-Caveat Lector-
from: AMERICAN ATHEISTS
subject: AANEWS for June 19, 1999
A M E R I C A N A T H E I S T S
#593 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6/19/99
http://www.atheists.org
ftp.atheists.org/pub/atheists/
http://www.americanatheist.org
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A Service of AMERICAN ATHEISTS
"Leading The Way For Atheist Civil Rights
And The Separation Of State and Church"
----------------------------------------------
In This Issue...
* "Values Action Team" -- the Dobson agenda on Capitol Hill
* Ten Commandments -- how congress voted
* Public aid to religious schools -- what's your opinion?
* Robertson in Zaire; exoneration or cover-up?
* Resources
* About this list...
DOBSON-LINKED CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE BEHIND
"BLACK THURSDAY" ASSAULT ON SEPARATION
How did it happen?
Last Thursday, June 16, the House of Representatives launched a
barrage of legislation aimed at promoting sectarian religion, and
dealing a serious blow to the separation of church and state in
America. Congress approved amendments to a juvenile justice and crime
bill which gave states the legal power to display the Ten Commandments
in public school classrooms and other government venues by a 248-180
margin. Another amendment proposed by Rep. Mark Souder takes us a
step closer to the public funding of faith-based groups and social
programs -- it cleared the House 346-83. And unnoticed by much of the
news media, and even more outrageous than the Ten Commandments decree,
was Rep. Jim DeMint's amendment that "disallows attorney fees in any
action claiming that a public school or its agent violates the
constitutional prohibition against the establishment of religion..."
This legislation, should it become law, is sure to create a chilling
effect on those individuals and groups wishing to challenging abuses
of state-church separation in the public schools; and it is a virtual
"green light" for school districts and administrators wishing to
promote religious exercise.
But how did such "crazy" legislation end up on the floor of Congress?
How were these and other dangerous measures approved by such a wide
margin?
The answer may be a little-known group within the House of
Representatives calling itself the "Values Action Team," operating
from the office of Majority Whip Tom DeLay. VAT was formed in May,
1998 by select GOP congressional leaders, headed by Pennsylvania
Representative Joseph Pitts. According to the Boston Globe newspaper,
the purpose was to "coordinate legislative strategy with conservative
groups that included the Christian Coalition, the Family Research
Council, and the National Right to Life Committee." Initial goals
included passage of the Religious Freedom Amendment which would have
permitted classroom prayer in public schools, abolition of the
National Endowment for the Arts -- which is charged with promoting
"filth," blasphemy, pornography and homosexuality -- and the outlawing
of a late-term procedure which critics describe as "partial-birth
abortion."
Thursday's Ten Commandments vote and other amendments proposed to the
juvenile crime and justice bill are a continuation of the VAT agenda.
Indeed, when he revealed that the Ten Commandments Defense Act, which
had languished during the last congressional session amidst the hoopla
of the Starr report and the Clinton impeachment, was to be
reintroduced, sponsor Robert Aderholt (R-ALA.) announced gleefully
that the Values Action Team was throwing its influential support
behind the proposal. GOP leadership, including Rep. DeLay, said that
they would fast-track the item for legislative approval.
Dobson: A Stern Taskmaster For Republicans
It's no secret in religious and political circles that the VAT was
formed, as Christianity Net observes, "in response to criticism by
(James) Dobson that GOP leadership had failed to move pro-family
issues through Congress." Dobson heads the powerful Focus on the
Family group headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO. With an estimated
500,000 members -- and a mailing list possible four or five time that
number -- Dobson is one of the underrated power brokers on the
religious right. Understanding the role played by the Values Action
Team, though, means going back to 1994, when Republicans captured
majority control in both the U.S. House and Senate -- something they
had not achieved in over four decades. Much of the credit went to
organizations like the Christian Coalition, and the millions of
evangelical and fundamentalist voters who had been first
"religionized" by Dobson and other groups, then "politicized" by the
Coalition. CC introduced it's "Contract With the American Family,"
which proposed an enactment of a wide sweeping social agenda for the
country.
Even with a voting majority, however, Republican legislators were soon
accused of sacrificing the "family" and "values" agenda of the
religious right in favor of tax cuts and other economic deals with the
Clinton Democrats. In 1996, the party nominated Bob Dole as its
presidential candidate; not only did Dole fail in his White House bid,
but the campaign seemed to be emphasizing the religious right social
programs less and less. Battles flared on the convention floor in San
Diego over issues like the controversial abortion plank, and moderate
Republicans continued to grouse over the disparate influence of Pat
Robertson and other religious right king makers.
Dobson spent much of 1997 speaking out against GOP leaders, telling
his fellow fundamentalists and evangelicals that the Republican party
was betraying their social agenda,soft-peddling issues such as
abortion, a ban on gays in the military, and prayer in schools. He
was joined by Gary Bauer, head of the influential Family Research
Council whichhad once been an organizational component of Focus. In
February, the rift between the GOP and many religious conservative
groups widened when Dobson addressed 300 members of the semisecret
Council for National Policy (CNP)) meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.
Sharing the podium with Dobson, and often echoing his line were former
Vice President Dan Quayle, antifeminism maven Phyllis Schlafly, and
Christian Coalition President Donald Hodel. But even they were
shocked when Dobson delivered his tirade, accusing the Republican
Party of betraying its Christian religious wing.
Dobson began by comparing himself to John the Baptist, and called for
a political war against recalcitrant GOP leaders who were
de-emphasizing the religious right social agenda; nearly two-thirds of
the CNP members present gave him a two-minute standing ovation. He
then outlined a political shopping list of grievances, including an
apparent snub by U.S. Senator Phil Graham (who reportedly refused
Dobson's request to woo evangelical voters with a reply, "I'm not a
preacher"), and Mr. Dole's refusal to obey the party's antiabortion
platform were he elected president. Dobson also criticized the
decision to allow New Jersey Governor Christine Whitman to address the
party's national convention, and be the rebuttal speaker to an address
by President Clinton. Whitman is considered a political moderate, and
is pro-choice.
A month later, Bauer and other religious leaders were sniping at the
GOP leadership. "There is virtually nothing to show for an 18-year
commitment," Gary Bauer told the New York Times. By then, Dobson was
on record as preparing to abandon the Republican party, and denounced
the "good soldier" strategy of compromising with moderates in the
party and settling for incremental gains. Referring to the need to
incorporate the religious right agenda into the GOP organizational
fabric, Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention blustered,
"The go-along, get-along strategy is dead. No more engagement. We
want a wedding ring, we want a ceremony, we want a consummation of the
marriage."
Many Republicans on Capitol Hill heard the Dobson message loud and
clear. Rep. Dick Armey, GOP House Majority Leader, arranged a
meeting between Dobson and representatives from other groups including
Christian Coalition, Traditional Values Coalition and Eagle Forum,
with the Republican leadership. Also supporting Dobson was religious
conservative Paul Weyrich who urged a "muscular strategy" in advancing
the faith-based social agenda. Gary Bauer, now an announced candidate
for the GOP presidential nod, was at the time threatening a primary
run if the party didn't pay more attention.
Thus was born the "Values Action Team," described by some observers as
an "inside-outside coalition" linking members of Congress to outside
groups. Rep. Pitts declared that the strategy allowed VAT "to target
their pressure and gives outside groups timely information so that
they can lobby..."
An estimated 20 members of Congress are regular VAT participants, and
gather weekly for prayer and political planning. The agenda has
expanded to cover other areas of concern to religious conservatives,
including the proliferation of legalized gambling, pornography and the
internet, depictions of violence in popular media, vouchers,
elimination of the "marriage-tax penalty," and a greater role for
religion in the public square.
Mr. DeLay's office serves as the hub for "Values Action Team"
activities; indeed, the congressman's web site hosts the VAT pages,
and links to both Dobson's Focus on the Family group, and Gary Bauer's
Family Research Council. Salon Magazine observed earlier this month,
"DeLay summed up with typical bluntness his own 'pro-family'
interpretation of the First Amendment. 'There is,' he said, 'no
separation of church and state in that statement.'" While he is given
the political moniker "The Whip," on Capitol hill DeLay is known, and
in some cases feared, for his other name -- The Hammer.
Last Thursday, they stepped into the Congressional well and thundered
against secularism, blasphemy, violence, the alleged decline of the
American family and the loss of what the country once supposedly was.
They were faces familiar to those who watch endless hours of C-Span.
There was Aderholt, and Souder, and Canady and the rest. The votes
were tallied, and by wide margins Congress had passed legislation
which washed over the wall of separation between church and state like
a tidal wave. What was missing, though, was the face of the man
behind the scenes, whose stern bidding and threats motivate his allies
and are of concern to hardened political veterans who question his
objectives or stand in his way. He is thousands of miles from capitol
hill, and from his office you can see the Rockies in all their
splendor. He wasn't on C-SPAN that day, but his reach and power was
evident. Thanks to the Values Action Team, for James Dobson, Thursday
was his day.
**
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ACT -- FIND OUT HOW THEY VOTED
On Thursday, the House of Representatives approved a measure
introduced as the Ten Commandments Defense Act, which gives states the
legal power to display the Decalogue in public school classrooms and
other government venues. The measure passed 248-180. How did your
congressional representative vote on this important First Amendment
issue? Find out by visiting our web site; point your browser to
http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/tenco1.htm for a state-by-state
tally.
**
GOVERNMENT AID TO RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS -- WHAT'S
YOUR OPINION?
The U.S. Supreme Court has announced that it will review a
controversial Louisiana case which challenges government aid to
parochial schools. A decision is expected next year -- and it could
open the door for more taxpayer funding of religion. What's your
opinion on this important First Amendment topic?
The new American Atheists Magazine on-line poll wants to know. Pay us
a visit at http://www.americanatheist.org, get the background on this
subject, answer our polling questions and leave your opinion for
others to read. But hurry ... the voting ends next Wednesday, June
23.
**
EXONERATION OR WHITEWASH? INQUIRY FAULTS BAD
BOOKKEEPING IN ROBERTSON CHARITY
An investigation by the Virginia Attorney General's office has
criticized Pat Robertson's "Operation Blessing" religious charity for
a "serious breakdown in bookkeeping," but absolved the televangelist
of inappropriately using resources for personal financial ventures.
The two-year inquiry was prompted in June, 1997 when state Sen. Janet
Howell urged then-Attorney General (and now Governor) James Gilmore to
investigate charges that airplanes supposedly used by the charitable
outreach in Zaire were diverted to carry industrial supplies and
equipment for Robertson's private diamond mining venture. Through his
African Development Company, Robertson had obtained lucrative diamond,
gold and lumber concession from the late Zairean dictator Mobutu
Sese-Seko. Although the firm was privately owned, Robertson described
the venture as a charitable enterprise that was allegedly going to use
the profits for humanitarian purposes.
Two pilots employed by Robertson claimed that the bulk of their
flights for the Operation Blessing charity had nothing to do with
humanitarian objectives, but consisted mostly of ferrying supplies for
the diamond mine. African Development Company went bankrupt.
According to the Virginian Pilot newspaper, the report "found that
there was no evidence that Operation blessing's airplanes were used
for non-charitable purposes without proper reimbursement, but
nevertheless noted that its findings were based on limited and
incomplete evidence." It also concluded that despite the "serious
breakdown in bookkeeping," Operation blessing was "motivated by
legitimate charitable purposes," and that the charity was more than
adequately compensated for the use of the planes by a $400,000 payment
from Robertson. But that payment was made in August, 1997, after the
allegations of the two pilots was made public.
Doubts have been expressed about the ability of new Attorney general,
Mark Earley, to conduct a thorough and objective probe. Robertson
contributed $35,000 to Earley's 1997 AG campaign, and $50,000 to
Gilmore's successful run for the gubernatorial mansion. A number of
individuals affiliated with Robertson or his religious enterprises,
including Christian Broadcasting Network and Regent University, also
contributed heavily to both candidates. In addition, Robertson was
named by then-Governor Elect Gilmore as a member of his transition and
policy advisory team. The Pilot newspaper notes that at the end of
the 37-page report, there is a footnote claiming that Mr. Earley
"personally played no role" in the probe.
Buried in the report are findings based on extant records of Operation
Blessing's two planes. The inquiry found that both cargo planes flew
a total of 345.6 hours while in Zaire, of which 297.6 hours were used
ferrying equipment for African Development Company. "The
investigators determined that, based on customary rates, African
Development, or ADC, should have paid Operation Blessing $228,568 for
the use of the plane," noted the Virginia Pilot. Both Robertson and
ADC, though, contributed $364,632 to Operation Blessing -- although
African Development Company was continually operating at a loss.
Investigators opined that, "This record of large contributions ...
leads this office to conclude that there was no intent by Robertson or
ADC to exploit Operation Blessing." The paper adds, however, that
since there was no record of specific earmarking of funds, 'the
investigators declined to classify them as compensation for the use of
the planes."
In addition, the report noted that ADC employees in Zaire described
accounting, including funded expenditures, as "beyond confusing" and
"convoluted." The report added, "Operation Blessing failed to insist
that ADC provide copies of flight hour records and remit monies
contemporaneously with ADC's use of the airplanes..."
Operation Blessing has reported agreed to "not enter into any
transaction" with any director, relative or substantially connected
business, engage in any enterprise not agreed to by its board, and to
allow "full review of the charity's compliance with the new procedures
by the Office of Consumer Affairs."
The close relationship between Robertson and both the Virginia
governor and state attorney general may fuel speculation that the
report put a soft edge on the charges of misappropriation of
charitable funds and resources. Sen. Howell told the paper that the
report "has confirmed my fears about Operation Blessing, " adding "For
sure, anybody thinking of giving to that charity should research it
further."
**
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