legislative progress tum slowly. Our
grassroots will stay engaged until the final item is passed and signed by this or a
future president."
-Ralph Reed
Christian Coalition
Press Release, August 7, 1995
It is clear by now that the Christian Coalition has the political muscle to win races. As
discussed in Chapter Two, Coalition activists and their allies have taken over Republican Party
committees across much of America, they have won school board races, state legislative races and
other political campaigns. They enjoy the support of the majority leadership in both the U.S.
House and the U.S. Senate, and they have succeeded in convincing leading presidential candidates
to come to them, hat in hand, to pay homage and seek their support, promising fealty to the goals
of Pat Robertson. What, however, is the real price of this allegiance? What is it that Pat
Robertson wants in return.?
Neither Pat Robertson nor Ralph Reed has ever been shy about stating in very clear terms
what they think is wrong with America, nor how they would fix it once in power (see Chapters
One and Four). They have, however, become both more clever and much more politically savvy
~ver the last few years. Recent statements are marked by a notable softening in rhetoric.
Statements with undertones of anti-Semitism, condemnation and divine inspiration are made with
much less frequency. Appeals to family and concern about economic policy are more likely.
The "Contract With the American Family," the Christian Coalition's latest statement of its
legislative priorities, is remarkable for its relative moderation. Rather than a call for an outright
ban on all abortions, only "late-term" abortions would be regulated. Instead of an assault on
homosexuals, one sees a call for a tax-break for families. Where once there was a demand for
Christian prayer in public schools, now there is an amendment to "restore religious equality."
While Pat Robertson once declared that public schools instilled atheism in our children and should
be abolished, now he asks only for "school choice."
There is no reason to believe that Pat Robertson and his allies have· abandoned their
ultimate quest to reshape America in their image (see Chapters One and Four for more on the
ultimate goals of the Christian Coalition), but they understand the need to move slowly. The truth
is that much of their recent agenda is nothing more than a brilliant public relations ploy to
repackage their agenda in less alarming rhetoric. It is little more than a Trojan Horse, which when
allowed entry into the law of the land, will have repercussions far greater and far different than is
obvious from what is being offered.
30
�Onward Christian So/cliers
This chapter attempts a careful consideration of where America is heading now that the
Christian Coalition has succeeded in demonstrating its political power in the electoral arena. We
know what the group's allies have done in local school boards across America; what has received
less attention is what they intend to do on broader issues of national public policy now that their
influence has grown over the U.S. Congress and potentially in a White House occupied by Phil
Gramm, Bob Dole, Pat Buchanan or any of the other Presidential aspirants who march to this
year's Road to Victory Conference to seek the blessing of the Christian Coalition activists.
Since 1994, the Christian Coalition and its allies have succeeded in electing scores of
House members and Senators who are doing their bidding and who continue to measure their every
legislative action against the desires of the Christian Coalition. Chapter two discusses some of
these successes in detail, but focusing solely on .the current Congress, we note the following:
•
In the I 04th Congress there are 114 Members who either scored 100% on the 1994
Christian Coalition scorecard or who are freshmen and were elected with the backing of the
Christian Coalition (and were explicitly embraced by the Coalition as candidates who
supported its agenda.)
•
In the I 04th Congress their are 26 Senators who either scored 100% on the 1994 Christian
Coalition scorecard or who are freshmen and were elected with the backing of the Christian
Coalition (and explicitly embraced by the Coalition as candidates who supported its
agenda.)
•
An additional 31 House Members and 5 Senate Members scored 93% or 92% on the
Christian Coalition 1994 scorecard.
•
An additional 20 House Members and 2 Senators received 86% scores on the 1994
Christian Coalition Scorecard.
•
An additional 79 House Members and 16 Senators received scores over 50% from the
Christian Coalition in 1994.
•
An alarming 165 Members of the House and 33 Senators are willing to support the
Christian Coalition at least 86% of the time! 1
z Following is a list of those Members of the House and Senate who comprise this list of loyal soldiers of the Christian Coalition. For the
purposes of this report we are defining as I00% rated those freshmen whose victories were celebrated by the Christian Coalition in its
November 8, 1994 report as winning their elections because of their support for and appeals to religious conservative activists.
Representatives who won reelection in 1994 and who scored a 100% rating based on the 1994 Christian Coalition Scorecard:
Callahan (AL), Everett (AL), Bachus (AL), Young (AK), Stump (AZ), Hutchinson (AR), Dickey (AR), Herger (CA), Doolittle (CA), Baker
(CA), Pombo (CA), Moorhead (CA), Royce (CA), Lewis (CA), Calvert (CA), Doman (CA), Packard (CA), Cunningham (CA), Hunter (CA),
(continued...) ·
31
�... The Contract with the American Family emerged from a survey of
Christian Coalition members and supporters conducted in March and April 1995. It
has been improved during the drafting process by extensive polling and focus
groups and consultations with members of Congress and their staffs. Each item in
the Contract enjoys support from between 60 and 90 percent of the American
people. More than half of the items in the Contract already have legislative
sponsors, and several have already been passed by committee.
. . . the coalition conducted what Russell called a "grass-roots survey,"
Luntz Research Co., a Washington, DC, polling firm, conducted a more detailed
poll to help the coalition prioritize the social issues it would include in the contract.
The Luntz survey targeted a mainstream, "middle America" audience, according to
Russell. .. (OM News, June 5, 1995.)
Legislation in ·the 104th Congress
The ·"Contract With the American Family," is one part of a larger legislative agenda backed
by the Christian Coalition. Newt Gingrich's ''Contract with America" is another. The third leg of
this strategy has consisted of legislation .on a wide variety of issues introduced and supported by
the Christian Coalition's growing gang of insiders, the members elected with Christian Coalition
support, and other members willing to do the bidding of Pat Robertson and Ralph Reed out of
respect for their formidable political machine (see Chapter Two.)
Reed has _crowed a great deal about last November's elections. He celebrates the fact that
America now has ". . . a Congress that is receptive to their desire for religious liberty, stronger
families, lower taxes, local control of education, and tougher laws against crime ..." What he is
really celebrating, we fear, is that he now has a Congress receptive to Pat Robertson's desire to
reshape America according to his personal and extremist agenda.
Prayer In Schools
While the "Contract With the American Family" calls for a "Religious Equality
Amendment," this is only one part of a multi-pronged offensive designed to ensure that all public
school students are exposed to state-sanctioned prayer and other devotional activities every day.
Several bills have been introduced in this Congress, but the final language of the "Religious
Equality Amendment" has yet to be drafted. The final bill promises to be a sweeping new
constitutional amendment supplanting the First Amendment's church-state separation provision.
The House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution, chaired by U.S. Rep.
Charles T. Canady (R-FL, I 00% rating from the Christian Coalition,) has been conducting a series
of hearings around the country to solicit public opinion as it prepares to draft a broad-based plan
bridging the divide between religion and government.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of witnesses asked to testify before these hearings have
been radical-right advocates of an end to the separation of church and state.
36
�•
Of II invited witnesses at a hearing in Harrisburg, Virginia, seven were linked to Religious
Right groups. In addition, all of the citizens allowed to comment at the open mike were
critics of church-state separation except one (a law student from James Madison
University.)
•
One of the witnesses, Kelly Shackleford, is linked to the extremist Rutherford Institute.
Other witnesses represented Pat Robertson's American Center for Law and Justice.
Barry Lynn, the Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and
State noted that "The so-called 'Religious Equality Amendment' in reality is a religious tyranny
amendment. Its purpose is not to foster fairness or equality but to gut the First Amendment's
church-state protections. If passed, the amendment would allow public schools to coerce children
to participate in daily religious exercises, ask all Americans to support sectarian instruction and
permit government to impose religion on people against their will." .
In addition to the as yet unwritten Religious Equality Amendment, the Christian Coalition
soldiers have introduced other bills in the I 04th Congress to show their support for Pat Robertson's
ideas about prayer in public education. These bills would:
•
Prohibit federal funding to schools that limit "constitutionally protected prayer" in public
schools. 3
•
Propose a. constitutional amendment relating to the "free exercise of religion.'t4
Dismantling Public Education
The "Contract with the American Family" calls for "Returning Education Control to the
Local Level," and aims to "transfer funding of the federal Department of Education to families and
local school boards." It then complains specifically about recently passed federal initiatives such as
"Goals 200" and "The Educate America Act" and the re-authorization of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
Another item in the "Contract" calls for "... enactment of legislation that will enhance
parents' choice of schools for their children."
Since the commencement of the 104th Congress numerous bills have been introduced by
Christian Coalition soldier-legislators. The effect of these bills would be to:
, S. 27 sponsored by I00% rated Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC).
4
S. J. Res. 24 introduced by 100% rated Sen. Cochran (R-MS) and cosponsored by 100% rated Sen. Lott (R-MS).
37
�·Completely eliminate the U.S. Department of Education. 5
•
•
Establish school "choice" programs to provide tax dollars for families sending their children
to private schools. 6
•
Eliminate Perkins Loans under the Higher Education Act. 7
•
Discontinue the direct federal student loan program. 8
•
Repeal the charter of the National Education Association.9
•
Amend the Goals 2000: Educate America Act to eliminate the National Education
Standards and Improvement Council (the Council), and prohibit the establishment of any
national education standards. 10
Protecting "Parental Rights"
One of the more puzzling and alarming planks in the Christian Coalition platform addresses
the perceived threat to "parental rights" over their children. The fourth item in the 10 point
"Contract With the American Family," states that "... The threat to the rights of America's parents
is very real, as the movement to ratify the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child
exemplifies." In fact, scholars of the movement believe this legislation is intended to give
Religious Right activists additional weapons in their battles with public school administrators.
5
H.R. 1318, sponsored by 100% rated Joel Hefley, (R-CO). This bill was cosponsored by 4 Members with 100% Christian Coalition
ratings, one with a 93% rating and one who is unrated. See also, H.R. 1883, sponsored by 100% rated Joseph Scarborough (R-FL) and
cosponsored by 68 100% Christian Coalition supporters, 9 others with 93% ratings, 3 with 86% ratings, 4 with 79%, 2 with 64%, one with
57% and 20 unrated Members.
6
H.R. 1640 sponsored by 100% Christian Coalition supporter David Weldon (R-FL). This bill establishes a low-income school choice
demonstration program to detennine the effects on students and schools of providing financial assistance to enable low-income parents to
select the public or private schools their children will attend. It is cosponsored by 29 other 100% Christian Coalition supporters, 3 with 93%
ratings, one with a 78% rating, one with a 64% rating, one with a 36% rating, one with a 7% rating and 6 unrated Members.
7
S. 1198, sponsored by 100% Christian Coalition supporter, Senator Daniel Coats (R-IN.) It is cosponsored by Senator Gregg of New
Hampshire (85% rating.)
8
S. 1198, sponsored by 100% Christian Coalition supporter, Senator Daniel Coats (R-IN.) It is cosponsored by Senator Gregg of New
Hampshire (85% rating.)
9
H.R. 2180 sponsored by I 00% rated Rep. Bob Doman (R-CA) and cosponsored by six other I00% rated Members, one with 93% and
one unrated Member.
1
DJI.R. 977 introduced by Maryland Republican Roscoe Bartlett (100% rating from the Christian Coalition) and cosponsored by four other
100% rated Members of the House, (Doman, Paxon, Bachus and Fields.) Also, H.R. 1045, sponsored by Rep. Goodling of PeMsylvania
(86% rating by Christian Coalition.) TI1is bill was cosponsored by 24 other Members with a 100% Christian Coalition rating, 7 others with
93% ratings, 5 others with 86% ratings, one with a 79% rating, one with a 71% rating, 2 with 57% ratings and five freshmen who were not
rated in the 1994 scorecard nor mentioned as supported in their campaigns. See also H.R. 1558, sponsored by Rep. Goodling (86% rating)
with no other cosponsors.
38
�In the I 04th Congress, the Christian Coalition loyalists have introduced bills that would:
•
". . . protect the fundamental right of a parent to direct the upbringing of a child, and for
other purposes ... " 11
Render unto Caesar ...
It is difficult to understand why God would want to make the American tax system less
progressive, cutting taxes for the rich and shifting the lion's share of the burden of paying for
government onto working class people. Yet this seems to be the basic theory behind Christian
Coalition economic policy .
. The "Contract With the American Family," calls for additional tax breaks for families with
children, yet states that is supports ". . . a flat or flattened tax . . . as an ultimate goal . . ."
In the· 104th Congress, the soldiers of Pat Robertson have introduced bills which would:
•
". . . impose a 15 percent tax only on individual taxable earned income and business
taxable income, to repeal the estate and gift taxes, [and] abolish the Internal Revenue
Service... " 12
•
Prohibit the imposition of retroactive taxes. 13
•
Provide tax credits for children, expanded IRAs, a marriage tax credit, cut taxes on Social
Security benefits, but also tax long-term care benefits, cut capital gains taxes and
provide for a variety of corporate tax breaks. This bill has passed the House and is
awaiting action by the Senate. 14
Abortion
The Christian Coalition implies, in its "Contract With the American Family" that the group
has backed off from its earlier insistence on an end to all abortions. Instead they focus on "lateterm abortions" as a particularly egregious practice that terminates the life of unborn babies that
might in fact be viable outside the womb. Regardless of their emphasis on this very rare ·
11 S. 984, Introduced by 100% Christian Coalition supporter Senator Grassley (R·IA.) It is cosponsored by 2 other 100% rated Senators
and one with a 93% rating. See also, H.R. 1946, sponsored by 100%'1"8ted Steve Largent (R-OK) and cosponsored by 56 other Members with
100% ratings, 7 with 93% ratings, one with a 92% rating, 2 with 71% ratings, 2 with 57% ratings and 6 unrated Members.
11
S. 1038, sponsored by 100% rated Sen. Jesse Helms.
11 S. J. Res. 8, sponsored by 100% rated Sen. Coverdell (R-GA), cosponsored by 4 others with 100% ratings, one with a 93% rating, one
with a 79% rating, one with a 78% rating and 2 others with 71% ratings.
14 H.R. 1215 sponsored by Christian Coalition 100% rated Bill Archer (R·TX.) See also H.R. 1:;27 sponsored by 100".4 Christian
Coalition supporter John Kasich, (R-OH) and cosponsored by 2 other I00% Christian Coalition supporters. This bill was incorporated into
H.R. 1215.
39
�procedure, the "Contract" would also prevent the federal government from insisting that states
·provide access to reproductive choice in state-funded medical coverage and end all federal funding
to organizations that offer a choice to women seeking medical services from them.
"... Our ultimate goal is to establish the humanity of the unborn child and
to see a day when every child is safe in their mother's womb. . ." (The Contract
With the American Family.)
Christian Coalition bills introduced in the 104th Congress include:
•
A bill to completely outlaw all abortions. 15
•
A bill to criminalize abortions for gender selection, holding both the doctor and the woman
liable. 16
•
A bill to prohibit the use of federal funds for abortions unless to preserve the life of the
woman!'
•
A bill to punish by up to two years imprisonment anyone performing a "partial birth
·
abortion." 18
•
A bill to limit the training of medical students in abortion procedures. 19
•
A bill to eliminate all Title X family planning programs. 20
11
H.R. 1625, sponsored by 100% rated California Republican Bob Doman and cosponsored by one other 100% rated Member and one
with a 93% rating. The bill would "... protect the right to life of each born and pre born human person in existence at fertilization. • See also
H.R. 2087 sponsored by Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX) rated 100%.
16
S. 24 sponsored by Sen. Jesse Helms, (R-NC) rated 100% by the Christian Coalition.
11
S. 28, sponsored by Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) rated 100% by the Christian Coalition.
11
S. 939, sponsored by 100% Christian Coalition supporter Sen. Robert Smith (R-NH.) The bill is cosponsored by 5 other Senators with
100% ratings and one, Sen: Gramm, with an 86% rating. See also H.R. 1833 sponsored by 100% rated Charles Canady (R-FL) and
cosponsored by 64 other Members with 100% ratings, 9 with 93% ratings, four with 86% ratings, one with a 790/o rating, 4 with 71% ratings,
4 with 64% ratings, 4 with 57% ratings, one with a 28% rating and 7 unrated Members.
19 S. 971, by Sen. Dan Coats (R-lN, rated 100% by Christian Coalition.) Cosponsored by 56 other Senators with 100% ratings and one
with an 85% rating. See also H.R. 1932 introduced by 100% rated Peter Hoekstra (R-MI). This bill is cosponsored by 22 other
Representatives with 100% ratings, one with a 79% rating, one with a 64% rating, three with 57% ratings, pro-choice Democrat Rep. Oberstar
(D-MN) with a 28% rating and 3 unrated freshmen.
10 H.R. 1623, sponsored by 100% rated Rep. Robert Doman (R-CA.) The bill would also deny federal courts jurisdiction over cases
arising from state anti-abortion statutes. See also H. R. 1958 sponsored by Doman.
40
�Privatizing GtJvemme11t
... Enactment of legislation to enhance contributions to private charities as
a first step toward transforming the bureaucratic welfare state into a system of
private and faith-based compassion. . .
· ... We propose unleashing the charitable capacity of the American people
by providing private, non-governmental solutions to the problems of the underclass .
. . (Contract With the American Family)
The Christian Coalition supporters would also "privatize" the arts by defunding the National
Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Corporation for
Public Broadcasting. (See Contract With the American Family.)
In the 104th Congress, Christian Coalition allies have proposed, through legislation:
•
That the Office of the Surgeon General be terminated.l 1
•
That the Department of Housing and Urban Development be abolished and funding cut for
many of its services. 22
•
That the Department of Commerce be abolished. 23
•
That the Department of Energy be abolished. 24
I
I
•
That the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Council on the Humanities be
abolished. 25
21
H.R. 860, sponsored by 100% rated Rep. Bob Doman (R-CA) and cosponsored by 37 other 100% rated Members, three with 93%
ratings, two with 86% ratings, two with 79% ratings and three unrated Members. See also, H.R. 897 sponsored by 93% rated Rep. Tauzin (RLA) and cosponsored by two other I 00% rated Members, two 86% rated Members, one 79".4 rated Member, two with 57% ratings and one
with a 43% rating. See also H.R. 1097 sponsored by unrated Rep. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) and cosponsored by nine 100% rated Members,
two 93% rated Members and one unrated Member.
22
S. 1145 sponsored by Sen. Faircloth (R-NC) rated 100% by the Christian Coalition and cosponsored by 3 other 100% rated Senators.
See also H.R. 2198 sponsored by 100% rated Rep. Brownback (R-KS) and cosponsored by 39 other 100% rated Members, 3 Members with
93% ratings, two with 86% ratings, two with 79% ratings, one with a 57% rating and 9 unrated Members. See also, H.R. 1098 sponsored by
100% rated Rep. Joel Hefley (R-CO) and cosponsored by 8 other 100% rated Members.
23 S. 929 sponsored by Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-MI, 100% Christian Coalition support) and cosponsored by three other 100% rated
Senators and two with 86% ratings. See also H.R. 1756 sponsored by unrated Rep. Chrysler (R-M1) and cosponsored by 43 100% rated
Members, four 93% rated Members, 3 with 86% ratings, 2 with 79% ratings, one with a 64% rating and 14 unrated Members.
24 H.R. 1993 sponsored by 100% rated Rep. Tiahrt (R-KS) and cosponsored by 34 other 100% rated Members, two with 93% ratings,
three with 86% ratings, one with a 79%, two with 64%, Democrat Nita Lowey of New York with a 7% and 8 unrated Members.
25 H.R. 579, sponsored by 100% rated Joel Hefley (R-CO) and cosponsored by 6 other 100% rated Members, one with a 93% rating, one
with an 86% rating, one with a 79% rating and one unrated Member.
41
�•
That the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities be "privatized." 26
•
That "cost-benefit" analysis be required of all agencies intending to promulgate new rules
or regulations designed to enforce their responsibilities. 27
•
That a moratorium on all new regulations affecting small businesses be imposed.28
•
That new laws will vaguely promote freedom, fairness; and economic opportunity for
families by reducing the power and reach of the Federal establishment. 29 •
•
That federal funding from certain charitable organizations be revoked. 30
•
That federal regulations be waived in designated "distressed" areas. 31
•·
That a moratorium on all new regulations be imposed. 32
Expanding Government
The Christian Coalition proposes that the 104th Congress expand its reach into matters of
what people read, what they watch on television and at the movies, and what they can access on
the information superhighway.
The "Contract" talks of protecting children from exposure to pornography on the Internet
and cable television, and from the sexual exploitation of child pornographers.
Crime
The "Contract" calls for "Crime Victim Restitution."
26
S. 1<>45 sponsored by 100% rated Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-MI.) The bill is cosponsored by 2 other 100% rated Senators. See also, S.
1071 sponsored by Sen. Hutchison (R-TX) who is rated 78% by the Christian Coalition and cosponsored by one Senator with a 92% rating.
27
H.R. 821 sponsored by 100% rated Rep. David Mcintosh (R-IN). See also, H.R. 1022 sponsored by 100% rated Rep. Bob Walker (RPA) and cosponsored by one other 100% rated Member.
21
H.R. 839 sponsored by 100% rated Member Randy Tate (R-WA) and cosponsored by 9 Members with 100% ratings, one 93% rated
Member, one with an 86% rating and two other unrated Members.
29
S. 1050, sponsored by 71% rated Sen. Shelby, (R-AL.) Cosponsored by two 100% rated Senators. See also H.R. 2060 sponsored by
100% rated Richard Anney (R-TX) and cosponsored by one unrated Member.
30
S. 1056 introduced by 100% rated Sen. Craig (R-ID) and cosponsored by 6 other 100% rated Senators one with an 85% rating and one
with a 71 o/o rating.
·
31
S. 1184 sponsored by 100% rated Sen. Ashcroft (R-MO.)
n H. Res. 148 sponsored by 86% rated Rep. David Dreier (R-CA). See also H. Res. 93 sponsored by 93% rated Rep. Porter Goss, (RFL).
42
�Bills introduced by Pat Robertson loyalists in the 104th Congress would go much farther.
Included are bills that would:
•
provide for the death penalty for the intentional transmission of the HIV virus. 33
•
limit the exclusionary rule. 34
•
Gut and\or repeal the assault weapons ban.35
•
Provide for the construction of new prisons, explicitly repeal prisoner civil rights, eliminate
drug abuse treatment programs for prisoners, repeal limitations on trying juveniles as adults,
limit the exclusionary rule, limit habeas corpus protections, and repeal a host of crime
prevention social spending for youth and others. 36
•
express the sense of the Congress with respect to the right of all Americans to keep and
bear arms in defense of life or liberty and in the pursuit of all other legitimate
endeavors. 37
Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses •••
The Christian Coalition speaks very little about immigration policy. Their soldiers in
Congress, however, have spent a great deal of time in the 104th Congress in attempting to restrict
many of the benefits offered to U.S. citizens in ways that would exclude those who have flocked to
America with hopes and dreams of finding a better life in the land of the free and the brave.
In the 104th Congress, Robertson allies have introduced:
•
A bill to change citizenship laws by denying citizenship to those born in the U.S. to non-
,, H.R. 630, sponsored by I 00% rated Rep. Dan Burton, (R-IN.)
,. H.R. 666 sponsored by 100% rated Rep. McCollum, (R-FL). The bill has passed the House. See also, S. 54 sponsored by Sen.
Thurmond (R·SC) who has a 93% Christian Coalition rating.
u H.R. 793, sponsored by I 00% rated Richard Baker (R-LA) and cosponsored by II other Members with I00% ratings, two with 93%
ratings, one with an 86% rating, one with a 79% rating, one with 64%, one with 57% and two unrated Members. See also H. Res. 210
sponsored by 100% rated Rep. Stockman (R-TX.)
J6 S. 3, sponsored by 100% rated Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS) and cosponsored by 7 other 100% rated Senators, one with a 93% rating, one
with an 86% rating and three with 71% ratings. See also S. 38 sponsored by 100% rated Sen. Hatch (R-U1) and cosponsored by 8 other
100% rated Senators, one with a 93% rating, one with an 86% rating and 3 with 71% ratings. See also, S. 816 sponsored by 100% rated
Senator DeWine (R-OH) and cosponsored by four other 100% rated Senators, one with a 93% rating and one with 64%.
,, H. Con. Res. S sponsored by 93% rated Rep. Crane (R·1L) and cosponsored by 28 100% rated Members, two with 93% ratings, two
with 79% ratings, one with 71%, one with 64%, one with 57%, Dem. Rep. Boucher (D-VA) with 21% and S unrated Members.
43
�citizen mothers. 38
•
A bill to exclude non-citizens from a variety of social assistance and welfare programs
including Housing assistance, food stamps and AFDC. 39
•
A bill to place a ceiling on legal immigration. 40
The Environment
Surprisingly, although the Christian Coalition rarely talks about environmental issues, their
major allies in the Congress seem to be particularly upset about federal rules that limit the ability
of big industry to seek a short-term profit at the expense of the clean air, clean water or toxic
waste disposal.
In the 104th Congress, some of those Members who are rated by the Christian Coalition as
I 00% with them on key issues, are also waging an all out assault on existing environmental
regulations.
Some of these examples follow:
•
A bill to prohibit Clean Air enforcement of trip reduction measures on states.41
•
Bills to repeal clean air requirements for vehicle inspection in ozone nonattainment
areas. 42
•
Legislation to delay implementation of enhanced vehicle inspection and maintenance
programs under the Clean Air Act. 43
'" H.R. 705, introduced by 86% rated Elton Gallegly (R..CA) and cosponsored by four 100% rated Members, two with 93% ratings, one
with an 86%, three with 71%, one with 36% (Chris Shays, R-CT) and one unrated Member.
39
H.R. 482, sponsored by 100% rated Rep. Duncan Hunter (R..CA) and cosponsored by 10 other 100% rated Members, two with 93%
ratings, one with 86%, one with 64% and one unrated Members. See also H.R. 484, sponsored by 93% rated Rep. Kim (R-CA) which also
cuts off Medicaid funding to aliens. See also, H.R. 13 77, sponsored by 86% rated Elton Gallegly (R..CA), which would also cut off public
education. This is cosponsored by 20 Members with 100% ratings, three with 93% ratings, 2 with 86%, 2 with 79%, one with 71%, one with
64%, one with 57%, one with 36%, and S unrated Members .
.tO
H.R. 2162 sponsored by 100% rated Bill Archer (R-TX).
41
H.R. 478, sponsored by 100% rated Rep. DeLay (R-TX) and cosponsored by one other 100% rated Member.
41
H.R. 480 sponsored by 100% rated Tom DeLay (R·TX) and cosponsored by three other 100% rated Members and 43% rated Rep.
Laughlin (D-TX.) See also, S. 375 sponsored by 100% rated Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-MI) and cosponsored by three other 100% rated
Senators.
0
H.R. 495 sponsored by 86% rated Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) and cosponsored by 8 Members with 100% ratings, two with 93% ratings,
one with 86%, one with 79% and one unrated Member.
44
"'---~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-------
---
�•
Proposals to provide for immunities from penalties for the voluntary disclosure of certain
environmental information.44
•
A bill to exempt some landfills from ground water monitoring requirements. 45
Private Property
The debate over "private property rights" has achieved new national prominence since the
dawn of the I 04th Congress. What once was a "movement" in the states to stop government from
imposing any sort of restrictions on the use of real estate without compensating the landowner, has
emerged as a vehicle for limiting the ability of the federal government from implementing
environmental, land use, zoning, health and safety rules. The Christian Coalition does not address
these issues, but their soldiers in Congress have been working overtime on this as a means of
restricting the power of government.
•
A bill "... to establish a uniform and more efficient Federal process for protecting
property owners' rights guaranteed by the fifth amendment . . ."46
•
A bill to limit the enforcement of endangered species laws that limit the rights of private
property owners. 47
•
A bill to require federal agencies to protect private property rights. 48
•
A bill to require federal compensation for some regulatory restrictions.49
Working Men and Women
In keeping with the general trend of supporting big industry and the rich as opposed to
working families and the poor, Christian Coalition allies in the Congress have jumped at every
opportunity to roll back years of labor protections enacted by previous Congresses. They have
44
H.R. 1047 introduced by 100% rated Rep. Joel Hefley (R-CO) and cosponsored by nine other 100% rated Members, three with 93%
ratings, one with 86%, two with 79% and one unrated Members.
4
'
H.R. 1696 sponsored by 100% rated Wes Cooley (R-OR.)
46
H.R. 489 sponsored by 93% rated Lamar Smith (R·TX) and1C09ponsored by 22 Members with 100% ratings, two with 93%, one with
43% and two unrated Members.
47 H.R. 490 sponsored by 93% rated Lamar Smith (R·TX) and cosponsored by 14 Members with 100% ratings, two with 93%, one with
71% and three unrated Members.
41
H.R. 790 sponsored by 93% rated Rep. Tauzin (R·LA) and cosponsored by 43 100% rated Members, ten with 93% ratings, seven with
86%, three with 79%, two with 71%, five with 64%, five with 57%, two with SO%, one with 43%, two with 36%, one with 28% and four
unrated Members.
49
H.R. 925 sponsored by 100% rated Charles Canady, (R-FL). This bill has passed the House.
45
�proposed the:
•
Opening up exceptions to the enforcement of minimum wage laws. 5°
•
Restriction of the powers of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration by
requiring cost-benefit analyses of new rules, restricting rules relating to toxic materials,
limiting inspections at the workplace and limiting employer penalties."
•
Repeal of the Davis Bacon Act. 52
•
Restriction of federal rules prohibiting hiring replacement workers for strikers on federal
construction projects. 53
•
Outlawing of closed union shops through enactment of a National Right To Work Jaw.' 4
Welfare
,·
It is not surprising that the Christian Coalition supports the dismantling of welfare
programs. Their "Contract" cleverly avoids talking about poor people much at all, but proposes to
allow charities to do the work that the federal and state governments have done for decades. In
Congress, their allies have launched an all out assault.
•
A welfare reform bill that would end federal welfare programs, replacing them with limited
block grants to the· states and requiring States to cut off welfare for mothers under 19 years
old or for children whose paternity has not been established. 55
•
Cutting off welfare benefits to certain aliens, families without a minor child, families not
cooperating in paternity establishment, children born out of wedlock to a minor parent,
lO H.R. 1589 sponsored by 100% rated Rep. Knollenberg (R-Ml) and cosponsored by one other 100% rated Member, two with 93% and
one with 86%.
51
H.R. 1834 sponsored by 100% rated Cass Ballenger (R-NC) and cosponsored by 71 other Members with 100% ratings, twelve with
93%, nine with 86%, eight with 79%, two with 71%, three with 64%, three with 57%, one with 36% and 16 unrated Members.
sz H.R. 500 sponsored by 100% rated Cass Ballenger (R-NC) and cosponsored by 65 other 100% rated Members, one 96% rated Member,
16 93% rated Members, 10 86% rated Members, 6 with 79%, five with 71%, two with 57%, one with 43% and 14 unrated Members. This
bill would also repeal the Copeland Act (an Act which requires the Secretary of Labor to regulate contractors and subcontractors engaged in
the construction or repair of public buildings, public works, or federally financed or assisted buildings or works).
53
S. 989 sponsored by 57% rated Sen. Kassenbaum (R-KS) and cosponsored by five 100% rated Senators and one with an 86% rating.
See also H.R. 1176 sponsored by 86% rated Rep. Goodling (R-PA) and cosponsored by 33 Members rated 100%, seven with 93%, eight with
86%, six with 79%, four with 71%, two with 64%, three with 57%, one with 28% and seven unrated Members.
,. H.R. 1279 sponsored by 100% rated Rep. Goodlatte (R-VA) and cosponsored by thirteen 100% rated Members, two with 93% and one
with 86%.
"H.R. 513 sponsored by 64% rated Rep. Meyers (R-KS) and cosponsored by five 100% rated Members, three with 93% and one with
86%.
46
�minor children born to benefit recipients and others. 56
•
A bill to restrict spending on newly established welfare block grants, Head Start, social
services to immigrants and assistance programs to Indians. It would also eliminate the
following programs: Social Security programs for AFDC, Supplemental Security
Income, foster care and adoption assistance, medical aid for mothers, children and
migrant workers, food stamps, school lunch programs, nutrition for the elderly, school
breakfast programs, housing aid, the Low-Income Energy Assistance program, Pell
grants and other Higher Education assistance, Elementary and Secondary Education
programs, job training programs, Community Service Block Grants, the Legal
Services Corporation, emergency food and shelter programs administered by FEMA,
family planning programs, VISTA, and Appalachian Regional Development
programs. 57
•·
A bill to deny supplemental security income benefits to drug and alcohol abusers. 58
•
A bill to allow states to require school attendance for the receipt of AFDC benefits. 59
•
A bill to deny welfare benefits to fugitives, felons and parole violators and to children
absent from the home. 60
•
Replacement of AFDC programs with block grants to states.61
•
Replacement of the food stamp program with block grants to the states with certain
restrictions on the use of funds. 62
•
Replacement of Medicaid with a program .of block grants to the states.63
56
H.R. 1157 sponsored by 100% rated Bill Archer (R·TX).
57
H.R. 759 introduced by 100% rated Rep. Knollenberg (R-MI) and cosponsored by six other 100% rated Members, four with 93%, one
with 86%, one with 79%, one with 64% and one with 57%. See also for similar restrictions on welfare, H.R. 1146 sponsored by Richard
Hastings (Republican from WV rated 100% by Christian Coalition) and cosponsored by seven other Members with 1000/o ratings, one with an
86% and one unrated Member.
51
H.R. 791 introduced by 100% rated Wayne Allard (R-CO) and cosponsored by 26 other Members with 100% ratings, six with 93o/o, two
with 86%, three with 79%, two with 71%, one with 64%, one with 57% and seven unrated Members.
59
S. 19 sponsored by 100% rated Sen. Don Nickles (R-OK) and cosponsored by three other Senators with 100% ratings.
60
S. 599 sponsored by 100% rated Sen. Santorum (R-PA).
61
S. 842 sponsored by 100% rated Sen. Ashcroft (R-MO) and cosponsored by six other 100% rated Senators.
61 S. 843 sponsored by 100% rated Sen. Ashcroft (R-MO) and cosponsored by six other Senators with 100% ratings. See also, H.R. 1135
sponsored by 100% rated Pat Roberts (R-KS).
6
'
S. 844 sponsored by I 00% rated Sen. Ashcroft (R-MO) and cosponsored by seven other Senators with I00% ratings.
47
�•
Replacement of Supplemental Security Income with block grants to the states and denying
benefits to some aliens, and adding restrictions on school attendance and immunizations.64
•
A bill to cut welfare spending. 65
Voting Rights
Christian Coalition activists have succeeded in large part because of their knowledge that
most people don't vote, especially in off-year or down-ballot races. These are the elections where
organizing churches and other supporters to get to the polls can make a big difference.
It may not seem surprising then, that although Christian Coalition leaders never complain
about low voter turnout, they also never speak out on behalf of measures that might include more
citizens in the democratic process. In fact, the Christian Coalition allies in Congress, seem intent
on dismantling mechanisms designed to open up the process.
A bill to delay implementation of the motor-voter bill of 1993.66
•
Official Christian Language
Pat Robertson's soldiers have also introduced a variety of bills that would restrict the
ability of immigrants to have access to basic government information.
•
A bill to declare English as the official language of the U.S., require the use of English by
federal employees dealing with citizens and repeal bilingual education programs and
bilingual voting assistance.67
Trade
The Christian Coalition soldiers bann~d together to fight the Mexican bailout plan.68
64
S. 845 sponsored by 100% rated Sen. Ashcroft (R-MO) and cosponsored by six other Senators with 100% ratings.
65
S. 1120 sponsored by 100% rated Sen. Dole (R-KS) and cosponsored by IS other Senators with 100"/o ratings, two with 93%, one with
92%, one with 86%, one with 85%, one with 79%, five with 71%, one with 78%, one with 64%, one with SO% and two unrated Senators.
See also H.Res. 1117 sponsored by I00% rated Rep. Solomon (R-NY).
66
H.R. 736 sponsored by 93% rated John Linder (R-GA) and cosponsored by twelve Members with 100% ratings, three with 93%, one
with 71% and four unrated Members.
67 H.R. 739 sponsored by 86% rated Tobias Roth (R-WI) and cosponsored by 51 Members with 100% ratings, eight with 93%, two with
86%, three with 79%, two with 71%, one with 64%, one with SO%, one with 36% and eight unrated Members. See also H.R. 1005 sponsored
by 93% rated Peter King (R-NY) and cosponsored by twenty Members with 100% ratings, two with 93%, one with 86o/o, one with 79%, three
with 71% and four unrated Members.
61
H.R. 807 sponsored by 100% rated Steve Stockman (R-TX) and cosponsored by 29 other Members with 100% ratings, one with a 79%
rating and five unrated Members.
48
�Homosexuality
Despite Reed's and Robertson's downplaying public bashing of homosexuals, their soldiers
. in Congress have been unable to resist the target. They have introduced legislation that would:
•
Prohibit "... the direct or indirect use of Federal funds to promote, condone, accept, or
celebrate homosexuality, lesbianism, or bisexuality ..."69
•
Prohibit discipline of federal employees who state their opposition to gay rights. 70
Affirmative Action
The Robertson brigade has lost no time in jumping on the bandwagon of anti-affirmative
action advocates who hope to use this as a wedge issue in upcoming campaigns regardless of its
effects on oppressed minorities. They have introduced bills to:
•
Make it illegal to grant preferential treatment to minorities in hiring practices.71
•
Abolish federal government affirmative action programs. 72
69
H.R. 862 sponsored by 100% rated Bob Doman (R-CA) and cosponsored by nine other Members with 100% ratings. See also, S. 2S
sponsored by 100% rated Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) and cosponsored by two other Senators with 100% ratings.
70
S. 23 sponsored by I 00% rated Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC).
71
S. 26 sponsored by 100% rated Jesse Helms (R-NC). See also H.R. 1840 sponsored by 100% rated George P. Radanovich (R-CA) and
cosponsored by six other Members with I00% ratings.
n S. lOSS sponsored by 100% rated Bob Dole (R·KS) and cosponsored by three other Senators with 100% ratings, one with 93%, one
with 86% and two with 71%. See also H.R. 1764 sponsored by I 00% rated Rep. Funderburk (R-NC) and cosponsored by one member with a
79% rating.
49
�t
•
The Christian Coalition's
Catholic Alliance
�The Interfaith Alliance
THE CHRISTIAN COALITION'S
CATHOLIC ALLIANCE
"It's a fully owned subsidiary. It's not a separate organization."
Ralph Reed, Executive Director, The Christian Coalition
(The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk), 9/ 4/95)
..... ;
SUMMARY: Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition recently announced the formation of a
new political organization called the Catholic Alliance. The goal of the new organization
is to increase conservative Catholic participation in the political activities of Robertson's
1.7 million member organization. By having a separate organization with the word
"Catholic" in its title, Robertson hopes to attract the support of conservative Catholics
who are otherwise wary of him and his political ambitions. However, as Ralph Reed
himself has admitted, this new organization will function as a "fully owned subsidiary" of
the Christian Coalition. In other words, it will be nothing more than a Catholic front for
Pat Robertson and his extreme brand of right-wing politics.
When televangelist Pat Robertson ran for the Presidency of the United States in 1988
many Americans were alarmed at his extreme views and his radical agenda. Many people
of faith ·were outraged that he was so cavalierly cloaking his political agenda under the
mantle of religion and claiming that his views were the ones endorsed by God.
Nevertheless, most of us found it difficult to believe that large numbers of people would
take him seriously, or that there was any real possibility that this man could attain enough
power to impose his radical views on all Americans
./'
Then came Ralph Reed and the Christian Coalition. Using the donor lists and political
connections acquired during Robertson's failed attempt at th·e Republican nomination,
Reed and others established a network of grassroots organizations which today claim 1. 7
million members. Stealth candidates, biased voter guides, and the shrewd use of polling
data to craft different messages for different audiences have all contributed to the success
of this powerful political organization on the local state and national level. And now,
thanks to the Christian Coalition's increasing power and influence, Pat Robertson has
become a major force in American politics. He is now in prime position to achieve his
goals: ·seizing control of the Republican party and imposing his view of a "Christian
America" on the rest of the nation.
In order to achieve these goals, however, Pat Robertson needs Catholic support: he
needs the general support and compliance of the Catholic leadership, and he needs the
active support and money of faithful Catholics. Above all, he needs Catholic activists to
The Interfaith Alliance
1511 KStree~ NW I Suite 738 I Washington, D.C. 20005 I 202-639-6370
email: tialliance@ intr.net
Web Site: http://www.intr.net/tialliance
......
�distribute his biased voter guides (which distort the positions an values of political
opponents) in Catholic churches. However, there is a problem for Robertson: the
Christian Coalition is comprised mainly of conservative evangelicals, many of whom come
from churches and denominations with a history of anti-Catholic rhetoric and a deep
suspicion of the American Catholic community. Furthermore, many Catholics are
skeptical about involving themselves with an organization which exists to further the
political ambitions of Pat Robertson. That's why Robenson and Reed developed the idea
of the Catholic Alliance: to provide a "separate" organization for Catholics which would,
in reality, be entirely under the control of Pat Robertson.
WHY A CATHOLIC ALLIANCE?
As primarily conservative evangelical troops continue to take over Republican parties at
the state and local level, and to influence elections, legislation and the public dialogue
over the direction of our nation, Ralph Reed, the Executive Director of the Christian
Coalition, sees the need to expand his base.
"The evangelicals are going to act as the base vote for the Republicans, and the
Catholics will then be the swing vote. And if the Republicans are able to get 70
percent or more of the evangelical vote and split the Catholic vote, I think Bill
Clinton will be a one-term president, and I think the Republican Congress will
maintain its majorities in both houses." - Ralph Reed (Pittsburgh Post Gazette,
8/27/95)
•
Reed is heartened by the GOP victories in the 1994 congressional elections,
where for the first time a majority of Catholic voters backed Republican
congressional candidates (51 %-49% ). (PPG, 8/27/95)
•
With the addition of Catholic churches to his list of targets for distribution of
biased voter guides, Reed believes that he can "strategically tip" the '96
presidential election. (O'Keefe, Portland Oregonian, 8/26/95)
•
Reed is convinced the time is ripe for the Christian Coalition to make major
inroads into the Catholic Democratic base by emphasizing "core issues" such as
school choice, opposition to "religious bigotry", homosexuality and pornography,
protection of parental rights and the sanctity of human life. (PPG, 8/27/95)
WHAT CAN CATHOLICS DO FOR THE CHRISTIAN COALITION?
The goals as stated by Executive Director Ralph Reed are clear.
•
Reed sated that the Catholic Alliance will attempt to increase Catholic membership
in the Christian Coalition from its present level of 250,000 to 1 million by the year
2000. (Religious News Service, 9/23/95)
�•
"Their job will be to get as many voter guides as possible in the Catholic Churches
in 1996"- Ralph Reed (The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk), 9/4/95)
THE CHRISTIAN COALITION vs. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
CONFLICTS AND CONTRADICTIONS ON THE ISSUES
WELFARE REFORM
Christian Coalition: In an August 29, 1995letter to Senator Bob Dole, leaclers of the
Christian Coalition, Family Research Council and six other organizations wrote, "we have
emphasized repeatedly that scaling back the cash benefits to mothers is the least we can
do and still honestly claim to be changing the ·system ... " (Associated Press, 8/31/95)
Catholic Church: "Genuine welfare reform should rely on incentiveS more than harsh
penalties; for example, denying needed benefits for children born to mothers on welfare
can hurt the children and pressure their mothers toward abortion and sterilization."
(Moral Principles and Policy Priorities for Welfare Reform, A Statement of the
Administrative Board of the U.S. Catholic Conference, 3/95)
GUN CONTROL
Pat Robertson: Mirroring NRA language, he has called for "criminal control, not gun
control." After Michael Jordan's father was murdered, Robertson accused "liberals" of
using this tragedy as an excuse for even stricter gun control." (Christian American,
10/93)
Catholic Church: "We believe that effective action must be taken to reverse the rising
tide of violence. For this reason, we call for effective and courageous action to control
handguns., leading to their eventual elimination from society." (Handgun Violence: A
Threat to Life, Committee on Social Development and World Peace, U.S. Catholic
Conference, 9/11175)
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Pat Robertson: As a 1988 candidate for the Republican presidential nomination,
Robertson said, "I can't see frankly anything wrong with a death penalty for federal
crimes." ( L.A. Times, 8128/87)
Catholic Church: "... in the conditions of contemporary American society, the
legitimate purposes of punishment do not justify the imposition of the death penalty.
(U.S. Bishop's Statement on Capital Punishment, U.S. Catholic Conference, 11180)
CIVIL RIGHTS
Pat Robertson: As a presidential candidate in 1988 Pat Robertson opposed the Civil
Rights Restoration Act., which restored broad anti-discrimination protections previously
limited by the Supreme Court. (St. Petersburg Times, 3/3/88)
�Catholic Church: Archbishop John May, president of the National Conference of
Catholic Bishops, wrote in a letter to President Ronald Reagan that the Church believes
that the Civil Rights Restoration Act "does much to strengthen civil rights protection
while safeguarding vital concerns about human life and religious liberty." (UPI, 3/15/88)
MEDICARE
Pat Robertson: "... it's very wasteful and its not necessarily a good program. It's
helped some people, but at a huge cost to the government." (700 Club, 9/21/95)
Catholic Church: In an August 17, 1995letter to Congressman Neil Abercrombie,
leaders of the U.S. Catholic Conference and the Catholic Health Association wrote, "We
strongly recommend that consideration of reductions in the growth of program funding
reflect a recognition of the dependence of the elderly and the poor on Medicare and
Medicaid." U.S. Catholic Conference/ Catholic Health Association letter, 8117/95)
IMMIGRATION
Christian Coalition: According to Ralph Reed, "It is irresponsible public policy to
subject the American public to a health menace being imported within our borders. We
already have a health crisis in our country. Why would we want to further import it?"
(Newsday, 8/5/91)
Catholic Church: "The U.S. Bishops support increasing the number of immigrants
admitted to the U.S. and providing temporary safe haven for those in need." (U.S.
Catholic Conference Statement on Principles for Legal Immigration Policy, 9/13/88)
WILL THE CATHOLIC ALLIANCE PUSH THE PAT ROBERTSON AGENDA
OR AN AGENDA OF CATHOLIC VALUES?
Despite the new name, and the fact that this organization will have its own letterhead, it is
quite evident that the mission of this group will not be one based in Catholic doctrine. It
appears that it will embrace the same agenda and tactics as those espoused by
televangelist and Christian Coalition President Pat Robertson.
e
"It's a fully owned subsidiary. It's not a separate organization." Ralph Reed (The
Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk), 9/ 4/95)
e
Reed claims that this new effort to recruit Catholics is 'just realpolitik". 'We
believe if we can mobilize millions of Catholics the way we've mobilized millions
of evangelicals, it will make us an even more effective organization in the
electorate." (PPG, 8/27/95)
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT
"We join the public debate to share our experiences in serving the poor and vulnerable.. "
�"This kind of political responsibility does not involve religious leaders telling people how
to vote or religious tests for candidates. These would be, in our view, pastorally
inappropriate, theologically unsound, and politically unwise." - (PoJiticaJ Responsibility:
Revita1izing American Democracy - A Statement of the United States Catholic
Conference Administrative Board, 9/91)
Catholic Church Political Responsibility Guidelines.
According to official guidelines distributed by Bishop Sullivan, Catholic churches, their
leaders and representatives should NOT:
-Endorse or oppose candidates for political office
-Distribute partisan campaign literature under church auspices or on church
property
-Arrange for groups to work for a political candidate
-Invite only selected candidates to address your church-sponsored group
-Conduct voter registration slanted toward one party
-Distribute a biased candidate survey or a single-issue survey
(The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk), September 12, 1995)
CATHOLIC CLERGY'S REACTION TO THE CATHOLIC ALLIANCE
After reading a Sept. 4 news report stating that the Christian Coalition was forming a
Catholic Alliance to distribute voter guides at Catholic churches and recruit members
from Catholic parishes, Richmond, VA Bishop Walter Sullivan wrote to pastors and
pastoral coordinators warning them to avoid entangling alliances with "political groups".
Bishop Sullivan reminded them that diocesan guidelines prohibit the distribution of voter
guides by any outside group on parish grounds.
•
Bishop Sullivan cautioned pastors that it is "inappropriate for parishes to allow
partisan political groups to solicit membership support from parishioners."
(Roanoke Times & World News, 9119/95)
•
Sullivan's letter included a copy of the "political responsibility guidelines which
prohibits parishes from endorsing or opposing candidates for political office,
distribution of partisan political campaign literature, and other actions that might
be perceived as favoring one candidate over another. (RTWN 9119/95)
"We cannot allow any group, even through the use of the name 'Catholic,' to give
the appearance that they speak for the church," Sullivan wrote .. Even when church
teaching is in agreement with another outside group on "important issues, ... no
outside group fully represents the public policy agenda of the church." (RTWN
9/19/95)
o
"Catholic Church and its parishes should not engage in partisan politics." (RTWN
9/19/95)
�o
Sullivan said the coalition's national convention last week was so aligned with
Republicans that the group has a partisan appearance (The Washington Times
September 16, 1995)
In addition to Bishop Sullivan's repudiation of the Catholic Alliance, several other
Catholic officials and laity have expressed serious reservations as well.
•
"It leads me to believe that Catholics aren't welcome in the main group," said
William J. Dale, priest at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Norfolk. "Separate but
equal, it sounds like to me. Why would he make a distinction?" (The VirginianPilot (Norfolk), 9/4/95)
National and local leaders in the Catholic Church said bishops aren't likely to offer
their blessings to the movement because they already provide moral guidance on
political issues. (Religious News Service 9/23/95)
•
"Everybody has a right to organize in whatever way they choose. The test will be
who joins," said John Carr, director of the U.S. Catholic Conference's office of
social development and world peace. "Catholics already have a place. It's called
the Catholic Church." (RNS 9/23/95)
•
Judy Schorr, a Virginia Beach resident who has been active in Catholic causes for
many of her 50 years, says the Catholic Church doesn't need voter guides to
inform its members about social issues. For her, the church's guidance comes from
exploring contemporary problems through teaching the Bible and writings of
Catholic thinkers.
CONCLUSIONS
The Catholic Alliance does not represent all Catholics any more than the Christian
Coalition represents all Christians or even all evangelicals. Like its parent organization,
the Catholic Alliance is a political organization which manipulates the language of faith
for partisan political purposes: It uses the symbols of faith as a weapon against political
opponents, and tries to use the authority of religion to push its own radical agenda.
The agenda of the Catholic Alliance, which is the agenda of Pat Robertson's Christian
Coalition, does not represent the full range of Catholic Social Teaching. On issues such
as welfare reform, capital punishment, civil rights, health care, gun control, immigration
and others, the agenda of the Catholic Alliance and the Christian Coalition run directly
counter to the mind of the Church as expressed by both the Vatican and the National
Conference of Catholic Bishops.
�The Interfaith Alliance
1511 K Street, N.W. • Suite 738 • Washington, D.C. 20005
Established State Interfaith AllianceS
Arkansas
Northern California
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Kansas
Iowa
Minnesota
New York
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Washington
State Interfaith Alliances in Formation
Southern California
Colorado
Dlinois
Kentucky
Massachusetts
Maine
Maryland
Michigan
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
Ohio
Dr. Albert M. Pennybacker, President
President of Ecumenical Development
Initiative
Reverend Dr. J. Philip Wagaman,
First Vice President
Foundary United Methodist Church,
Washington D.C.
Denise Davidoff, Vice President at Large
Moderator of Unitarian Universalist
Association
Bishop Frederick Calhoun James,
Vice President at Large
African Methodist Episcopal Bishop of
D.C., MD&VA
Bishop P. Francis Murphy,
Vice President at Large
Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop,
Baltimore Archdiocese
Rabbi David J. Gelfand, Secretary
Senior Rabbi of Anshe Chased
Fairmount Temple, Cleveland OH
Dr. Diane M. Porter, Treasurer
Senior Executive for Program,
Episcopal Church
Reverend Dr. Herbert D. Valentine,
President Emeritus
Former Moderator of the Presbyterian
Church, USA
Most Reverend Edmond L. Browning
Presiding Bishop and Primate of
Episcopal Church
Reverend Dr. Amos Brown
National Chairman, National Baptist
Commission on Civil Rights and
Human Services
Reverend Dr. Joan Brown Campbell
General Secretary of National Council
of Churches of Christ, in the USA
Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton
Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop,
Detroit Archdiocese
Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg
Former President of American
Jewish Congress
Reverend Leonard B. Jackson
First African Methodist Episcopal
Church, Los Angeles CA
Dr. Robert H. Meneilly
Senior Pastor Emeritus of
The Village Church
Dr. A. Knighton Stanley
Peoples Congregational Church,
Washington D.C.
Dr. John M. Swomley
Professor Emeritus, St. Paul School of
Theology
Reverend Gardner C. Taylor
Former President of the Progressive
Baptist Convention
William P. Thompson
Former President of World Alliance of
Reformed Churches
Dr. Foy Valentine
Former Director of Southern Baptist
Convention's Christian Life
Commission
�RIC!niO~D. \'IRCI~IA
Colhr·&P'11 C 1995
, ..,, No. 307
232!i:l
o
U~IP'I
FRIDAY.
Alliance's guides
counter coalition's
BY PAUL BRADLEY
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
ALEXANDRIA- The Iriterfaith Alliance's effort to counter the influence
of the Christian Coalition on Tuesday's elections is a David vs. Goliath
affair.
.
Formed last ·year to criticize the
coalition's controversial voter
guides, the alliance said yesterday it
'would distribute 40,000 of its own
guides before Election Day.
The alliance guides will cover five
Northern Virginia races and include
topics such as the concealed weapons law, sex education and prayer in
schools.
The Christian Coalition's guides
cover similar topics. But the coalition
plans to riistribute 1 million of its
guides across the state.
Last year, flexing its political mus.cle, the coalition distributed 1.7 mil'lion guides during the divisive U.S.
:Senate race in Virginia. In the final
·days of th.e campaign, U.S. Sen.
Charles S. Robb complained that the
coalition distorted his record.
The Chesapeake-based coalition is
considered one of the most influential get-out-the-vote organizations in
the country. Founded by Pat Robertson, the Virginia Beach evangelist, it
bills itself as nonpartisan and does
not make endorsements. However,
the coalition's voter guides generally
take the same side of the issues as
Republican candidates.
The alliance said it· wanted to·
counter the coalition with a call for
moderation. The alliance criticized
the coalition for using religion to
pushing a far-right political agenda.
"The Christian Coalition does not
speak for all religious Americans,"
said the Rev. Madeline Jervis, pastor
of Clarendon Presbyterian Church in.
Arlington. "Under the flag of familyvalues, the coalition and their allies.
have been promoting a narrow and
divisive agenda of intolerance."
The Rev. Charles Wildman, senior
pastor of the Rock Spring Congregational Church in Arlington, said, "i
find myself living in a state in which
radical right political forces are abusing religion in the service of politics.'A
A spokesman for the coalition
could not be reached for comment.
Last year, the coalition defended its
voter guides as fair assessments o{
candidates' records.
Among the races covered by the
alliance's guides are the 36th Senate
contest, where incumbent Democratic Sen. Joseph V. Gartlan Jr. is
facing a stiff challenge from fanner
Republican congressman Stanford E.
Parris, and the 44th House contest~
pitting Republican Sandy LiddY
Bourne against Democratic Del. Linda T. Toddy Puller.
According to the alliance, neither
Parris nor Bourne responded to re-quests for information.
·
NOVE~IBER
3. 1995
�Clinton Presidential .Records
Digital Records Marker
''
~~·;f?iHj'W*'"*II"'b..,..:&fWA!ift'i"RM'·Ii"r~m;wAtii1 8'1"PV'STiZF!'P'RT"'ti11 #11JtWI'fW'!Uil!!t''W'eM'Mzmrn=crnrmneet
This is not a presidential record. This is used as an administrative
marker by the William J. Clinton Presidential Library Staff.
:· •'
''
.
This marker identifies the place of a publication.
'
,'
!•'
'
''
·'
Publications have not been scanned in their entirety for the purpose
of digitization. To see the full publication piease search online or
visit ·the Clinton Presidential Library's Research Room .
..
'
-
��The Interfaith Alliance is a faith-based, non-partisan organization
whose Board of Directors consists of mainstream religious leaders.
We encourage active participation in the political process by
people of good will. We are working to ensure that truthfulness,
civility and compassion always characterize the words and deeds of
those seeking to influence public policy.
For more information or to volunteer with the Virginia Interfaith Alliance or
the National Interfaith Alliance, please write:
The Interfaith Alliance
1511 K Street, N.W.
Suite 738
Washington, DC 20005
or call (202) 639-6370.
e-mail: tialliance@intr.net
web site: http://www.intr.net/tialliance
Paid for and authorized by The Interfaith Alliance, Inc. This voter guide is provided for educational
purposes only and is not to be construed as an endorsement of any candidate or political party.
�The Interfaith Alliance of Washington State
Darkness cannot drive out darkness;
only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate;
only love can do that.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
To support our efforts or receive information:
The Interfaith Alliance of Washington State
P.O. Box 2161 • Woodinville WA 98072-2161
206 654-3468
Religious People Respecting Diversity and Challenging Intolerance
~34
The
Interfaith
Alliance of
Washington
State
P.O. Box 2161
Woodinville, WA
98072-2161
206 654-3468
Bulk Rate
U.S. Postage
PAID
Olympia, WA
Permit #78
�That more people f
o faith are pc
Dear Neighbors,
The Interfaith Alliance of Washington State is a coalition of concerned religious individuals
committed to fostering respectful civic discourse. The Alliance emerged in response to
public despair and apathy in the face of the increasingly shrill and negative tone of debate
in the political arena. Our Mission Statement declares that we "...work to create a community in which people exchange ideas in an atmosphere of fairness, justice, truth-telling
and respect for all ... "
We acknowledge and respect the rights of people to advocate diverse political viewpoints based on their religious convictions. In a free country, significant differences of
opinion are inevitable and to be encouraged. Indeed, these differences of opinion and the
right to articulate them in public are cornerstones of our American heritage.
Therefore, The Interfaith Alliance of Washington State challenges all candidates for public
office to commit to the following basic principles of fairness and decency as they conduct
their campaigns.
Code of Fair Campaign Practices
• I affirm the religious diversity of this country. I reject any political group which
preaches or practices exclusion and intolerance, including any assertion that votes for
candidates are "votes for God."
• I will conduct my campaign without any appeal to prejudice or discrimination based
of race, religion, gender, marital status, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation,
disability, or age.
• I will publicly refuse to support or contributions from any individual or group that
appeals to prejudice or discrimination.
• I will not use unfair campaign practices (misrepresenting my opponent's positions.
spreading rumors, stealing or defacing campaigns signs, etc.). Further, I will immec
ly condemn the use of campaign materials or practices that dishonestly cast doubt
my opponent's integrity, patriotism, or moral fitness.
• I will defend the right of every qualified U.S. citizen to participate fully and equal!
the electoral process.
We hope this information will be helpful!
Sincerely,
The Interfaith Alliance of Washington State
�:icipating in the political debate.
HERE'S WHAT THE EDMONDS SCHOOL BOARD
CANDIDATES THINK:
Position #1
Signed Code of
Campaign Practices
Do you think private
religious schools should
be able to receive public
tax dollars?
Do you believe schools
should be able to designate
specific time in a school
day for prayer?
Should Biblical creation
theory and scientific
theory be given equal
time in school curricula?
Should religious beliefs
determine choice of text
and library books in schools?
Do you believe public
schools should promote
and celebrate religious
holiday observances like
Christmas and Easter?
Position #3
Position #5
EDIE
JOHN
JOHN
JIM
MARY
ROGER
HARDING
WRIGHT
KEEFE
BEARD
FARRINGTON
POLZIN
Yes
Did Not
Sign
Yes
Did Not
Sign
Yes
Yes
No
No
Response
No
No
Response
No
No
No
No
Response
No
No
Response
No
No
No
No
Response
No
No
Response
No
No
No
No
Response
No
No
Response
No
No
No
No
Response
No
No
Response
No
No
�WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1995
Alliance takes on Washington rightists
and copies of the pledge to school•An interchurch group asks
school board candidates to sign a board candidates in Olympia and in
the Lake Washington, Northshore
pledge to affirm religious
and Edmonds school districts in the
diversity, reject "exclusion"
Seattle suburbs. The questionnaires
The Associated Press
SEATTLE -Take the pledge.
That's what the Interfaith Alliance of Washington State is asking
22 school-board candidates to do in
what has become a pilot project to
promote tolerance and smoke out
"stealth candidates" from what is
sometimes called the religious right.
"Our purpose is to unmask those
hidden agendas," said the Rev. Walter John Boris of Kirkland Congregational United Church of Christ.
Candidates signing the pledge
promise to "affirm the religious diversity of this country" and "reject
uny political group which preaches
or practices exclusion and intolerance, including any assertion that
votes for its candidates are 'votes for
God.'"
The alliance sent questionnaires
seek the candidates' stands on such
issues as school prayer, use of tax
dollars for private or parochial
schools, and the teaching of creationism. Results are being compiled
for a voter guide to be distributed
before the elections Nov. 7. Total
cost is estimated at $26,000.
Northshore incumbent Sue Paro
said she signed without reservation.
Dave Welch, state director of
Christian Coalition, said he knew of
no stealth strategy among religious
conservatives.
"To make it appear that this is a
major agenda with any kind of
major organization of Christian conservatives is absurd," he said.
"We believe candidates should
take positions on issues and say who
and what they are."
·
He said he had no objection to the
survey but considered the pledge
"too broad and meaningless."
Candidates signing the pledge vow
to "campaign without any appeal to
prejudice or discrimination based on
race, religion, gender, marital status, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability or age."
Mike Nykreim, a Republican activist hoping to unseat an 17-year
veteran on the Lake Washington
board, says he opposes attempts by
religious conservatives to take over
the state GOP organization but feels
the alliance is taking on "a devil
that I don't think exists."
He signed the pledge after crossing out the words "sexual orientation."
"If a guy 6-foot-5 arrives in a
school and he's in a dress, I can't accept that in a classroom," Nykreim
said. "It's one thing if it's done in
good humor.... It's another thing if
they're trying to promote their sexual preferences."
Washington state survey organizers will train Interfaith Alliance affiliates around the country to conduct such mailings, said Jill
Hanauer, national executive direc-
tor of the organization in Washington, D.C.
Alliance chapters provided voter
guides for Virginia state races and
Nashville City Council elections, but
those were based on candidates' voting records and public statements,
Hanauer said.
The survey process is borrowed
from the conservative Christian Coalition, which distributed 33 million
voter guides in congressional and
gubernatorial races nationwide last
year.
Many Democrats said their views
and positions were misrepresented
in the coalition mailings, considered
a factor in 1994 Republican election
gains. As a tax-exempt organization,
the Christian Coalition is barred
from formally endorsing or promoting office-seekers.
Interfaith Alliance, which has
about 1,000 members in the state,
was organized nationally in mid1994 by mainstream religious leaders who said the Christian Coalition
and similarly aligned groups were
fostering intolerance.
�Grants Pass
Dail~ Courier
Weekend
January 13, 1996
Voters' guides have religious ties
Two publications
counter material
fromtheOCA
By Charles E. Beggs
Associated Press Writer
SALEM -When it comes
to voter guides on the U.S.
Senate candidates, some
groups think others are misguided.
.
So two organizations with
religious ties are distributing their own pamphlets to
voters in anticipation of the
Jan. 30 mail-in election.
Both the Interfaith
. Alliance of Oregon and
... · tl?i ·
~, ~
~ :l
Mainstream Oregon say
·~·-- _.
~
they launched their efforts
. I·~.
.
. ' cutri:ws 7
to counter material from the
·
'""PO'"' ~ ~-;;:.:::;-.::-:;;'-. M~~'" ..; ~
Oregon
OPPon . . . :.:::..-·-·---·
··
(
·
' h Citizens Alliance,
i~.•{ - ..:::::~--~··- SUPPORt
wh1c campaigns against
suPPORT ~ft.;\ :::..----···t
gay rights and abortion, and
,, v ........._";;.·.:.:::.-··- ....';!~,,_ <> rd
the national Christian CoalioPPOu ~ ~:":":'·"--=--= su..,.011,
s~1~!!
tion.
suPPORr :t~ ..... ___ ,_
·-The guides explain stands
:r&1 ::;:;~.._.==.:=:of Republican contender
~~~~~~
~~!!!'!'!!'
Gordon Smith and Democrat
Ron Wyden, including voting
records, public statements
and surveys.
Neither of the guides
should be confused with the
official state Voters' Pamphlet. Sent to Oregon households, the Voters' Pamphlet Rev. Rodney Page shows Interfaith Alliance spread on
requires basic facts from the .
candidates but otherwise publishes paid
"We think the issues in our guide would be
advertisements for them.
of interest to the mainstream Oregonians,"
The Rev. Rodney Page, a leader in the said Page, who also is executive director of
move to form the Oregon arm of the Inter- Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon.
faith Alliance, said the alliance guide is an
Topics covered in the guide include the
attempt to inform voters about issues besides minimum wage, Medicare and Medicaid, tax
those of concern to those in the religious deductions for college tuition and environright. ·
mental issues.
!!
!:
..
e
Page sai<i . 1,000
· guides will be a; .. :ibuted, some directly to
church congregations
'and some by mail.
Tr~1ci Spillman of
S.ilvert01,. coordinator
.of the i\'i~ in stream
Oregon guide, said
75,000 of those pamphlets are being distributed
through
churches.
·
. Groups forming
Mainstream Oregon·
included
several·
churches, the Human
Rights Coalition, an
association of social
service organizations,
and the Oregon State
·council of Senior Citizens.
"We're not trying
to endorse either candidate," says Spill~
man.'
"Some people were
angry that right-wing
organizations were
claiming to speak for
people of faith, and
they didn't necesSarily
speak for the person's
viewpoint."
· Issues covered in
the Mainstream guide
· include school finance,
personal
liberty
issues, worker safety
Associated Press
and health plans.
Smith-Wyden race.
She said there is a
need
to
inform
churchgoing voters on more election issues
. th1;1n those that right-wing religious organizations focus on, such as school prayer, gays
and abortion.
The guide is based on such things voting
records and news clippings.
"We tried to document everything," she
said.
.
�A Challenge to Oregonians and Our Way of, Life
THE
THREAT:
OREGON
CITIZENS' CHRISTIAN
ALLIANCE COALITION
BALLOT
BALLOT
MEASURE
9
MEASURE
13
THE
RESPONSE:
~·
The Extreme Religious Right
The Interfaith Alliance
The Christian Coalition, the Oregon Citizens' Alliance
and other extremist organizations shamelessly promote
an extreme political agenda under the guise of claiming
to speak for people of faith. When their false claims,
distortions of voting records, and deliberate misrepresentations are called into question, they attempt to silence
their critics with charges of religious bigotry.
Mainstream religious leaders and other concerned
citizens have come together to form a national
organization called the Interfaith Alliance (TIA).
TIA's goal is to promote the positive role of religion
as a healing and constructive force in public life,
encourage the renewal of values within our families and
communities and provide people of faith with an
alternative voice to that of the extreme religious right.
For more information or to volunteer with the Oregon Interfaith Alliance or the National Interfaith Alliance, please contact:
The Interfaith Alliance, 1511 K Street, N.W., Suite 738, Washington, D.C. 20005
e-mail: tialliance@intr.net • web site: http://www.intr.net/tialliance
Paid for and authorized by The Interfaith Alliance, Inc, This voter guide is provided for educational purposes only and is not to be construed as an endorsement of any candidate or political parry. ~
�..
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.
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'
OPPOSE
Ron
·Wyden
SUPPORT
OPPOSE
2. Do you~
'' ...
congresstoJ
andMedicl
,.
'
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3. Do you~
· to allow- fa1
from their
4 •. Do you~
to wealu~Ii ·
legislation:
DQ·you.s
. · ·tbat· prohib
· based·
solei'
..
·.beliefs?
5~
SUPPORT
.'
'
.
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.. , ·.. :;,
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.
,'
.'
SUES
pQrt or oppose legislation .
oimum wage for all full~s? .
port or oppose the current
proposals to cut Medicare
by $359 billion?
(JOrt or oppose legislation
les to. deduct college costs
able incomes?
(JOrt or oppose legislation
EPA and environmental
!)Ort or oppose ,legislation
discrimination in housing
11 the landlord's religious
NO
AN·SWER
SUPPORT
NO
ANSWER
SUPPORT
Gordon
Smith
(REFUSED TO RESPOND
TO QUESTIONNAIRE)
OPPOSE
'fhe Interfaith i-\lliance has developed this voter guide to provide Ot·egonians
with information on in1portant issues facing our conllllLlllities. In direct
contrast to the itTesponsihle distortions and misrepresentations used by the
Christian Coalition to pnnnote their extren1ist political agenda, this voter
guide is intended as an honest, fact-based evaluation of candidate positions.
nts. voting records, campaU!n literature and auestionnaire resoonses.
��THE NATION'S NEWSPAPER
THURSDAY' NOVEMBER 2, 1995
Religious conservatism reaches out
By Lori Sham
and Patricia Edmonds
USA TODAY
Thousands of cathoUcs bave
received letters recently that
begin with a quote from Pope
John Paul II, eXhorting them to
change "not only your own
li1•es. bur your environment ac·
cordia~ lo Ule ••• Gospel."
What follows Is a pltcb to
·tight for traditional moral values and to join the catholic Alii·
ance, a new arm of the Christian Coalition.
In an attempt at diversity,
the major voice of religious
conservatism In the USA Is
seeking members not only
from among the nation's 60
million Catholics, but also
among Jews, Afrlcan·Amerl·
cans and Hispanics.
"We always have been a
movement of white conservative evangelicals with our feet
planted flnnly In the Republi·
can Party," says Executive Dl·
rector Ralph Reed. "We believe the lack of denomination·
al and ethnic diversity ... has
been one of Its major handl·
caps."
Reed says the coalition's cur·
rent membership Is 16% catholic, 2% Jewish, 3% African·
American and 2% Hispanic,
Native American and other ml·
nortties. Boosting those per·
centages Is a way to give the coalition a voice In the
Democratic Party, Reed says.
The coalition Is stressing Js.
sues that appeal acn&~ racial
and denominational lines:
abortion, school vouchers and
school prayer, tax relief for
families, and general outrage
at the moral state of the nation.
Critics say It Is soft-pedaling
other controversial Issues, such
as capping payments to wei·
fare mothers and ending feder·
allegal aid for the poor.
Founded In 1989 by televangelist Pat Robertson, the Christian Coalition boasts 1,700
chapters In all 50 states, an an·
nual budget of $24 million and
a formidable. grass-roots net·
work. Those resources are beIng used to attract tour groups:
Ill> Afrlcao·Amerlcaas:
About 125 coru;ervatlve black
pastors and activists met In
Dallas In July for a two-day, coalitlon-spon:;ored conference.
Stephan Brown, who directs
the coalition's etrorts to fonn
"pbrtner~hlps" m Uie black
community, says there are 35
to 40 chapters led by African·
Americans. Georgia's board
will name its arst African·
American member next week.
The Rev. Timothy MeDon·
ald, pastor of the First Iconlum
Baptist Church in Atlanta, says
he preaches against the coall·
lion, which he says uses anti·
abortion and gay-rights stands
to split the black community.
Black churches have a long tra·
dillon of being morally conser·
vative and socially progressive,
he says. "They don't care that It
diVides blacks," be says. "All
they are concerned about Is It
gets folks for their cause."
"People are searching tor
solutions," counters Star
Parker, an African-American
who co-basts a cable show with
Reed. "We know overwhelmIngly many or the positions supported by the Chrtstlan Coall·
lion will work In urban areas."
Hispanics: Voter guides vouchers. Orthodox Jews over·
have been printed In Spanish. whelmingly send their chll·
The Texas Christian CoaJIUon's dren to parochial schools.
annual meeting In San Antonio Hertzberg says no mainstream
Nov. 11 will focus on Hispanic Jewtsh groups are joining.
and black outreach.
catholics: The biggest prize
"Hispanics are the most pro- may be Catholics, who number
life of any ethnic group In 60 million. Reed estimates that
America." says Texas Beld dl· 12 million to 15 million are
"pro-life" and "pro-family."
rector Alice Patterson.
Jews: Orthodox Rabbi Dan· The catholic Alliance holds Its
lei Lapin, an outspoken coal!· first regional organizing meet·
tlon supporter, says, "Jewish lng Dec. 9 In Boston.
Interests are best served by a
The coalition already has
restoration of the primacy of many hiends among Catholics
who share Its anti-abortion·
biblical morality."
But retired rabbi Arthur rights sentiments and concerns
Hertzberg, a board member of about public education.
"We're not all going to agree
the InterfaiUI Alliance, says Or·
thodox Jews - less than 10% on everything," says Jane
of Jews In America- are join· Salce, a Catholic who heads the
lng over the Issue of school coalition's CDnnectlcut chap-
ter. "What we do Is accentuate
what we have In common."
Some catholic bishops work
wtth the coalition on Issues even publishing voter guides ln
diocesan newspapers.
But at least one has warned
pastors to steer clear. Rich·
mond, Va., Bishop Walter Sulli·
van warned pastors not to al·
low "outside political groups,"
Including the catholic Alliance,
to recruit and distribute voter
guides among parishioners.
"We cannot allow any group,
even through the use of the
name ·catholic,' to give the appearance that they speak for
the church," wrote Sullivan.
"The Catholic Church Is con·
cemed with atUtudes we see
now toward people who are
vulnerable - the poor, the lm·
migrant, the unwed mother,"
says Sister Mary Ann Walsh,
spokeswoman for the U.S.
catholic CDnlerence, who did
not single out the coalition.
Michael Ferguson, execu·
Uve director of the catholic
C&mpalgn for America, says:
"Some catholics wtll be drawn
simply because of the Christian
Coalition's successes. People
like to join a winner."
Ferguson's group - which
wtll feature Reed at Its conven·
tlon this month - was fonned
In 1992 to get conservative
catholics Involved In public
policy. To the extent that the
Christian Coalition's efforts
also do that, Ferguson says.
"We look on It as a good thing."
�Interfaith
Alliance of
Washington
�Empty Calories Won't Satisfy- Country's Hunger
In November of 1994 voters
went to the polls to turn out
incumbents in state and national
legislatures, and replace them
with individuals who promised to
honor and uphold "traditional values." Fiery campaigns were
fanned and financed by advocates
of the newly advanced "Contract
with America." which likewise
promised a values-driven agenda
for the new Congress.
What was it that seemed so
tantalizing, wafting the scent of
fresh baked bread to millions of
hungry voters? A sweet solution
to the gnawing experience of fear;
something to quell the sense of
emptiness and 1ack of control in
our lives.
We know now that the
Twinkie-Flx which tasted so good
to so many on election day, in fact
held no nutritional value for the
critical growth needs of our
country. Its "values; devoid of
content, were empty calories. Still
with us are fear, hopelessness and
a hunger for wholeness.
What was spread on the
American table was panacea:
Swallow these and we wouldn't
really have to face the difficulties
and complexities of today; we
could simply return to the comforting myths of yesterday. To
undo a forbidding present and go
back to a more familiar past is
tempting: with selective memory,
the past seems like a time that was
stable and sure, with its known
enemies and unknown - or at least
unspoken - troubles within. In
truth, what·we value most about
the past is that we got through it.
The present holds no such comfort.
Our society has grown more
diverse and daily life more worrisome. Once there was a feeling of
safety in the belief that being an
American meant being all alike,
completely free and totally in control. Like a child's magic cape,
once a protection against all that
made grown-ups frown, that
belief eventually proved an illusion- but still remains a wish.
Perhaps
the
strongest
American trait is the tendency to
fix things - quickly - from upset
stomachs to upset communities.
It is easiest - and perhaps quite
normal - to address symptoms
rather than causes, to swish breath
freshener instead of treating gum
disease. We want the remedy to
be fast. And in our age of adver-
!ising and sound bites, we wish it
also to be grand. The solution that
has emerged to prominence is The
Great Eraser: Extra Strength anything that will make my pain go
away quickly; a law that will prohibit and punish whatever I find
disturbing.
In this context, The Interfaith
Alliance is not very "marketable."
It's slow-acting, and doesn't take
away pain. Instead of masking. it
draws attention to issues. It calls for
deliberation, not deliverance. It is not
only putting out bread to chew on; it
is changing the recipe.
Balance. Reason. Fairness.
Inclusiveness. These are values with
li(c-giving content. Yet they are difficult to make real in civic life, even
more difficult to maintain. In a small,
uniform community. there's a chance
of holding such unbending order that
these qualities may not even get reference. But in the larger. more complex
and diverse civic community we have
today it becomes imperative - perhaps even a matter of life or death -to
seek arid struggle for them, and to
persevere in protecting them. +
Judy Vitzthum is a member of the
Interfaith Alliance of Washington State.
-------------------Afissio11 Staleml!!tl------------------• The Interfaith AllianceofWashington State is a coalition of concerned religious individuals who joined together to articulate and promote
the religious prindples of compassion. tolerance, and justice in the public arena. • In public di.llogue we challenge intolerance and work
to restore civility and common sense to public dt."bate. • We work to create a community in which people exchange ideas in an atmosphere
of fairn~s. justice, trulh·tetling, and respect for all in our spiritually diverse society. • We are a presence in public forums as voices that
respect the integrity of our pluralism and the dignity of all people. • We enthusiastically welcome all people committed to these ideas to
join in our efforts to affinn this mission.
The
Interfaith
Alliance of
Washington
State
Rdigious P<·ople Rt'SI'<'Cting Dit<crsily and Cl!al/engirrg Intolt"rarrcc
Campaign Pledge Sets Standard
.':';;·; .-·~: ~T~m,;-;_'i:.;,_~,~:
:_,_steering Committee_:
•
~-
,. ··' •
~
'
-
> -
-~
Rev. Thomas Anastasi
SlwrdiM
UrzilaridnUnit~
Rev. Michael And.onon
Holy SpiTil Luthnarz
Rev. Walter John Boris
Kirkl4rul Crmgr.-satioruJI
Urzitl"d Church of Christ
Mary Ann Dunbar
WooJ.on Cr~ Luti:.>TDn
Rrv. Or. RickMoBr
LAL- Washington Chris.tidn
Rev. Barl>a,. Wells
'r\'(l()ofim·ill..
UnitariDnllflit't'r"Sdlist
Rrv. Kathlyn J.1mn
C..a:...l\.o.~:-hir:st•••r
lJ,it.·J,\I,·thiJJi.st
The
Interfaith
Alliance of
Washington
State
Bulk Rate
US. Postage
PAID
Kirkland WA
Permit No. 154
Cantor David Serkin-Poole
Tt•ml'l.- B"Mi Toralr
Rev. Paul Fomun
j\;,,,,,,:Jh"•"
ll•tito•rlt"l,mdro•fl"IITi-:t
Jerry Warren
P. 0. Box 2161
Woodinville, WA 98072-2161
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InterCo.itb Allience
1511 R St. N.W. Suite 738
Washington. DC. 20005
Com~.,,·.lr,·•hiOYIInJillt
[,fuoJti,l•/ [,•UI:.fotlioll
Post Office Box 2161
Woodinville
WA 98072-2161
206654-3468
We have taken a major step forward
in our stand against intolerance wilh the
devdopment of a Campaign Pledgt' that
supports the basic principk'S of fairness
and decency. Th<' document will be presented to the general public at a press
conference early in October. During the
fall school board elections, candidates in
selected races across the state will be
invited to sign the Campaign Pledgt'. In
each race chosen, all candidates will be
approached. The Alliance will publicize
their r<'sponses and will monitor the
campaigns for compliance. By the fall of
1996, the developm<'nt of more state
affiliates will make it possible to use the
Campaign Pledge in a wid<' number of
political races. Official copies of th<'
Pledge, including room for signatures
have been sent to all organiz<'d
Affiliates. Here is the Campaign Pledge
and it's introduction.
cornerstones of our American heritage.
Therefore, Tire Interfaith Allianu of
Washington Stale challenges all
candidates for public office to commit to
the following basic principles of fairness
and decency as they conduct thl'ir
campaigns,
Campaign Pledge
e I affirm the religious diversity of this
country. I reject any political group
which preaches or practices exclusion
and intolerance, including any assertion
that votes for its candidates are "votl'S
for God."
e I will conduct my campaign without
any appeal to prejudice or discrimirotion based on race, religion, gt"nd<'r, marital status. national origin, cthnicity, 5l'X·
ual oric'lltation, disability, or agt'.
e I will publicly refuse support or contributions from any individual or group
that appeals to prejudice or discrimina·
Code of Fair Campaign Practices
I will not use unfaw campaign practic<'s (misrepresenting my opponl'nt's
positions, spreading rumors, stl'aling or
defacing campaign signs, l'tc.). Further, I
will immediately condemn the use of
campaign materials or practices that dis·
honl'Stly cast doubt on my opp<"•n<''at's
integrity, patriotism, or moral fitn..-ss.
e I will defend th<' right of every qual·
ified US. citizen to participale fully and
"'lually in the l'lectoral pr<ICl'Ss. •
tion.
The Interfaith Alliance of Washington
State is a coalition of concerned religious
individuals committl'd to fostering
respectful civic discourse. Th<' Alliance
emerged in response to public despair
and apathy in the face of the increasingly
shrill and negative ton<' of de-bate in the
political arena. Our Mission Statement
declares that we •... work to create a
community in which pcopl<' l'Xchan~:e
iJcas in an
atmosphc.~re
of
fairn~.
•
jus-
tice, truth-telling and respect for aiL"
We acknowledge· and respect the
rights of people to ad\·ocate diverse
polilical vi<'wpoints b.,sro on thl'ir religious convictions. In a fn.-c country. significant differencl's of opinion are
inevitable and to be <'ncourag<'d.
lndred, these differences of opinion and
the right to articulat<' them in public arc
I reject any political group
which preaches or 11ract ices
exclusion and intolerance,
including any assertion that
t•ofcs for its candidates arc
-.'()tcs for God."'
�Building a Shared Vision
~~~-eri~!J QJT"!{U,~~ ~#fJ~t~:·
TIA·WA in D.C., REALLY!!
This past week, in Washington D.C., the
Interfaith Alliance held a Press Conference in a
small church across the street from the Christian
Coalition's National Convention. The purpose to infonn the nation that an alternative voice
that is compassionate and tolerant exists for
people of faith.
Present at the press conference were
National Board members of TIA, a representative from the Pennsylvania state affiliate and, of
course, TIA-WA. It was an honor for me to represent all of you at this event, and an inspiration
to finally meet our counterparts from around
the nation.
As I talked with people from Tenn. and
Penn. about their experiences, I became even
more aware of our need here in Washington
State. Five members of congress from our state
have an 86% or better approval rating from the
Christian Coalition. Our state Legislature is a
major concern. especially now that some legislators arc openly stating that we should do away
with public education. The 10 point contract for
the American Family will be a focus of the next
session. and as people of faith, we arc going to
need to be on our toes.
Right now, as school board races are fonning
across the state there are many "stealth"
Christian Coalition candidates who are not
being entirely open about their goals for our
schools. 'WI! arc also hearing stories from people
who have had intolerable experiences with the
Religious Right on public policy issues.We hope
that our campaign pledge will be valuable in
educating voters during the months before the
election. The Christian Coalition and· other
organizations related to it have been at work for
IS years in our state. It's time for people of faith
to speak out to celebrate diversity and challenge
intolerance.
My trip to D.C. gave me the chance to wander into the Hilton Hotel to observe the
Christian Coalition in action. The book displays
were much calmer than previous years according to one observer. They have learned their
lessons from the past when when they were crit·
icized for selling T-shirts claiming only
Republicans can be Christians. The most interesting display was from the National Rifle
Association. Somehow gun ownership has
become an issue of faith.
Ralph Reed, the Executive Director claimed
openly that the Christian Coalition was not
looking for a candidate they could endorse, they
wanted a candidate that would endorse THEM!
Bob Dole was greeted by chants of those who
wanted him to sign the anti-abortion pledge.
There were political signs and American flags
everywhere. It resembled a political party. It
was entirely partisan (with the exception of one
lone Democrat who spoke) and was extremely
controlled. It was hard to tell that this was a
501-(c)J non-political organization.
Prior to entering the Hilton that day, it was
my joy to have breakfast with the President at
the White House. This annual prayer breakfast
was actually more religious than the Christian
Coalition event. The President preached a moving sermon about families and the values we
share as American Gtizens. Ralph Reed commented on the speech publicly stating that
President Ointon had not spoken from the
"bully pulpit, but from the pulpit of bull."
If ever there was a need for The Interfaith
Alliance to stand for positive public discourse,
the time is NOW. People from both parties arc
disturbed by this kind of rhetoric. Tell your
friends, Republican, Democratic, or
Independent, about Tht Interfaith Allianct.
Invite them to join us in promoting the religious
principles of compassion, tolerance, and justice.
Yours in Hope,
Rick Morse
6--~~----------~
1liJ~Dill1t
is a periodic newsletter
for the friends and members of
The Interfaith Alliance of Washington State,
a non-profit organization.
Editor: Walter john Boris
Designer: louise Holder
Submissions Welcome
On closing his conversation in
New Hampshire with Newt
Gingrich, President Ointon posed
two serious questions for the
American people. What should our
government be like in .the 21st century? How do we generate that
shared vision?
Any answer needs to seriously
consider the role of technology. We
often forget that technology is at the
heart or every life support system,
from food production to telecommunications. More importantly, it is as
influential in our culture as family
and religion once were. In the 21st
century, we'll experience even more.
Technology, however, is more than
elegant hardware. It tends to concentrate power and wealth; it
impacts our creed of social and ceonomic justice. Technology breeds
side effects, many harmful to our
society, many hibernating to penalize our progeny. It has extraordinary political consequences.
The private sector contributes the
hardware, but government is an
essential, albeit neglected, partner.
It assists industry with tax incentives and subsidies. It facilitates
overseas sales. It purchases leading
edge military products. It sponsors
scientific research. Government
husbands and manages common
property resources. It sponsors
large-scale public works beyond the
risk horizon of commerce. By ceonomic policy, it can nourish venture
capital. List, government regulates
technology to protect lives, health,
and human rights as well as property rights, and to conserve our natural legacy for future generations.
Ironically, some in our society
focus on government as "the enemy."
The rhetoric sounds like that applied
earlier to the U.S.S.R.
Our
Constitution provides for the continuous tuning and strenuous taming
of government. But the congressional stampede to shrink government
without examining the repercussions forces us to think through
what kind of government we want
in the century ahead. Indeed, we
must act now.
The majestic issue deserves
debate. Unfortunately, those intent
on disestablishing government have
also chosen "in your face" tactics
which inflame prejudices, foster narrow interests, and block constructive
resolution of our differences to generate treasured consensus.
This nation was built on diversity.
If we think of it as a masonry wall
composed of rocks varying in shape
and composition. the wall has held
because of the mortar. That mortar
is cracking. Fotgotten is a motto on
our Great Seal - e pluribus unum.
From many, one. Only when we
restore mutual respect in forums to
rediscover our common heritage and
dreams can we then find the shared
vision that was invited by the
President.
From its founding charter, that is
what Tht Interfaith Allianct is all
about. Here is an opportunity to
rediscover those basic values of freedom and justice that motivated the
founding fathers. Using the same
technologies of politics employed by
those intent on churning up conflict.
this can be a different network gaining strength from the deep, powerful, mysterious - and varied - currents of the spiriL Here is how we
build thaI shared vision. •
Edward Wenk, Jr. is Emeritus
Proftssor of Engineering and Public
Affairs at the Univtrsity of
Washington and author of a new book
of tht thtme of this tditorial, Making
.l:Ygm : Endnmjrrg ~ e!l!l. ili
SOOaL Marnmmrntli[Ttchno/ogy
TIA-WA To Hire Coordinator for Campaign
Pledge Effort - Your Support is Needed
Sometime during the next 10 days, The Interfaith Alliance of Washington State will hire a coordinator to promote our
Campaign Pledge. All of the individuals being considered are experienced in political organization and the use of the
media. One of the responsibilities of the professional coordinator will be to raise funds for the campaign. We have
approximately $8.000 in our treasury, all from individual contributions from members of TIA-WA. We arc working on
applications for a number of grants, and our new coordinator will also help get that.effort on the fast track. The projected
budget for this fall's campaign is $35.000, which includes purchasing media time and sending out mailings. If you can
make an additional contribution to TIA-WA in support of our Campaign Pledge effort, it would help to insure
~-~_:uccess. Thank you, for your generosity! •
D YES!
I want to support the Campaign Pledge effort!
Here is my special contribution for $_ _ _ _.
Name:
Send your check, made out to The Interfaith Alliance of Washington State
P.O. Box 2161, Woodinville, WA 98072-2161
�Do Christian Coalition Voter's Guides Treat Candidates Fairly?
The survey printed below was sent to Thurston Country School board candidates in August. In the cover letter, candidates were congratulated for their willingness to serve as a public official. The letter describes their
voter guide I candidate survey saying. 'This type of survey helps voters to select the candidates they wish to
vote for based on issues and values as opposed to rhetoric." But is that really true?
The InttT{aith Alliance national office has warned us that in some cases, the questions that appear in the survey
are restated in a more biased way on the voter's guide. We are also concerned about the closing statement that
indicates explanations from the candidates probably will not be included in the guide. Please watch for the
Christian Coalition's voter's guides in your area. Send us a copy, along with any comments you have to share.
We want to make sure that any voter's guides arc fair to all candidates.+
TIA-WA to Develop Values
Formation Resource Center
At it's first annual retreat, Tht lnltrfaith Alliance of
IVashington Stalt expressed the dream to develop a Resource
Center. Such a center would be responsible for the following:
1) provide information on the activi tics of religious
extremists.
2)
3)
1995 Christian Coalition Thurston County Candidate Survey
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10>
11)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)
17)
18)
19)
20)
Should all curriculum. textbooks, films, and policies be open to parents at all times?
Do you believe the judro-Christian ethic and values and the tradition of our country?
Will you support it?
Do you believe "phonics" is the best way to teach reading?
Do you support Outcome Based Education OBE using the current "group-bdsed mastery learning"
techniques?
Do you believe that textbooks or library books with pornographic or foul/vulgar language should
be removed from schools and will you actively work to remove them?
Do you believe that abstinence should be taught as the solution to the rampant problems of premarital sex, teen pregnancy and abortion?
Would you support a policy to remove texts and curriculum that usc "values clarification"
(no right - no wrong - invasion of student privacy) techniques from schools?
Do you believe district policies should clearly define and prohibit the teaching of secular
humanism in schools?
Would you support a policy of teaching about religion as opposed to the teaching of religion?
Do you belie\'e that students should enjoy freedom on campus and all students and student clubs
should be treated equally? This would include equal access to all school facilities.
Do you believe that the Christmas and Easter holidays should be honored and taught as significant
Christian holidays in schools, and the vacation periods be called by their religious names"Christmas" and "Easter" holidays?
Do you oppose policies allowing smoking. drinking & drugs on campus?
Do you favor school sponsored contraceptives or abortion for minors?
Do you support m.1ndatory NEA/WEA membership for all teachers?
Do you favor tuition tax credits or a voucher system for parental choice in schools?
Do you favor voluntary school prayer?
Do you believe our country was founded on the moral principles of the Bible and favor these
traditional values in public schools?
Do you support scientific creation and evolution being taught as a two-model theory in schools?
W"uld you favor a policy banning the usc of any curriculum or texts promoted by the teachers
union (NEA/WEAl. Planned Parenthood, or any other agency. private or governmental, that was
not first analyze and approved by the local school board?
Would you acth·cly promote reviews of all functions and positions with a goal of eliminating/
reducing "overhead; support and administrative costs, while increasing funds for supplies and
dirt:"Ct assistance to teachers in the classroom?
I understand that the a rove information (as provided by my marking yes, no or maybe) may be used in a
voter guide to assist the electClrate in making informed decisions based on my positions and beliefs. I
further understand that any comments or explanations to these questions will most probably not be
included in the ~;uide.
4)
promote theological and political reflection on current
issue'S.
set the agenda and o\·erscc Value Form.>tion Teams
within our statewide organization.
facilitate contacts with organizations with similiar
missions.
Are you interested in being part of such a dream? We need
n>tunte'<'rs to begin this Resource Center and to staff it's continu"'h dforts. An initial meeting for any interested people is schedule-d at 12:00 noon on October 12th. The gathering will take
place at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, 10021 NE 124th St.,
Kirkland. Lunch will be provide-d, but we need to know you arc
coming. Call Michael Anderson, at Holy Spirit, to confirm your
attendance: 823-2n7. +
Planning to Begin for TIA-WA
1996 Annual Meeting
Imagine a nationally known speaker, great workshops, networking. singing. worship, and affirming leadership. Want to
be a part of it?! We need your help to plan our 2nd Annual
Meeting. scheduled for May, 1996. join a task force that will
design and implement this important TIA-WA event. An organizational meeting will be held in the Seattle area in October.
Please call Mary Anne Dunbar (206/788-27'-.5) to volunteer. +
New Brochures for TIA-WA
New membership brochures for TIA-WA are now being
printe-d which reflect our commitment to stating our beliefs in a
positive manner. Criticisms wci"C" Je\o"C'lcd at our first brochure
for being excessively inflamm.1tory in naming specific organizations. The Steering Committee agreed. We want to challenge
intolerant practices, while preserving the possibility of constructi,·c dialogue. To do this m;: have to refrain from name-calling
and painting "them" with a broad black brush.
If you need brochures, call our office and we'll send them
right out to you. Please do not photo-copy. except as a last
resort. We arc working wry hard to produce high quality print
picct'S to present TIA-WA in the l>cst pos~ible light.+
A World House
(No Alien Nation)
Marlin Luther King Jr. saw us lit•ing together in
a u'Orld house. To open the m:erzt Central Synod
of the United Church of Christ, James Crawford
of BCJSton 's Old South Church picturtd a day in
the life of an American U'Oman who is "ally a
resident of the world. We share this houst as a
reminder of the gifts and c·halltngts of dit'trSity.
She begins her day when the dock radio
made in japan plays music composed in
Mexico. She goes to the bathroom and wash·
es her face with soap invented by the Cauls.
Her husband steps out of his pajamas
from the East Indies and begins to shave, a
masochistic rite first practiced by the priests
of Sumer, made a little less unpleasant by
using a razor made of steel, an ironcarbon
alloy discovered in Turkestan.
She dons clothes originally designed in
India and adds a throat scarf, the vestigial
remnant of a shoulder shawl worn by a 17th century Croat.
Then, down to breakfast for a cup of coffe-.,
from beans grown in Columbia, a banana
from Guatemala, and sugar from India in a
pewter container partly of Bolivian tin. She
unfolds a napkin of cotton grown in Zaire,
and picks up cutlery compounded of
·Zambian chrome, Canadian nickel, and
Peruvian vanadium.
Then off to work with a briefcas.e of
leather from a Nepalese mountain sheep, in a
car manufactured in Sweden. fueled by gasoline pumped in Kuwait.
Carrying an unbrclla invented in China.
she stops to buy (with coins first used in
Lydia) a Wall ·street journal, whose editorial
appears to be written by 18th-century
Scotsman Adam Smith.
She scans the day's news, set in Arabic
characters on Chinese paper by a German
process. She cringes at the reported antics of
those dreadful foreigners, and thanks a
Hebrew God in an Indo-European language
that she is, in a decimal system dcvclop<>d by
the Greeks, 100% American, a word derived
from the name of an Italian explorer sailing
under a Portuguese nag. •
Special Thanks to Balaam 's ~and
Jim Crawford for this article.
�In June, we set the
goal to establish 3 local
affiliates by the end of the
summer. To dale, we have
significant work haJ1pening in at least 8 Affiliates
with more coming soon!
Here is a list of
Affiliates that are now in
the various stages of developlnent, and their key COlitact people. If your
Affiliate would like to send
direct articles to this
newsletter, we'd be happy
to print them on your
behalf.
NORTH KING &
SOUTH SNOHOMISH
The steering committee for
this new affiliate will meet for
the. first time at 1:00 p.m. on
Tuesday. September 26th at the
Edmonds Christian Church,
23010 84th Ave. W. in Edmonds.
The Edmonds area faces a difficult school board race this year and people in Everett are start·
ing to report some threatening
behavior in their area.
Contact:
Thomas Anastasi
Phone: 206/363·7446
VANCOUVER
THURSTON COUNTY
SEATILE
EAST KING COUNTY
Jim & Ginny Burnett are
our key contacts in this area.
They have talked with many
people from different faith
communities in the southern
part of our state. Deep in the
heart of Linda Smith territory,
this group will have many challenges in the development of
their Affiliate. Their next meeting will be September 28th at
2:00 p.m. at First Christian
Church in Vancouver.
The Olympia area has gone
great guns this summer. Dick
Hinkle is the contact person.
Dedecated members have a
tremendous energy level and
have already organized a steering committee, a Quick
Response Team (QRTJ and a
Values Formation Team (VFTJ.
The Thurston County TIA·WA
Affiliate is facing a difficult
school board race this fall. The
current board members have
been targeted by the Christian
Coalition.
The Thurston
County Affiliate already has 75
members!
This steering committee
has met regularly through the
summer.
We have been
impressed to hear of their commitment to diversity in that culturally rich area. Their first
general meeting will be
September 21st at 7:00 p.m. at
St. Mark's Cathedral, 1245 10th
Ave.
Contacts:
Drorah O'Donnell Setel
Phone: 206/328-7446
JoAnne Conard
Phone: 206/362-6749
The "Mother" Affiliate now
has a mailing list of more than
250 families. The affiliate has
been working hard to develop
their steering committee and
programing. Their next meet·
ing is Thursday, November
2nd, location to be announced.
Contact:
Jim & Ginny Burnett
Phone: 360/571-0093
Fax: 360/57~85
LONGVIEW
By request, Jim & Ginny
Burnett are also working with a
. group of folks in Longview
who are interested in forming a
steering committee. More info
will follow when available.
Contact:
Jim & Ginny Burnett
Phone: 360/571-0093
Fax: 360/576.0085
TACOMA
Later this next month the
steering committee will meet in
Pierce County. We have made
some initial contacts with
potential leaders. If you want
to help give birth to this group.
we'd love to hear from you.
Contact:
Dick Hinkle
Phone: 360/491·5483
Fax: 360/491-6210
Candidate Forums
Northshore School Board
Thursday, Oct. 19th, 7-9 p.m.
New Bothell County Library
Lake Washington School Board
Tuesday. Oct. 24th, 7-9 p.m.
Kingsgate Library
Contact:
Barbara Dunbar-Burke
Phone: (0) 206/822..()171
(H) 206/323-8175
Yakima
Steering committee yet to meet.
Contact:
Don Schnable
Phone: (0) 509/457-4131
(HJ 509/965-0288
Wenatchee
Linda Watson attended an East
King County Affiliate meeting
to get information about organizing in Wenatchee.
Contact:
Linda Watson
Phone: 509/548-7911
Tri-Cities
Several key people have volunteered for a steering committee.
Contact:
Reginald Smart
Phone: (0) 509/943-3927
(H) 509/375-1807
INLAND NORTHWEST
(SPOKANE)
A steering committee has
formed in Spokane, and is now
working hard at making a big
splash in January. This dedicated group just met with Walter
John Boris of our state steering
committee last week.
Contact:
Ron Greene
Phone: (0) 509/326-5400
(H) 509/328-8200
Monica Boyd Corsaro
Phone: (0) 509/325-4541
OTHER PLACES
Renlon, South King
Two people have volunteered
to work on a steering committee. More help is needed.
Thurston County Representatives join members of the State Steering
Committee at the first Annual Planning Retreat (Advance!!) September
13th & 14th. Facing (/rom left) Dave Sutton and Dick Hinkle from the
Thurston County Affiliate. making plans with Christy Hendricks. TIA·WA
secretary, and Steering Committee member Thomas Anastasi.
The
Interfaith
Alliance· of
Washington
State
�WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1995
Alliance takes on Washington rightists
•An interchurch group asks
school board candidates to sign a
pledge to affirm religious
diversity, reject "exclusion"
The Associated Press
SEATTLE- Take the pledge.
That's what the Interfaith Alii·
ance of Washington State is asking
22 school-board candidates to do in
what has become a pilot project to
promote tolerance and smoke out
"stealth candidates" from what is
sometimes called the religious right.
"Our purpose is to unmask those
hidden agendas," said the Rev. Wal·
ter John Boris of Kirkland Congregational United Church of Christ.
Candidates signing the pledge
promise to "affirm the religious di·
versity of this country" and "reject
ttny political group which preaches
or practices exclusion and intolerance, including any assertion that
votes for its candidates are 'votes for
God.'"
The alliance sent questionnaires
and copies of the pledge to school·
board candidates in Olympia and in
the Lake Washington, Northshore
and Edmonds school districts in the
Seattle suburbs. The questionnaires
seek the candidates' stands on such
issues as school prayer, use of tax
dollars for private or parochial
schools, and the teaching of creationism. Results are being compiled
for a voter guide to be distributed
before the elections Nov. 7. Total
cost is estimated at $26,000.
Northshore incumbent Sue Paro
said she signed without reservation.
Dave Welch, state director of
Christian Coalition, said he knew of
no stealth strategy among religious
conservatives.
"To make it appear that this is a
major agenda with any kind of
major organization of Christian conservatives is absurd," he said.
"We believe candidates should
take positions on issues and say who
and what they are."
He said he had no objection to the
survey but considered the pledge
"too broad and meaningless."
Candidates signing the pledge vow
to "campaign without any appeal to
prejudice or discrimination based on
race, religion, gender, marital sta·
tus, national origin, ethnicity, sexu·
al orientation, disability or age.''
Mike Nykreim, a Republican activist hoping to unseat an 17-year
veteran on the Lake Washington
board, says he opposes attempts by
religious conservatives to take over
the state GOP organization but feels
the alliance is taking on "a devil
that I don't think exists."
He signed the pledge after crossing out the words "sexual orienta·
tion.''
"If a guy 6-foot-5 arrives in a
school and he's in a dress, I can't accept that in a classroom," Nykreim
said. "It's one thing if it's done in
good humor.... It's another thing if
they're trying to promote their sexual preferences."
Washington state survey organiz·
ers will train Interfaith Alliance af·
filiates around the country to conduct such mailings, said Jill
Hanauer, national executive direc·
tor of the organization in Washington, D.C.
Alliance chapters provided voter
guides for Virginia state races and
Nashville City Council elections, but
those were based on candidates' voting records and public statements,
Hanauer said.
The survey process is borrowed
from the conservative Christian Coalition, which distributed 33 million
voter guides in congressional and
gubernatorial races nationwide last
year.
Many Democrats said their views
and positions were misrepresented
in the coalition mailings, considered
a factor in 1994 Republican election
gains. As a tax-exempt organization,
the Christian Coalition is barred
from formally endorsing or promot·
ing office-seekers.
Interfaith Alliance, which has
about 1,000 members in the state,
was organized nationally in mid·
1994 by mainstream religious lead·
ers who said the Christian Coalition
and similarly aligned groups were
fostering intolerance.
·
�liberals call for challenge to religious right
Copy tactics of Christian conservatives, church liberals say
BY KEITH ERVIN
Since last fall, Christian, Jewish, Unitarian and
Seattle Times East bureau
Muslim clergy have been organizing a state
BELLEVUE - Warning that hatred and intol- chapter of the year-old Washington, D.C.-based
erance are putting U.S. democracy at risk, the chief organization.
In Virginia, one of the first states to organize,
executive of the National Council of Churches
yesterday called on religious liberals to take alliance members claimed a significant role in
organizing lessons from Christian conseJVatives. Oliver North's failed bid for a U.S. Senate seat
"They started at the precincts and the school
The Rev. Barbara WeUs, minister of Woodinbaards," said the Rev. Joan Brown Campbell. "No ville Unitarian Universalist Church, said the Interissue was too small for them, and no election was faith Alliance of Washington will conduct educa- too small for them to deal with. We've got to be tional forums on religious tolerance and attempt to
deeply rooted at the grass-roots level."
set up telephone trees that can turn out "quickCampbell, general secretary of the church response teams" to attend school-board meetings
council that includes most of the traditional Protes- or other public events if intolerance and hatred
tant and Eastern Orthodox denominations, was in anse.
Bellevue to address the first public meeting of the
Alliance organizers, mostly Eastside clergy
Interfaith Alliance of Washington.
members.
hope affiliates \\iU spring up in commuWith her for last night's meeting at First
nities
around
the state.
Methodist Church of Bellevue was the Rev. Albert
Pennybacker, like Campbell a national board
They do not have a detailed legislative agenda,
member of the Interfaith Alliance.
although they expect to deal with a range of issues.
In a radio debate v.ith state Christian Coalition
Executive Director David Welch, alliance members declined to respond point by point to the
conservative group"s Contract \\ith the American
Family.
But when the Rev. Rick Morse, pastor of Lake
Washington Christian Church and an alliance
organizer, said the poor are being "marginalized,"
Welch responded. "This generic, 'I'm concerned
about the poor,' just doesn't fly any more. People
want to know spa-ifically what you're doing about
it."
Religious conservatives and liberals are likely
to clash over school prayer, vouchers for private
schools, social senices for immigrants, affinnative
~ction and the rights of homosexuals.
Campbell said a rising tide of intolerance and
hatred "is not just. as your mother might say,
impolite and inconsiderate. It's dangerous....
"There is for us a fear that what may be
released is a spirit of intolerance where synagogues may be bumed and racism may be recurring and where homophobia may make life destructive for gay a11d lesbian people."
Srqfflt 1lr.1ts 5--;23--93
�35¢
y 22, 1995
COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Encouraging tolerance
Religious coalition
alarmed by tone
of public discourse
By Barbara Brachtl
Jcurnal American Statt Writer
It's no longer considered good form to hurl
racial or ethnic epithets at opponents in public
debate. But increasingly, a person's religious beliefs
appear to be fair game.
Last fall, for example, a member of the audience
at a Lake Washington School District board
meeting accused one of the board members of being
"anti-Christian."
No matter that the board member was an active
member of her Lutheran congregation. Because he
disagreed with her on a
matter of school district policy, the man
concluded she must
be "anti-Christian,"
What: Formal .
kickoff program of
and he said so in no
the Interfaith
uncertain terms.
Alliance of
The increasing
Washington State
number of incidents
Featuring: Joan
like this concern the
Brown Campbell,
founders of The
general secretary
Interfaith Alliance of
of the National
Council of .
Washington. State,
Churches of
which officially enters
Christ in the USA,
the public arena tonight
speaking on
with a program at First
"Saying No to
United Methodist
Intolerance in the
Church of Bellevue.
Public Debate"
"It's very apparent
When: 7-9 p.m.
tonight
that public discourse
Where: First
has sunk to a new low,
United Methodist
particularly when it
Church of
comes to religion,"
Bellevue, 1934says Rick Morse, pas108th Ave.
tor at Lake Washington
Open to: Anyone
Christian Church and a
who's interested
memberofthe group's
steering committee.
Morse and other Interfaith Alliance founders
believe groups like the Christian Coalition and
Focus on the Family are promoting intolerance by
maintaining that their political opinions are the only
ones that are morally correct.
"The leaders of the Religious Right do not speak
for all people of faith, and we are here to say they
do not," says Morse.
Among the 60-some religious persons who
began meeting on the Eastside last fall to form a
Washington state affiliate of the National Interfaith
Alliance are Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists,
At a glance
Disciples of Christ, Episcopalians, Presbyterians,
Congregationalists, Unitarians, Moslems, Jews and
Buddhists. Members of the Alliance say they don't
believe separation of church and state means people whose values are rooted in their religious faith
should sit down and shut up- far from it.
But they say they do believe this nation was
founded on the notion that more thai) one religious
faith could be valid.
"We have to be tolerant and rational about our
beliefs towards one another- that is what.it is to
be an American," says David Serkin-Poole, cantor
at Temple B'nai Torah on Mercer Island.
"If we could lower the volume of the rhetoric,"
he adds, "we're going to have a lot to say that is
loving and respectful of each other."
Conservative disagrees
However, Dave Welch, executive director of the
Christian Coalition of Washington, denies that
his group has encouraged intolerance or raised
the volume of the rhetoric.
"We've never claimed to be the single voice for
all ~~risti~ns,:· says Welch. "If somebody of
C~nsuan fatth dtsagrees with our position, that certatnly does not mean we don't believe they're a
Christian."
Welch says members of national and state
Interfaith Alliances are raising the volume of the
rhetoric by accusing conservative Christians of
intolerance.
In fact, he says. the Christian Coalition got start~d bec.ause "the liberal left" discounted the opinIOns of those whose values were based on their religious convictions.
Had to start somewhere
Why did the Interfaith Alliance effort begin on
the Eastside'?
Primarily, says Barbara Wells of the
Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church
because "it's a statewide organization that had t~
start somewhere, and it started on the Eastside."
But. a!so, s~ys Morse, because the group felt
the reltgtous nght had been strongest in the suburbs.
~h~s far. th~ ~rganization has not taken any
poltttcal postttons - in fact, Kirkland
Congregational pastor Walter John Boris says, "I
couldn't even tell you what members' political positions are."
However. this could change.
"We do feel if there is an issue that will challl!nge the religious plurality of our community and
our nation. we will take a stand," says Wells.
�-
·
ProTem
Steering Committee
Thomas Anastasi
Shordin.: Unittt~·i,m llniv~.-·rStllist
206 363-7994
Michael Anderson
1111/y s,,;,.;l /.ulh<Ttlll
Mission Statement
206 823-2727
he Interfaith Alliance of Washington State is a coalition of
concerned religious individuals
and communities who joined together
to articulate and promote the religious p1inciples of compassion,
tolerance, and justice in the public
arena.
In public dialogue we challenge
intolerance and work to restore civility and common sense to public
debate.
We work to create a community in
which people exchange ideas in an
atmosphere of fairness, justice, truthtelling, and respect for all in our
spiritually diverse society.
We are a presence in public forums
as voices that respect the integrity of
our pluralism and the dignity of all
people.
We enthusiastically welcome all
people committed to these ideas to
join in our efforts to affirm this mission. •
Kirkltt~~.I Consr•-gllli<~nllll/CC
Walter John Boris
T
206 822-3811
Mary Ann Dunbar
WooJ.:n Cross l.uth.:nm
206 788-2725
Rick Morse
LJtkc W11shi ngtan Chi·istiwJ
206 823-4637
The
Interfaith
Alliance of
Washington
· State
Barbara Wells
Woodinville llnitllrilln Univt..'1"Sltlist
206 486-7693
Kathlyn James
lnke Wm;Jringtcm Ml'lhodist
206 827-8350
David Serkin-Poole
1'c:ml'lc B'n11i Tomh
206 232-7243
Paul Fonnan ·
Narthshore United Church of Christ
206 483-6557
Jerry Warren
CCiml•rcllcnsivc IJ.:alth EJuatlion
Darkness cannot drive out darkness;
only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate;
only love can do that.
M1rli11 I.uth,.,. Ki11g, ]1·.
206 824-2907
The Interfaith Alliance of Washington State
The Interfaith Alliance of Washington State
P. 0. Uox 2161 • Woodinville WA 98072-2161
206 654-3468
P. 0. Box 2161 • Woodinville W A 98072-2161
206 654-3468
�The Challenge ·- ·
eligious Right extremists
have declared a holy war in
America, promoting an
agenda based on intolerance.
Preying on Americans' very real
concerns about their families and
communities, these groups seek to
impose one narrow set of beliefs
on an entire nation.
Organizations such as the Christian Coalition, Focus on the Family, Citizens for Excellence in
Education, etc., have adopted a
broad strategy that is succeeding
in our state. At this time the Christian Coalition has a majority in our
state House of Representatives,
and they won control of the state
Republican party in 1992.
In Richland, Washington, in
1994, the school board president
proposed to teach creationism in
.science classes. In Lyden, Washington, in 1994, the Washington
Alliance of Families succeeded in
removing a Pulitzer-prize-winning novel from a high school
reading list. In 1994, two competing organizations circulated statewide initiative measures aimed at
denying basic civil rights to gay
and lesbian people.
Claiming to be the only religious
voice in these debates, these movements have polarized our citizens
and choked off discussions about
tr.~ issues that are important to us
all. •
R
_
The ·Response
he state of Washington has a
long history of tolerance and
religious plurality. Long before
Ecumenism was popular, methodists, Presbyterians, and Catholics
worked side by side in the frontier.
Eventually, our region became a
world-wide center for technology
attracting citizens from around the
world. Our state has many churches,
but it is also ho_me to many Synagogues, Mosques and other houses of
worship.
It is now more important than ever
for us to embrace the religious freedom and civil liberties we all enjoy,
and to serve as a reminder to the
general public that compassion,
tolerance and justice are at the center
of our spiritual journeys.
T
Interfaith Alliance Gbals
e
e
e
e
e
Challenge intolerance in public
debate;
Educate voters about the
Religious Right;
Be a presence in public forums so
that religious pluralism and
dignity are respected;
Be an alternative voice about
religious issues in the public
forum;
Promote the formation of I I A
affiliates throughout the state.
Membership
0
YES!
I support the mission of the
Interfaith Alliance of Washington State!
Sigrmlun~
IJ11Ie
Enclosed is my annual membership
contribution of:
0 $25 0 $50 0 $1000 Other: _ __
0 Please send me more information
about Interfaith Alliance.
0 Please send a portion of this gift to the
National Interfaith Alliance.
0 You may usc my name in publicity.
Nu,,.:
City: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ WA Zir•: _ _
Plume: (.__ _, - - - - - - - - lAX:
(._ _
___J
----,---------
lrrlenrel Atltll'e!'t<: - - - - - - - - - -
77Je lnterfaitll Alliance of Washington State is
affiliated with the Interfaith Alliance centered in
Washington D.C. •
11r.•Tnlafaitlr l\11imrn· is a 501(c1(4) "''"·f~t~ll•••s•"'i:.lli••n
Cmrlril•llli&•lrs an·
N< )'/' la.t-tf,·tllldil~· for J.·d,·•·tll
i>lll'lll•' lrn 1''"1'•
�I
Interfaith
Alliance of
Pennsyb!_ania
�PITTSBURGH
FRIDAY,
Tribune-Review
Vol. 107 No. 284 C Tribune-Review Publishing Co. 1995
***
NOV. 17, 1995
Pittsburgh Edition
Circulation: 391-2102
Office: 391-3588
Four Sections
78 Pages
35 Cents
Interfaith Alliance adds
local chapter in fight
against Religious Right
By Don Palmerlne
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
It could be called the alliance
that came in from the cold.
Its cold war is being fought
against the religious right and the
Christian Coalition, groups they
believe have, among other things,
taken control of the Republican
Party and demonized those who
don't agree with its politicaland
spiritual agendas.
· The Interfaith Alliance of Southwestern Pennsylvania is the local
chapter of the national Interfaith
Alliance of Washington, D.C.,
which was founded in 1994 by the
Rev. Dr. Herbert Valentine.
Yesterday, members of the.
alliance, including Valentine, held
a news conference in downtown
Pittsburgh to announce the formation of the local chapter.
Sister Mary Carol Bennett, cochairperson of the board of directors, described the Christian Coalition as a "blaring vqice of a group
which claims that it speaks for God
in our country at this time."
"We are here today to tell you
that the clanging voice is not our
voice and the God as defined by
that one group is not God of us all,"
Bennett said. "For the first time in
our history, a sectarian group is
positioning itself to take control of
a major political party."
The alliance boasts a membership of about 20,000 nationwide,
compared to the 1.7 million members of the Christian Coalition.
· · Valentine, who founded the organization based on the unifying
principles of compassion, tolerance
.and justice, said the alliance does
·not endorse candidates, nor does it
give opinions on social topics such
as abortion.
"Pat Robertson is behind the
v.alue system of the Christian
Coalition," Valentine said. "And
without the fundamentalist
church, Robertson and his coali.tion would be nothing more than a
·mail-order business."
.
· : Ralph Reed, executive director of
:the Christian Coalition, was quoted
last year as saying the alliance is a
"tool of the Democratic Party and
window dressing for a very parti- ·
san campaign of Christian-bashing."
Valentine said that is not true.
He said the alliance is made up of
Republicans and Democrats, pointing out that he's a Republican, and
a moderate one.
"The moderate Republicans are
losing the battle against the radical
right-wing Republicans," Valentine said.
Valentine admits that -his
alliance has an uphill battle
against the Christian right.
"David didn't defeat Goliath
overnight," Valentine said. "But
we're growing. We're gaining 2,000
new members each month."
Members of the board of directors for the local chapter include
the Rev. Samson Cooper, pastor of
the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in the Hill District;
Bebb Wheeler Stone, associate min-
ister of the Third Presbyterian
Church in Shadyside; Rabbi Alvin
Berkun of the Tree of Life congregation in Shadyside; the Rev .
Thomas Moog, pastor of St. Paul's
Lutheran Church in Sewickley; the
Rev. Myles Bradley, pastor of the
Sewickley United Methodist
Church; and the Rev. Cythia Bronson Sweigert, director of the
Church of the Redeemer in Squirrel Hill.
Valentine said the alliimce will
pass out voter gQides.
"The Christian Coalition does
this all the time," Valentine said.
. Valentine said it's difficult to
recognize who the Ch,ristian Coalition candidates are. He said the
alliance will help expose them.
"They take advantage of voter
apathy," Valentine said. "They get
·on school boards and then display
ludicrous ideas."
Bennett said membership in the
alliance in western Pennsylvania is
at about 130.
"We're gaining membership
through the churches," Bennett
said. "The word about us is getting
out."
�•
fiilabtlpfiia nqutrtr
Tuesday, October 31, 1995
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Religious liberals tiltatthe lllight ofthe right
American churches, and said he sees have conveyed. the impression they
Jane Ervin of Emmaus; Pa., a Renothing wrOJ;l!fwith religious voters .. represent all,7S ntilliol,l evangelicals ' publican candidate for th~ Lehigh
. when ~othing.could J>efurther fr()IIi. County Board · of. Commissioners,
organizing around their values.
· · But of. late, 'liberal-minded· Ameri- . the truth .... · ·
." .· · · . . . . urged political' progresSives to start
cans of faith have spent too much .· Campolo said. surveys ·show that organizing on the localleyel, just as
time "hand-wringing" and c<>mplain- ··' only a . third. of evangelical· Chris-. · religious conservatives "have. done.
ing about Ule .religious right and tians- those wh.o tu111.to . the Bible
She ·s~id:·she .'w:enCinto politics
· By David O'Reilly
have failed to plunge inJo the nitty~ for religio.us and moral direction ~. · seven; years ago:·: when .a . self-<i.egritty of local. politics, said Goode.
vote with ~e •religious right, said scribed !'taxpayer group·~_defeated a
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Citing his own administration's Campolo. An,'other thirdare political- , referendum to build a new school in
They admit they don't have a me- commitment to the poor, women; mi- · .ly, moderate P.r UJ>eral, he said, while ·. her commun~ty. When a .·similar
dia-savvy leader like Pat Robertson norities, people with AIDS and the .another thir~ are largely indifferent group, using ·,identical slogans, apof the Christian Coalition.
hQmeless, Goode told the .audience: to. the politiF.l process.
·. · · peared. in a neighboring, town, she
And they haven't yet found .those· "We have a challenge now to. put
~The Chr~tian Coalition - and I discovered that • both W~J;"e allied
question thelt" use of ~he word 'Chris- with a California-based organization
hot-button political issues, such as · forth what we believe in." ·
abortion and homosexuality, that so
Founded ·six months ago iii re- tian' - hay~ dragged a lot of evan- "whose sole purpose was to elect
stir the voting public.
sponse to the Republican takeover of . gelicals through the mud," said Cam- only 'Godly Christians' to school
But some religiously minded politi- Congress last· November, the Inter- · polo,. who i called the .Christian boards."· · ·
·
·
· ·
cal liberals say it's time to seize the faith Alliance aspires to be a liberal, .Coalition "m,ean" for the way it has· ·. Once ~lected, she said, they forced
fire from the religious right, and interdenominational counterforce to railed again~t gays and government · the otister of the superintendent, rerally voters to the moral dimension the multimillion-member c0nserva- ·assistance fd,r the poor.. ·
· · · llioved certain. books-·from the liof the liberal agenda.
tive Christian. Coalition. .
"c;>ne of. eyery ·six paragraphs in brary and even banned as "satanic" a
"There is a struggle for the soul of
Yesterday's panel discussion drew the New T~ament is about caring hand puppet shaped like a dragon.
"They absoJutelyre{use to compro- ·
America, and too many of us are on about 60 sympathizers to a confer- for the poor," said Campolo, "but
the sidelines complaining about · ence center at St. Joseph's Univer~ · Jesus never talked about homosex- mise," said Ervin, "and if you dis1
: what they are doing," former Ph.la- sity. The discuSsion· was linked by . uality."
agree with. them; they accuse you of
delphia Mayor W. Wilson Goode told television to a conference center· in
Campolo, a prolific author; urged a Christian-bashing." ·
·
.
the Southeast Pennsylvania chapter Pittsbur~h;
· ·,
·
!'rebirth of communitarianism," .and . '"The Christian right uses the Bible·
of. the Interfaith Alliance yesterday.
"I am an evangelican Christian," , sai.d the Interfaith·Alliance is "call- ·to legitimate its. own political
'Goode said he probably could not , said Anthony 6unpolo, professor of ing· ~vangelicals, mainline Protes· agenda," she warn~Q.. "It uses relihave defeated incumbent mayor sqciology and director of urban stud- tants;Jews; Mu~lims, even atheists of gion as a means to attain power.....
Frank Rizzo in 1983 without the ac- ics at Eastern College, "and .I re$ent good values, .to do. politics on the: We need mainstream clergy to speak
·
out on moral issues."
live support of the city's Mrican the fact that the Christian Coalition neighbor11ood level."
The Interfaith Alliance
fears for "the soul of .
America."· Members say
it's time to mobilize.
•
�VOICE OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY SINCE 1884
Price 5
Deno1ninations unite to combat right-wing forces
The prince of preachers, Dr. Taylor (second right) met two more old friends at the TIA meeting Father
Thomas S. Logan (far right) and Dr. M. Lorenzo Shepard, Jr. (far left). A new friend Is Bishop Allen 'eartleH
(second left) of the Episcopal Diocese.- Sy Daniels photo
By A.J.W. James
Tribune Correspondent
In an effort to explore the possibilities of setting up a local agency
to counter the Christian Coalition
and other right-wing organizations,
The Interfaith Alliance (TIA) held
an area organization meeting with
various pruminent religious leaders
at the Cathedral Church of the
Saviour (Episcopal), 3723 Chestnut
St.
Th..: event was held April 6. A
Washington-based, non-partisan.
national educational and lobby
agency, TIA says it offers "a faithbased alternative" to right-wing religious groups which "shamelessly
promote a pm1isan political agenda
under the guise of claiming to represent the interests of all the people of
faith.
TIA believes that whih: claiming
to educate voters, these right-wing of the radical religious right. TIA is
groups i1ave practiced such tactics as committed to providing state and
"character assassination, distortion local Interfaith Alliances with the
of voting records, and the deliberate technical, strategic, and financial
misrepresentation of beliefs and support necessary for building a
value of their political opponents."
grassroots movement.
The Christian Coalition was
Dr. Gardner Calvin Taylor, dean
founded by Pat Robertson of 'The of preachers of this century and a
700 Club" following his unsuccess- world personality, was the keynote
ful 1988 quest for the presidency. speaker for the TIA meeting. In preThe Coalition has been operating in senting him, Dr. James S. Allen of
Pennsylvania: it has coordinators in the Vine Memorial Baptist Church,
59 counties and 49,000 members called him "a preacher plenty potenstatewide. It strengthened its grass- tiary."
roots power through training sesA member of TIA Board of
sions throughout Pennsylvania dur- Directors. Taylor alluded to the
ing the 1993-94 election cycle.
Christian Coalition when he said, "I
Working closely with clergy, am delighted to come among you
laity and other concerned citizens, today, and it seems appropriate to
TIA is organizing state and local me that we would gather here in this
Interfaith Alliances throughout the city which had so much to do with
nation. The alliances are the back- the tnception of our Republic, to
bone of TlA 's efforts to offer an
Continued On Page 2
alternative, faith-based voice to that
�DenoiDinations discuss ways to counter Christian Coalition
Continued from Page 1
meet a new threat, an internal one,
and perhaps a more dangerous one
than any external threat could ever
be, because it comes among us
talking the language of religion and
using the phraseology of democracy. And that has about it a prodigious and ugly aspect.
"All too long people of character and integrity have felt, in the
name of civility, (that they should)
i<eep quiet. We are past that stage.
The threat to democracy is too real.
The danger to our Hebrew/Chrisitian tmdition is too obvious for us
to keep quiet any longer.
.
"These people talk about family
values and their chief political
spokesman says to his mother,
about another woman, a thing that I
shiver to think of having mentioned a word like that to my
"moth~r. Family values? And his
mother repeated it!· And on television! And these people speak of
family values!"
Taylor gave great credit to Pope
said, "these right-wing groups want
children to be born in order to
starve them. And (if) by chance
they live to be adults, execute them.
Paul's encyclical on "Gospel Life."
In it, the pope not only expressed
his belief in the right to life but also
said that, once born, children
should be fed, not starved. Taylor
emphasized that point because, he
If they survive the starving execute
them! It is a terrible and awful ~d
of travesty upon everything we call
decent and worthwhile."
Taylor noted that he was
delighted to see the large number of
persons present and to see that people of true conscience in America
are beginning to realize that they
are faced with a very serious threat
to democracy. He added, "These
people talk about a covenant with
America. It's really a·covenant on
America. It's a: contract on ·America.,
'They talk about a contract with
America, when their purpose reaily
is to gain their own ends and to
serve the privileged people of this
country - the people of great
wealth. What we have is not a
covenant with America, but what
we have is covenant with plutocracy. And the covenant is not only
anti-Jewish, (it is) anti-feminist, andanti-Black."
Taylor recalled the famous trial
in Los Angeles which highlights
one of the great problems of this
democracy, _the problem of race.
Because, he said, we are forever
faced with it
Taylor said that The New York
Times said something· recently
about playing the race card: "We
are not playing the race card. We
are playing the race deck.· So that
everything is tainted and corrupted
and every effort at justice is compromised. Underneath of the glib
talk from the radical right who call
themselves the Christian Coalition
~t's really a sinister coalition underneath all of that talk you get
the dieines of anti-Jewish, anti-feminist, and anti-Black. All in the garb
ofie~on."
·
au
Taylor rroted that the ugliest part
is that they traduce people by dissembling and using false language.
He cited a passage of Scripture
from the Book of Numbers where it
speaks of the sons of Aaron. They
were the heirs of the truly ordained
priesthood of God using strange
fire. The fire seemed to be authentic. They put it in a regular censer.
They spread it, but it was false fire.
And they were consumed.
"What we are really dealing
with," he c.ontinued, "are people
using strange fire. They are using
the language of religion, the Ian-
guage of our democracy. But they
are using it for untoward and selfish
purposes. And they will subvert
everything we hold dear unless we
take heed. This is our responsibility,
this is our challenge, this is our
privilege: to meet the dissembling
deception, their diversion with honesty, truth, and with the purposes of
our democracy and with true insight
of our whole Hebrew/Christian
Bible tradition which they mock
cynically and hypocriticaJJy.
"They may have great funds
behind them - and they do,
because they are serving the purposes of people with great wealth,"
Taylor continued. "They may seem
to cany great weight, and they have
seized t~e contemporary technology
of our hmes. We are getting a late
start. But !}ever forget In the Book
of Judges"it says, 'The very stars
fought against Sisera. • There are
resources available to us because
we stand on the side of the angels
and our cause is true and because
the very stars in their courses, the
very sprouting of the plants at harvest, all stand with us. If we rise to
meet the challenge, we shall over
come."
�PITISBURGH POST-GAZEITE B FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1995
Religious' leaders join against extreme Christian right
Chiistian Coalition.
sylvania Schooi"Boai'ds Association, said his
''The purpose of our organization is to~
The Interlaith Alliance believes it can be organization doo.s not track members' affili- . eQcourage all people of faith to get involvetJ,·
Responding to a national challenge of the effective by challenging the Christian Coali- ations to detennine whether they
inih the pc>litical process," she said · · :.
Christian Coalition, a group of religious tion's views, particularly at the local level. .volved in the Christian Coalition or any
"We have heard the ever-blaring voice of ·other organization.
In addition to Sister Macy Carol Bennet~
leaders yesterday announced the creation
of Ute InterlaiUt Alliance of Southwestern a group which claims it s~ for God in
But he acknowl~ed that many organi- other members of the local organization's
Pennsylvania
.
our country at this time," said Sister Mary zations have become mvolved in local school .board of. directors· are the Rev. Samson
In making the anno.uncement at Three Carol Bennett, a member of the Pittsburgh . boards, whiCh he called "the primacy battle- Cooper, pastor of Bethel African Methodist
Episcopal Church, Hill District; Bebb
Gateway Center, Downtown, the group said · . Regional Community of the Institute of the ground for education reform."
it would proceed with plans to monitor Sisters of Mercy .of the :Americas. "We are
"More and more people from various Wheeler Stone, associate minister of Third
school boards to counter Christian Coalition here today to tell you that clanging voice is groups are. interested in running for school
Presbyterian Church, Shadyside; Alvin K'
influences.
not our voice, and the God as defined by that board from various groups. That's democraBerkun, rabbi of Tree of Life CongregatioO:
''The extreme, religious right invades and one group is not. the God of us all."
ey in acti~n/' he said. "In many ways, I
Squirrel Hill; the Rev Thomas E. Moog,
takes over school boards," said the Rev.
In one of its first activities, the Interlaith argue that Its healthy. The more discussion
pastor of Saint Paul's Lutheran Church,
Sewickley; the Rev. Myles Bradley, pastor of
Herbert Valentine, national chairman and Alliance of Southwestern Pennsylvania will there is about schools at the Jocallevel, the
executive director of the Baltimore Presby- invite school superintendents to Trinity more the community becomes involved in
Sewickley United Methodist Church; th~
tery of the Presbyterian Church <U.SA)
Cathedral, Downtown, Dec. 7 to discuss . the process."
·
Rev. Cynthia Bronson Sweigert, rector of
The national lnterlaith Alliance was ere- religion and values in public schools.
A~ the ~hristian Co~tion, spokeswoman
the Church of the Redeemer, Squirrel Hill; .ated last year by mainline clergy who
The group also is considering preparing Moruca Hildebrandt srud her organization
Bud Harvey, a lawyer with Meyer Unkovich
wanted to be the moderate voice to chal- voter ·guides. . ·
·
welcomed Interlaith Alliance's participation . & Scott; and John Denny, director of the
lenge the "extreme right" views of the
Tom Gentzel. a spokesman for the Penn- "in the debate we_ call democraCY,."
Republican Future Fund
·
By Ellen M; Perlmutter
Post-Gazette Staff Writer
are
�Interfaith
Alliance of
x__zcgznza
TT•
•
•
�i~icbmonb ~imes-ilispatcb
nrcmro:-;o. \"IRCr:-;rA ~J~!Jl
..~~~~:::.
;;.•:!,
VlRGl.\'lA'S .'IE\\'5 LEADER
o;:,;~J~·
•
FRIDAY. sovE~IBER J. 1995
Alliance's guides
counter coalition's
Republican candidates.
The alliance said it· wanted to·
counter the coalition with a call for
ALEXANDRIA- The Interfaith Alii- moderation. The alliance criticized
ance's effort to counter the influence the coalition for using religion to
of the Christian Coalition on Tues- pushing a far-right political agenda.
"The Christian Coalition does not
day's elections is a David vs. Goliath
affair.
·
speak for all religious Americans,"·
Formed last year to criticize the said the Rev. Madeline Jervis, pastor
coalition's controversial voter of Clarendon Presbyterian Church in.
guides, the alliance said yesterday it Arlington. "Under the flag of familY'
would distribute 40,000 of its o\vn values, the co~lition and their allies.
guides before Election Day.
have been promoting a narrow and.
The alliance guides will cover five divisive agenda of intolerance."
Northern Virginia races and include
The Rev. Charles Wildman, senior
topics such as the concealed weap- pastor of the Rock Spring Congregaons law, sex education and prayer in tional Church in Arlington, said, "i
schools.
find myself living in a state in which
The Christian Coalition's guides radical right political forces are abuscover similar topics. But the coalition ing religion in the service of politics.'"plans to distribute 1 million of its
A spokesman for the coalition
guides across the state.
could not be reached for comment.
Last year, flexing its political mus- Last year, the coalition defended its
cle, the coalition distributed 1.7 mil- voter guides as fair assessments o{
:lion guides during the divisive U.S. candidates' records.
Senate race in Virginia. In the final
Among the races covered by the
days of the campaign, U.S. Sen. alliance's guides are the 36th Senate
Charles S. Robb complained that the contest, where incumbent Democoalition distorted his record.
cratic Sen. Joseph V. Gartlan Jr. is
The Chesapeake-based coalition is facing a stiff challenge from former
considered one of the most influen- Republican congressman Stanford E.
tial get-out-the-vote organizations in Parris, and the 44th House contest~
the country. Founded by Pat Robert- pitting Republican Sandy LiddY
son, the Virginia Beach evangelist, it Bourne against Democratic Del. Linbills itself as nonpartisan and does da T. Toddy Puller.
·
not make endorsements. However,
According to the alliance, neither
the coalition's voter guides generally . Parris nor Bourne responded to re-take the same side of the issues as quests for information.
·
BY PAUL BRADLEY
TIMEs-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
·
�Friday, October 7, 1994
• • •
Challenging God's endorsement
Interfaith Alliance says it plans to counter zealots
BYmBRIGGS
~PISPATCH STAFF WRrrER
A coalition of clerics made public here yesterday a national movement to counter what it says
are the religious rigbt's pretentious claims of acting out God's wiD for America.
The clerics, whose theology runs from evangelical Christianity to liberal judaism, gathered at the
state Capitol to announce the formation of The
Interfaith Alliance. It has opened an office in Washington and plans to dispatch speakers and educatio.nal materials to congregations that request
th,m.
f\a:ording to a spokesman, the announcement
took place here because Virginia has been the
locale for several developments in the religious
right movement. It is the home of television evanaelists Pat Robertson and Jerry FalweU. RobertlOR's poUtlcal organization, the Christian Coalition, is also based in Virginia.
The organization is different from People for the
American Way, which is secular, because the
Alliance is religion-based, the spokesman added.
."Don'tlet anyone steal your voit..c," warned Dr.
Albert M. Pennybacker, a member of the Alliaqce's board of directors. "It's an old political trick
..• to claim the political endorsement of jesus. It
cannot be allowed to stand or go unchallenged."
A group of Virginia pastors and a rabbi hailed the
formation of the group and urged others to join
them in challenging religious bigotry in the political marketplace.
The Rev. joseph T. Lewis, pastor of Fountain
Creek Baptist Church in Emporia, like the other
clerics, said he was not speakmg for his congregation or his denomination. Lewis attacked views of
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Oliver L. North
and the goals of some leaders of the religious right.
The Emporia pastor took exception to a North
comment in a recent speech before Concerned
Women of America, a cPnaervatlve religious or·
ganization. Lewis quoted North as saying his campaign is "a struggle over whether government wiD
rule our lives or whether we will pay proper
homage to our Maker."
North, who is supported by both Robertson and
Falwell, "arroaantly asserts that his personal religious convictions and the policies they demand are
the only acceptable definition of judea-Christian
faith and practice," said lewis.
·
North is running against Democratic Sen.
Charles S. Robb and independent candidate Marshall Coleman.
lewis added 'that some fundamentalist forces in
his Southern Baptist Convention are allied with
religious right causes and espouse a view that
America is a "Christian" nation that must make
the Bible the basis of law.
Mike Russell, a spokesman for the Christian
Coalition, said, "Christian Coalition never has suggested, nor has it implied, that people who disagree with our views on public pohcy are somehow
less Christian. Our organization simply provides a
voice for religious conservatives who deserve a
place at the table of public debate."
Russell also said the Alliance is backed by "large
contributions from the Democratic Party" and that
the Alliance is "using the thin veil of religion to
mask a Democratic-controlled, Democratic-funded
assault on people of faith."
Pennybacker acknowledged during the news
conference that the Alliance received a arant from
tho Democratic NaUcmal CoanmiUee, but he said
the Alliance's finances come from "across a broad
spectrum." He countercharged that the Coalition
received Republican money to lobby against na·
tional health care legislation.
Russell denied that the Coalition baa received
any Republican Party money: "Christian Coalition
is a grass-roots, citizen-action organization with
1.4 million members and activists. The average
donation is $19."
Rabbi jack D. Spiro of Richmond's Congregation
Beth Ahabah said he is alamJcd at the Christian
Coalition's attempts to force alliances with politically conservative jews. He said Robertson "insults all Jews when he opportunistically equates
the struggle of his followers in modem America
with that of jews in Nazi Germany ... "
�AlliallCe SeeKS 'cliffiate of civility'
Interfaith group trying to reach common ground on divisive issues
BY JUANITA TAYLOR
Democrat-Gazette Religion Editor
"The Lord called two Jim
Argues to preach and only
one went," said the Rev. Ed
Matthews
in
introducing
Hep. Jim Argue, D-Little
Hock, at Tuesday's ali-day
gathering of The Arkansas Interfaith Alliance. Argue is
the son of the late 11ev.
James B. Argue, longtime
United Methodist minister
and well-known preacher.
Matthews is senior pastor of
First UMC, chairman of the
alliance steering committee
and master of ceremonies for
the gathering.
"To create the climate of l'ivility" was the m?.in purpose of
the meeting and the mission of
the group, Matthews said. The
response was encouraging and
positive and more than 100
people from 25 communities in
Arkansas came. Of those attending and representing 12
denominations were 25 clergy
and 77 lay people.
The consensus at the end of
the meeting was that the alliance will continue to build a
network, monitor issues and
build a file of valid and significant articles and act and
speak out on really ··hot button" issues as they arise.
··we see ourselves as two
rails on the railroad track,
maybe never coming together,
but going in the same direction," Matthews said of the alliance. Without cooperation,
"We can expect a train
wreck."
God probably didn't mean
for his people to be all alike
on a monorail, he said. ''But he
meant for them to he tolerant
and accepting."
Other groups have political
action committees, Matthews
said, but the alliance is doing
what no one else is doing trying to set the climate for civility.
Argue, who spoke on "Arkansas' Political Climate,"
said his remarks were not
meant to be official, but
rather thoughts ''filtered
through my own prejudices.··
The concerns are like those
that come when he is in a reflective mood while in
prayer, in the car or in the
shower, he said. But, "cynicism has retarded my optimism."
Some concerns: gridlock
has returned except for the
most superficial issues; too
many think any change is better than no change; the population is aging; the cost of running for national office is unreasonable; 1 percent of the
people control 36 percent of
the nation's wealth; term limits is snake oil; racism colors
every issue; and we are consumed by greed, quick to forget the blessings that opened
doors for us.
But the faith community
and groups like the alliance
whose business it is to change
hearts "set the tone for society," he said.
The Arkansas Interfaith Alliance, organized July 14, 1994.
was the second state after Vir-
ginia to join the national organization. Some stated purposes are:
• To seek to articulate and
promote the unifying principles of all faiths - compassion, tolerance and justiceand to affirm the \'alues of respect and community against
the politics of division.
11 To affirm the historical
and positive role of religion in
American public life.
• To encourage renewal of
religious values within families and neighborhoods.
a To foster a climate of courtesy and patience where the convictions of all people of faith can
.
be heard and respected.
11 To inspire the God-given
ability to move constructively·
through the many issues and
circumstances which seem to
polarize people.
• To refute those of any
group who claim to speak "for
the entirety of the faith com- ,
munity."
The Rev. Ray Higgins, host :
See. ALLIANCE, Page 5E
~"li'll:it.rar'-'''"'".;
---
.
SEEKING A BElTER CLIMATE- Partir.ipants in small group discussions at Tuesday's meeting of The Arkansas Interfaith Alliance at Second Baptist Ctlllrch are (from left): Mildred Zinser, a member of Sacred
Heart Catholic Church, Morrilton; Betty Cloud, a member of the Catile·
dral of St. Andrew in Little Rock; ttle Rev. JoEflen Willis, pastor of Little
Rock's Unitarian Universalist Church; and the Rev. Richard Hardie, interim pastor of Park Hill Presbyterian Church, who moderated the
group.
�RELIGIOUS AND REASONABLE
Alliance hopes to make faith a healing force on the political scene.
BY .JOHN HAMAN
Religion is not the exclusive franchise of
conservatives.
But such promiJ1ent religious conservatives as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson
have attempted to claim one by equating
their brand ofconservatism with "good Christianity."
Now, finally, a backlash is forming. It's
not exactly a tidal wave, but the moderate
and liberal people of faith who are joining it
include a contingent from Arkansas.
Arkansans have formed the second state
chapter of the Interfaith Alliance, a national
organization designed to oppose the Religious Right's effort to impose political litmus tests on religious folk (and vice versa).
Arkansas follows Virginia, home of Falwell,
Robertson and one of the Religious Right's
political heroes, Oliver ~orth.
"We think we arc a silent majority," says
Ed Matthews, chairman of the recently
formed Arkansas Interfaith Alliance and :
senior pastor at First United Methodist, ..
Church of Little Rock.
Organizers attracted more than 100 people. ·.
to a meeting Nov. 1, two-thirds of them from·
the state's clergy. The mix included <;::atholics, Southern Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Jews and Muslims;
They managed, quite easily, to get along.··.
It is an .abuse of religion to use God's
name to assert a moral superiority, said
ALUANCE....:.continued on next page ·
OPPOSED TO UTMUS TESTS: Rev.
Ed Manhews of the Arlamsas.:Jnterfaith
Alliance.
�....... ,_..
-
~--.
. ...
STEERING COMMITTEE
Mimi Dortch
Director, Arkansas Interfaith Conference
Rev.· Bryan Fulwider
President, Arkansas Interfaith Conference
Rev. Bill Henning
Presbytery of Arkansas
Bishop Kenneth Hicks
United Methodist •retired"
Rev. Ray Higgins
Second Baptist Church, Little Rock
Bishop Joseph Johnson
AME Zion, Little Rock
Rev. Jerome Jorgenson
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, N. Little Rock
Rabbi Eugene Levy
Congregation B'nai Israel, Little Rock
Rev. Ed Matthews
1st United Methodist Church, Little Rock
Bishop Larry Maze
Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas
Bishop Andrew McDonald
Catholic Diocese _of Arkansas
Mrs. Freddie Nixon
Social Action Committee, Interfaith Conference
Sister Joan Pytlik
Director, Catholic Diocese Social Action Office
Rev. Robert Willingham
Ml Pleasant Baptist Church, Little Rock
Rev. Evelyn Hale
Disciples of Christ, Christian Church in Arkansas
Arkansas
Interfaith
Alliance
CD
u
c
.!!
~
�Interfaith
Alliance of
Florida
�SATURDAY, NO\II!IT'Iber 18, 1995
so cents
The Orlando Sentinel
The best newspaper in Florida
Central
0 Florida
Impassioned rally drives home conservative agenda
By John Kennedy
and Mark Pinsky
Because of tht budget debate in tion."
Randall Wiseman, who was elect·
Congress, leading GOP contenders
U.S. Sens. Bob Dole and Phil ed to the Lake County School Board
OF THE SENTINEL STAFF
Gi·culml weft; no-shows at Friday's in 1994 in a bitter campaign against
tally. But their wives, Elizabeth a member of the Christian Coalition,
Republican ptesidential c.:ontend- Dole and Weudy Gramm, carried compared the group to a political
ers feverishly courted the party's so- their message of conservatism.
"street gang."
..:ailed Religious Right, :speaking Fri"Our government is p_romoting
Wiseman, who described himself
day to 1,000 evangelical activis~ in -immorality and breaking up the as a conservative Republican and
a packed south Orlando gymnasi- .., .American family, and Phil will I
head· ofa conservative-Crui~tian
wn.
.
change ijlat," Wendy Gramm said. : hOusehold, offered this 'advice to
The "God and Country" rally,
Such talk played well to the • other conservative Republicans:
sponsored by the Christian Coali· crowd, but not to every religious "Don't pander to the radical right.
Take them on." .
·
tion of Florida, featured prayers, pa- leader in Central Florida.
trio.tic songs ·and a steady row1d of
Before the Christian Coalition
Coalition members however
1
spcechef: pledggathering, two have not let such criticlsm get ~
ing ~t!gia.nce. to
Orlando minis· .the way of their social agenda. Still,
.
tex:s and a Lake ;many remain tom about which cana stnct soc1al
ag,enda.
..
.
County school board !llember ~e- ; CUdate to support.
·
'The x;al ~ssue IS not w~o do we . ~ounCed the ~ns~tystive .org~- i ''We haven't made up our minds
e~~o~e, ~d Ralph Ree<!:• the t'O- tiOII .and decn~ Its. growmg inflU· i but
have questions about Bob
cilition s national diJ'e(:to~, but w~o ence.
. .
.
. ..
. :Dole's commitment on social is·
endo~es us and our mamstream IS- ·. " 'W_ithout JUstification, the cOalition ;'.;!sues," said MarilYn Hageman, a
.~ to speak. for ~-and the ~ / i Pal,m Bay nurse who wore a rhinesues.
.
.
For their part, the GOP cand1· li~ous commuruty o~ this co~try, . -. stone Jesus pendant.
dates openly sough~ .t~e ·endox:se- · sa1d ~e Rev.. ~ ~ony, ..of i Some at the rally also conceded
ment of. the orgamzatlon, wh1ch the F1rst Umtar1an Umversahst • that support from the Religious
·
; .:
. .. . .
claims 1.7 million members nation- Church in Orlando. She spoke at a ; .
wide. Former television commenta- . hotel press ·conference .across the Right may. prove Vl~ ~ captunng
tor Pat Buchanan drew the biggest ·· street from the convention center.
·~e Republica~?- n~:>rrunation but hurt
cheen; from the crowd at Westridge
"The Christian Coalition thinks m a gene~ election.
. .
Middle Schopl ·
· ·
·. only Christians should hold public
In Flonda, polls shqw a m8Jontr
"I have been pro-life all my life. I office, and only those Christians · ~f ":oters don t adhere .to the ~
will pick a pro-life running-mate who agree with their narrowly con- !ti~n s d:mand for banning abortion,
aud I will pick Supreme Court jus- ceived idee of what it· means to be i~ll_lstating, school praye~ and abol·
tices that will overturn Roe versus Christians," said Harmony, who lshing the federal Education DepartWade.'' Buchanan said. Repeating a serves on the steering committee of ment.
line he's used frequently, Buchanan the Florida Interfaith Council.
muught j.he ci'Owd tO its feet, sayThe Rev. Jrunes Armstrong, sening, ''We are in a cultural war for the ior minister of the ~""irst Congregasoul of this oountrY."
...
tional Church in Winter Park, said it
The GOP's social conservatives . was an "insult" :to watch the Repubhave strengthened in the past. four lican hopefuls "bowing arid scrapyears and are quick to claim credit iJ?.g" before the coaliti~;>n.
for the party's historic success in
Armstrong, the in-cOming presitht 11194 eled.ions.
dent of the Florida Council· of
Closer to home; those who gener-. Churches, said it was not the Chris·
ally mi.Jscritx. to the coalition's con- tian Coalition but th€: mainstream ·
servative dogma comprise almost churches of the Intertai.th Council
one-third of t.lle 3,400 delegates at that "l"ept-esent u broad cross section
Presidency Ill, analysts agree.
of faith communities across this na- .
the
we
1
�Interfaith
Alliance of
Minnesata
�star-ribune
NEWSPAPER OF
THE TWIN
CITIES
FEBRUAHY 2, 1996
Religious liberals join to fight the right
By Martha Sawyer Allen
Star Tribune Staff Writer
Religious political moderates and liberals, cringing from
the successes or the Christian Coalition and other conserva·
rive groups, have begun organizing in Minnesota.
They sa}' they want to raise the level or public discourse,
and to remind Americans that U.S. constitutional history
nourishes diversity of people and complexity of issues. They
also want to learn to speak In quotable sound bites so the
news media will pay attention.
The latest player on the scene is the new Minnesota chap·
ter of the Interfaith Alliance, announced Thursday at the State
Capitol.
"The mainstream has always believed that you shouldn't
call attention to yourself, • said the Rev. Joan Brown Camp·
bell. executive director of the National Council of Churches of
Christ, the largest ecumenical organization In the United
States. "Well, we'd better ccUI attention to ourselves," she said.
The council represents about 52 million mainstream
Christian denominations. Campbell was in Minnesota to help
launch the local chapter of the Interfaith Alliance. There are
now 17 such state chapters. she said.
POUTJCS from B1
Liberal, moderate groups join
to counter the religious
right
.................................................
Other groups are also organiz.·
lng or reasserting their traditional
roles as advocates Cor the vulnerable in society:
~
Call to Renewal, Christians Cor a
New Political Vision. a group of
evangelical Christians, ha:~ formed
nationally to "counter the growing
perception that the religious right
spealts for all the country's faith·
ful. ~ It also wants to "bring a healing Christian voice to the fractious
.
political debate.~
,... In 1994 People for the American Way, a long-standing quasi·
religious liberal organization.
began a network organization in
Minnesota along with at least 10
other states to promote a liberal
political agenda.
~ Four congregations on Min·
neapolis' South Side have banded
together to lobby local and state
officials on a variety of Issues,
including public safety.
~ And a group of Christians and
Jews is ln the second year of Metro
Sabbath, an effort to increase
attention to inner-city problems.
All of these efforts have one thing
In common: They're grass-roots
groups, usually small at first, and
held together wlth the common
belief that people or faith can
espouse moderate and liberal
political agendas and talk openly
about how their faith affects what
they think about public Issues.
However, the liberals haven't
worked to elect fflendly candidates to public office. So far they
arc dealing more with issues than
uThe mninstream has
always believed that
you shoul:dn 't call
attention to yourself.
Well, we'd better call
attention to
ourselves."
-The Rev. Joan Brown Campbell,
executive director of the National
Counea of Churches of Christ
......... ........................................
with candidates, although that
could change, they say. .
"It's not our attempt 'to have a
litmus-test agenda for candi·
dates,~ said Albert Pennybaclcer,
chairman of the Interfaith Alliance
and new head of its office ln
Washington, D.C. "We've got to
quit the Ideological purist game
and see diversity as a great
suength, not a weakness."
The Interfaith Alliance was
launched nationally two years ago
after the Christian Coalition's Con·
uact with America was released on
Capitol Hill. Pennybacker said,
"We were shocked that the basic
social contract In this country, to
protect the sick, the vulnerable the
old and the poor, was attacked
under the guise of religion."
They said they were appalled
that the coalition was perceived as
speaking for all Christians.
"Overseas particularly, people
would ask us, 'Whatever hap·
pened to the moderate voices?, "
Campbell said. "We need moder·
ate voices that spealt with clarity
an~::;:~~:~~~i~~~ Christians
~~t~:~s:Jtlf:e~~~t~o%ee~~~~
Campbell applauds. "We're grate·
ful the evangelicals have come to
the table. • she said, "because they
get good coverage. It's news when
. they join In on issues."
Following generations of
prominence on social Issues, In·
eluding abolition, Prohibition and
women's suffrage, the religious
left reached high levels of lnfiu·
ence during the 1960s civil rights
days. Then It Inexplicably faded.
and melded into the mainstream.
In Its place came conservative
Christians who joined forces to
Influence politics. They made a
significant Impact, capturing
. many elected positions, influent·
ing public debate on Issues from
school prayer and religious discrimination In the workplace to
famUy values to 'health care.
And they talked in easy sound
bites. Pennybacker said, "We've
been marvelously dull. We would
be analytically brilliant but then
we failed to act. We need to link
, our commitment to social Issues,
our analysis and our engagement
In new ways. You're going to be
hearing a lot from us.·
So far the two-week-old local
Interfaith Alliance chapter has a
few members, mostly from the
northern Twin Cities suburbs, but
It plans to recruit members
throughout the state~sald the Rev.
Eldon DeWeerth, pastor of
Redeemer Lutheran Church in
White Bear Lalce.
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Interfaith
Alliance of
Oregan
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�Grants Pass
Dail;x Courter
Weekend
Januory 13, 1995
Voters' guides have religious ties
Two publications
counter material
fromtheOCA
By Charles E. Beggs
Associated Press Writer
SALEM - When it comes
to voter guides on the U.S.
Senate candidates, some
groups think others are misguided.
.
So two organizations with
religious ties are distributing their own pamphlets to
voters in anticipation of the
Jan. 30 mail-in election.
Both the Interfaith
·Alliance of Oregon and
Mainstream Oregon say
they launched their efforts
to counter material from the
Oregon Citizens Alliance,
which campaigns against
gay rights and abortion, and
the national Christian Coalition.
The guides explain stands
of Republican contender
Gordon Smith and Democrat
Ron Wyden, including voting
records, public statements
and surveys.
Neither of the guides
should be confused with the
official state Voters'· Pamphlet. Sent to Oregon hpuseholds, the Voters' Pamphlet Rev. Rodney
requires basic facts from the
candidates but otherwise publishes paid
advertisements for them.
.
The Rev. Rodney Page, a leader in the
move to form the Oregon arm of the Interfaith 'Alliance, said the alliance guide is an
attempt to inform voters about issues besides
those of concern to those in the religious
right.
Page shows Interfaith Alliance spread on
"We think the issues in our guide would be
of interest to the mainstream Oregonians,"
said Page, who also is executive director of
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon.
Topics covered in the guide include the
minimum wage, Medicare and Medicaid, tax
deductions for college tuition and environmental issues.
Page saia 1,000
guides will be a;. :ibuted, some directly to
church congregations
·and some by mail.
Traci Spillman of
S.ilverto:.:, coordinator
.of the i\1:.1 instream
Oregon guide, said
75,000 of those pamphlets are being distributed
through
churches.
·
·
. Groups forming
Mainstream Oregon
included
several
churches, the Human
Rights Coalition, an
associatil)n of social
service organizations,
and the Oregon State
·council of Senior Citizens.
"We're not trying
to endorse either candidate," says Spill~
man.'
·
"Some people were
angry that right-wing
organizations were
claiming to speak for
people of faith, and
they didn't necessarily
speak for· the person's
viewpoint."
Issues covered in
the Mainstream guide
include school finance,
. personal
liberty
issues, worker safety
•\ssacialod Press and health planS.
Smith-Wyden race.
She said there is a
need
to
inform
churchgoing voters on more election issues
than those that right-wing religious organizations focus on, such as school prayer, gays
and abortion.
·
The guide is based on such things voting
records and news clippings.
"We tried to document everything," she
said.
�The Interfaith Alliance
1511 K Street, N.W. • Suite 738 • Washington, D.C. 20005
For Immediate Release
Contact: Mary Carroll
(503) 281-0597
Jill Hanauer
(202) 639-6370
The Oregon Interfaith Alliance's Distribution of Mainstream Voter
Guides to Counter Extreme Religious Right
Portland, OR - Over 70,000 voter guides were distributed by mail this week
to voters in Oregon. These voter guides were distributed by The Oregon
Interfaith Alliance and the national Interfaith Alliance. They were designed
to educate voters as to where both candidates for the U.S. Senate seat
vacated by Bob Packwood stood on a number of pressing issues.
"Unlike the Christian Coalition's voter guides, these guides are fair and
objective" stated Mary Carroll, state coordinator of the Oregon Interfaith
Alliance. Issues covered in these guide included medicaid and medicare
cuts, environmental regulation and minimum wage cuts and housing
discrimination.
Earlier this month Oregon religious leaders announced the formation of a
state chapter of The Interfaith Alliance, an organization that provides people
of faith with a mainstream alternative to the divisiv~ness and intolerance of
the extreme religious right such as the Christian Coalition. Reverend
Rodney Page, Executive Director of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
stated, "We pledge to promote the positive role of religion as a healing and
constructive force in public life, and to challenge those who manipulate
religion for partisan political gain."
Mainstream religious leaders from across the country organized The
Interfaith Alliance in 1994 to speak out against the divisive use of religion
in the public sphere, including political campaigns. TIA goal is to ensure
that an alternative faith-based voice is heard in the public debate. The
national grassroots movement now encompasses 16 state chapters and over
20,000 members.
Rabbi Emanuel Rose the Senior Rabbi at Temple Beth Israel in Portland,
emphasized the need for a reasonable and civil faith-based alternative to the
prevalent influence of the extreme religious right in Oregon. He asserted
these groups are "guilty of fostering divisiveness and bigotry, in addition to
pursuing partisan political agendas, under the guise of religious certainties."
Dr. Albert M. Pennybacker. President
President of Ecumenical Development
Initiative
Reverend Dr. J. Philip Wagaman,
First Vice President
Foundary United Methodist Church,
Washington D.C.
Denise Davidoff, Vice President at Large
Moderator of Unitarian Universalist
Association
Bishop Frederir.k Calhoun James,
Vice President at large
African Methodist Episcopal Bishop of
D.C.,MD&VA
Bishop P. Francis Murphy,
Vice President at Large
Raman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop,
Baltimore Archdiocese
Rabbi David J. Gelfand, Secretary
Senior Rabbi of Anshe Chesed
Fairmount Temple, Cleveland OH
Dr. Diane M. Porter. Treasurer
Senior Executive for Program,
Episcopal Church
Reverend Dr. Herbert D. Valentine,
President Emeritus
Former Moderator of the Presbyterian
Church, USA
Most Reverend Edmond L. Browning
Presiding Bishop and Primate of
Episcopal Church
Reverend Dr. Amos Brown
National Chairman, National Baptist
Commission on Civil Rights and
Human Services
Reverend Dr. Joan Brown Campbell .
General Secretary of National Council
of Churches of Christ, in the USA
Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton
Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop,
Detroit Archdiocese
Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg
Former President of American
Jewish Congress
Reverend Leonard B. Jackson
First African Methodist Episcopal
Church, Los Angeles CA
Dr. Robert H. Meneilly
Senior Pastor Emeritus of
The Village Church
Dr. A. Knighton Stanley
Peoples Congregational Church,
Washington D.C.
Dr. John M. Swomley
Professor Emeritus, St. Paul School of
Theology
Reverend Gardner C. Taylor
Former President of the Progressive
Baptist Convention
William P. Thompson
Former President of World Alliance of
Reformed Churches
Dr. Foy Valentine
Former Director of Southern Baptist
Convention's Christian Life
Commission
�------
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Interfaith
Alliance of
:.
Georgia
I
i.
'
:
I.
\
'
�.. . .
l
ihe!tlanta llourna .
....,...
''"''
,'
·· ..-
:"·
.
,.
,·
.
'
january 20, 1996
•
Interfaith Alliance supports
separation of church, state
By Gayle White
STAFF WRITER
A group of the faithful
gathered on the state Capitol
steps on a windy winter morning
to launch the Georgia chapter of
th~ .interfaith Alliance, founded
in 1994 to counter the political
efforts of the conservative
·Christian Coalition.
T.he alliance intends to affirm
religious diversity and support
separation of church and state,
Jean Saul of the American
Jewish Committee, a member of
the Georgia group, said this
week.
In an effort to "bring civility
back to the political arena," Saul
said, the group is asking
Georgia's political candidates to
sign ·a "Commitment to Fair
Campaign Practices."
Candidates will be asked to
pledge not to misrepresent or
distort the positions of
opponents, not to appeal to
prejudice or discrimination, and
to "reject any_ political group that.
preaches or practices exclusion
or intolerance."
"When the First Amendment
to the Constitution guarantees
the separation of church and
state it also envisions a special
· kind of society," said the Rev.
Robert H. Boyte, senior minister
of First Christian Church in
Decatur. "It is a society where
persons of faith can express their
beliefs and those of no faith enjoy
their freedom .as well .... This
special vision calls people into a
community where dissent is
respected even as patriotism is
prized."
· Boyte said he is participating
in the alliance because he was
"concerned about the
assumption of the Christian
Coalition that they speak for all
· Georgians."
John Allen, head of Atlanta
Interfaith Broadcasters, said his
cable station produces a variety
of religious programming,
offering access to groups •ifrom
the extreme right to the extreme
left."
He is affiliated with the
alliance, he said, "because
they're for the kind of openness
we espouse. They want
everybody to be heard."
Like the Christian Coalition,
the national Interfaith Alliance
does riot endorse candidates.
A Christian Coalition leader
said the group welcomes the
alliance. "Anybody who wants to
organize for any purpose has the
right to do so," said Jack Gibbs,
the coalition's state executive
director. "Based on the
information we have seen, it
doesn't look to us as if they
represent a broad spectrum of
Christians and Christian
churches."
In Georgia, the coalition
claims a mailing list of almost
30,000 and active members
numbering about 10,000.
For more information about
the alliance or for scheduled
activities, call its hotline number
at 404-636-6555.
�---------------------------------------------------------------------------.
God is interested in·saving and freeing the whole
human race and creating a world in which all men
will live together asbrothe1s.
l\iart.in Luther King. Jr.
One must distinguish between the rcligious
motivation for a moral position that is otherwise
within the power of the state to pursue and the
religious motivation for a moral position that simply
ill\'OI\'eS the oppression of members of other. less
politically powerful faiths.
· ' · 'SIC\'Cll L. Carter, Cuiture of Disbelief
The GeorgiaJnterfaith Alliance
7
Picdmo~t. Center,
Suite 315
Atlanta, GA 30305
404-636-6555
The
Georgia
Interfaith
Alliance
Affirming religious diversity
and offering an alternative
voice to the Religious Right
�-----------------------------------------------------·----
G
eorgia's public life has become increasingly fragmented and mean-spirited.
Unfortunately, the religious right has
played a large part in the disintegration of civility
and the increased divisiveness and intolerance.
The Georgia Interfaith Alliance (GIA) is an organization of people from many faiths who arc
troubled by these dcvclopiuents. As concerned
citizens, we hope to restore a sense of community.
As people of faith, we know religion has a proper
role in reweaving a frayed social order.
OUR MISSION
TGlA is a nonpartisan, ecumenical organization
conunitted to three basic principles:
• Promoting the positive role of religion as a
healing and constructive force in public life.
• Encouraging the renewal of commonly held
values within our fmnities and communities.
• Providing people of all faiths with an alternative voice to that of the religious right.
We believe religion should foster reconciliation,
inspire common effort. promote concern for the
less fortunte, and uphold the dignity of all human
beings. We affirm the plurality of religious voices
and the strength diversity brings, while denouncing hate-inspired messages used to win elections
and further a narrow political agenda.
OUR GOALS
Promote Cil•ility
The Christian Coalition and other religious right
organizations shamelessly usc religion to divide
people. Their tactics include character assassination, scapegoating, fabrication of voting records,
and the deliberate misrepresentation of their
opponents' views.
--·
GIA intends to promote ch·iJ discourse by:
1.
Monitoring and challenging the misleading
and irresponsible political activities of groups
· such as the Christian Coalition.
2. Inviting political leaders to join us in our
efforts to restore civility to the public debate.
E11couruge Dialog
Much oftoday's discussion about values distorts
the true complexity of these issues in a pluralistic
society. What passes for renewal of values among
radical religious right is actually the imposition of
one particular group's values on a culturally and
religiously diverse conununity. This is cultural
tyranny, not moral renewal.
GIA intends to encourage dialog by:
1. Convening publi~ forums·to discuss our
2.
common problems and goals from a variety
of religious and ·practical viewpoints.
Inviting speakers from a range of religious
backgrounds to discuss moral issues important to us all ..
Provide till Altemutil•e Religious Voice
The radical religious right claims to be THE voice
of people of faith in the political arena. Yet, not
all religious people agree with their understanding of family values, welfare refonn, freedom of
r~ligion, or public education. Further, the religious right's political agenda too often invokes
the vices of intolcrnncc and self-righteousness,
and too seldom the virtues of compassion and
reconciliation.
GIA intends to offer this alternative voice by:
Presenting the media with an alternative
religious voice, showing that the Christian
Coalition docs not speak for all religious
people.
2. Educating the community about the importance of religion in public iife, the need
to keep religion •·government free;· and
the challenges and benefits of religious
pluralism.
1.
OUR INVITATION
Please stand with us and join GIA, a stale chapter
of The Interfaith Alliance, as we work to make
Georgia a place where different religious communities live together in peace and where citizens
from different backgrounds participate in honest
and respectful debate about the· role of religion
and values in American public life. Join us!
Yes! I want to add my voice to The Georgia Interfaith Alliance. Enclosed is my check for $25
made out to The Georgia Interfaith Alliance.
Name---------'-------Address _______.;....__ _ _ _ __
City ______State._ _ _.Zip_ _ __
Phone (h)....,.....-------------
We hope to build a consensus among a variety of
religious people. offering a real alternative political voice to those who do not feel represented by
the Christian Coalition.
Phone (w) - - - - - - - - - - - - Please mail to: The Georgia Interfaith Alliance.
7 Piedmont Center. Suite 315. Atlanta, GA 30305
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Interfaith
Alliance of
· Tennessee
I
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�·SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1995
Religious liberals join forces, voices
Alliance to fight
right's rhetoric
By RAY WADDLE
Rt>ligion Editor
Local religious liberals are saying
enough is enough.
Tired of being on the sidelines of
debate, a group of libe~l and moderate Christians and Jews is starting
a counterorganization to combat the
"intolerant rhetoric" of the religious
right
It's called the Interfaith Alliance
of Middle Tennessee, a local. chaP.
ter of a fledgling national organization. Two organizational meetings
are scheduled here next week.
The Alliance worries that groups
like the Christian Coalition give the
impression that conservatism is the
only political voice pleasing to God.
"The public deserves to hear is-
sues in a more honest and fair manner," said the Rev. Robert Coleman
of West End United Methodist
Church.
"Too often we are hearing one
religious voice attempting to dominate all others and using the politics
of division and intolerance to stifle
. public dialogue on issues facing our
community."
The public organizational
meetings Will be
at 5:30 p.m.
Monday at St.
Ann's Episcopal
Church,
416
Woodland Ave.,·
and at 7 p.m.
Tuesday at The
Temple, . 5015 KANIER
Harding Road.
At both meetings, national organizer Ken Brooker Langston will
speak on how to raise the profile of
religious liberals and moderates to
. rival conservatives on issues of the
day.
"We want· to counter the impression that you have to be a rightwing
Republican to be a good Christian, a
gOod evangelical, a good person of
faith,'' Langston, director of education for the national Interfaith Alliance in Washington, D.C., said in an
interview.
The Christian Coalition has nearly 2 million members. Attempts yesterday to reach Christian Coalition
officers here and in Washington
were unsuccessful.
In previous interviews, Coalition
representatives have said their organization is open to anyone who
shares its pro-family values stance.
The Coalition was formed because
the voice of millions of Christians
was being ignored by the political
process, spokespersons have said.
"Too often we are
hearing one religious
· voice attempting to
dominate all others
.and using the politics
of division and
intolerance to stifle
public dialogue•••• "
THE REV. ROBERT COLEMAN
West End United
Methodist Church
· Langston, a Disciples of Christ
member, said the Interfaith Alliance doesn't simply want to be a
liberal counterweight to the ·Chris• Tum to PAGE 28, Column 1
Religious liberals unite, fomr diverse ·alliance
· . FROM PAGE 18 ..-· · .
·
tian COalition.
·. That wouldn't work anyway, he
Said. The Interfaith Alliance is too
diverse.
: But it wants to stand up for civility in debate and remind the electorate of the wide political diversity
among people of faith in America,
he said.
"We want to create a network of
Clergy who will ·publicly come to
the rescue of people who are being
demonized or targeted by the radi. cal religious right," Langston said.
There's no litmus test. for membership, and no official position on
a range of hot-button moral issues,
he said. The Interfaith Alliance
does support ,the dvil rights of all
people, induding homosexuals, and
stands against any state-mandated
· prayer in public.schools, he added.
Organizers said it's too early to
know yet what steps the local Aliiance Will take to advance its goals.
Newsletters and educational forums
have been suggested. But they are
frustrated with the impression that
conservative-oriented religious voices get all the media attention.
"For too many of us in the mainline or moderate or liberal faiths,
there is no unified voice for moderation, diversity and. openness of
spirit," said Rabbi Ken Kanter of
Congregation Micah.
~·ves, Nashville has more than
one point of view. If there aren't
different religious perspectives being aired out there, that's our fault
It's up to us to do something."
Since its founding last year, the
Interfaith Alliance has amassed
about 10,000 members in nine
states. It is adding 2,000 members a
month, Langston said. •
�Interfaith
Alliance of
Oklahama
�TheDailyOklahoman
February 8, 1996
Rtli~ous Coalition
llf Pat Gillll~d
ReHti.on:'Edit.or ..
A ·~6~ roaliti~
Formed
Other area religious
leaders include the
Rev. w~B. ·Parker. of
that hopes ~o provide
people of all. fai~
w:i;th, ·an .alternattve
vOice to.. that of ~
"teli&loiis · tight" ~~
been · fanned. for 00
Oklahorna l;ity. ~
St. James ~aptist
Church ·in . Spenc~r;
the Rev. ·Will i.a'tc B.
Ross, out'Laey of·Victocy catholic- Chu.i'cll
in Pur<-<:11; Mufid. A'ff
Wedne'sday.
Cout1cil ·of Oklahoma;
and the Rev. James C.
Shields, Wheatland
United· Methodist
Church
·"As· Persons .of fai~
the.. organizers of. t~
organiZers
a·nno\ln~
The . Iri:terfaith An~~
ance
or Central P~·
:h·oma ·i,s. 3.ll 'B..fflliate. Of
the~niltionallnterfa1th
.ADilm~
.
.
Among. goals ~ ~
In t~rfaith A~hanc~
and its a.fflliates ar~ to
promote. th( ·role of r~:
ligioi) ~$ . ~ .heal.in,g
and constru.ctlve force
~·:public.··life, .~d·. ~.
erica~ge ;enew~. of
values
withm
families
arid eommunities, s:aJ~
organl2ers in . Written
stater:nents.
' Oklahoma City .rell·
.gious .Je~~er$. ··'Yh.o
have idenhOed :th.~
seiveS. w'itll the .group
include: the·~¢v .} .Pat.,!
'kenned§ ~~\·~t, 411.~.
dre~·s ·.R:ty&~.~.te.~.
Cflnrch;· 'mibbl '·D'li'~'
Packman. o.f. remp)~
B'nai" "Jsraei .in Okl~
horna City;· tn.e Rev.
Cynthia it Jp~so~ ·of
i-'irsf · Un1tanan
Church in Oklah~ma
City; and the ·~ev.
Donna· S. Compton,
ch&Istiail. .CJiurcb
{fifsciples of Chrisi).
del-Qader of the
lim
Public
Mus-
Affairs
Interfaith ·Alliance of
Central Oklah~~~
Inc. are ·extremely ;un.
happy wi~: t~~ .·~~~·
·gious right for us~.y
the language· · of reli
4
gion to cl~.an
Men··
da · resting ·In h~~
intolenmce,'' .Qt-.
and;
ganizers ·~d.
·.·"We .are
that
·.
alarmed
the Christian: Ck,
·alition is · attempting
to m-ite·~ejr··~~~~
ist views irito th~·Iaw$.
of the la11d. ,,.
A major part'·of:~
:inteii:aith ·. orga.n.#~-.:
tion/~ ·, acti'V:ltt~~: ~'~
be
to ·~·appraise ·miD.fi~
s tre·am.··
· 'religiotis
grQups ~nd vote.~f~
tlw·· c¢~J;ne I?Oli~~~
?~ce.ptly~
Politic~ ·ta~tlcs ;~r .the
agenda artd
'rellglous right;. · the
organizers said,·
More· than 100 peO.
ple, .inctudlng .Cle1W
and laY. people.: .I){
Chrislia·n. Jewish,
Muslfm · and · oth~r
faJth
communities~·
met at Fi.i-st Presbyte.
rian Church in Okla-
homa City for the' or·
ganiiational meeting.
�
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A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36008" target="_blank">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7431981" target="_blank">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2006-0458-F
Description
An account of the resource
Donald Baer was Assistant to the President and Director of Communications in the White House Communications Office. The records in this collection contain copies of speeches, speech drafts, talking points, letters, notes, memoranda, background material, correspondence, reports, excerpts from manuscripts and books, news articles, presidential schedules, telephone message forms, and telephone call lists.
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
537 folders in 34 boxes
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Paper
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Interfaith Alliance
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Office of Communications
Don Baer
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2006-0458-F
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Box 11
<a href="http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/assets/Documents/Finding-Aids/2006/2006-0458-F.pdf" target="_blank">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7431981" target="_blank">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Adobe Acrobat Document
Medium
The material or physical carrier of the resource.
Reproduction-Reference
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1/12/2015
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
42-t-7431981-20060458F-011-010-2014
7431981