-Caveat Lector-
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People For the American Way Foundation
RIGHT WING WATCH ONLINE -- March 25, 1999
The latest from the Right Wing's mail, television, radio and web
activity, courtesy of People For the American Way Foundation's
research and monitoring operation. Subscription information below.
Please forward.
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CONTENTS:
1 - Paul Weyrich says there's no "Moral Majority"
2 - Cal Thomas regrets mixing religion and politics
3 - But the Religious Right is still gunning for the 2000 elections
The media has been buzzing with reports that the Religious Right is
having a crisis of confidence because a few longtime right-wing
leaders have criticized the political process. New Right founder
Paul Weyrich announced that mainstream culture was so corrupt that
conservatives needed to withdraw and find a better way to effect
their goals than the current political process. Commentator Cal
Thomas and minister Ed Dobson have written about their regrets in
mixing religion and politics during their days with the Moral
Majority. A media frenzy followed, overshadowing the continuing
evidence of the Religious Right's political planning for the
upcoming elections. This issue of Right Wing Watch Online takes a
look at the controversy and what political activity is going on
beneath the radar screen.
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1 - WEYRICH'S LETTER SETS OFF A FIRESTORM ON THE RIGHT.
In mid-February, shortly after the Senate acquittal of President
Clinton, Heritage Foundation founder and current head of Coalitions
for America, Paul Weyrich declared that "[p]olitics itself had
failed." The people he once termed the "moral majority" should
"drop out of this culture, and find places...where we can live godly,
righteous and sober lives." Weyrich posted his message in an open
letter on the website of the Free Congress Foundation, the Washington-
based political group he heads. Weyrich's very public renunciation
of the political arena set off a major debate in the right-wing
political movement. Many national right-wing figures responded by
calmly but quickly refuting his arguments.
Larry Arnn of the Claremont Institute and Ed Feulner of the Heritage
Foundation wrote in the March 16th Los Angeles Times that Weyrich's
"strategy will lead to disaster" and that conservatives "should not
allow impatience for final victory to cloud their judgement."
The Family Research Council's executive vice-president responded by
promising to "fight another 20, 40, 60 years - whatever it may take."
FRC also tried to provide a counter to Weyrich's message by running
ads on 200 radio stations urging conservatives to call Congress and
"voice your values so Congress will value your voice." Gary Bauer,
who recently left FRC to pursue the GOP presidential nomination,
called dropping out "a silly idea."
D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Ministries quickly rebuked those who
held the view that religious Right activists should withdraw from the
public arena. "To those who say that the culture war is over, I say,
'We have not yet begun to fight!'" said Kennedy to an audience at his
"Reclaiming America for Christ" conference in February. In case
anyone is worried that Kennedy's patience will wear thin, he assured
one interviewer that "In any war, there are times when it seems like
you are losing. It's not going to be over in 2000 or 2004 or 2006 or
2008 or 2010. We're in this for the long haul."
Religious Right radio host and 1996 Republican Presidential candidate
Alan Keyes also disagreed, telling Weyrich to "Cheer up" in a column
on the right-wing WorldNetDaily website. Weighing in on Weyrich's
side was Howard Phillips, the head of the Conservative Caucus and the
U.S Taxpayer's Party candidate for President in 1996.
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2 - FORMER MORAL MAJORITY FIGURES CAL THOMAS AND ED DOBSON
ADD TO THE DEBATE.
The public feuding started by Weyrich's open letter was heightened by
the release of a book that provides a more introspective critique of
the Religious Right political movement.
Syndicated columnist Cal Thomas and Baptist minister Ed Dobson have
written a new book titled "Blinded by Might" in which they criticize
the core ideas behind the Moral Majority and the Christian Coalition.
Formerly involved with the Moral Majority, Thomas and Dobson argue
that American society should be improved by changing individuals not
politics, and that conservative Christians have been tainted by their
involvement in politics. The authors now say that they see the down
side of the Moral Majority's political involvement - an unhealthy
focus on media coverage and fundraising.
Thomas and Dobson have been sharply criticized by some on the right
since they went public with their critique. D. James Kennedy
withdrew an invitation for Thomas to speak at the Reclaiming America
for Christ conference, Jerry Falwell said in a news release that he
would not discuss the book, and James Dobson (no relation) reportedly
sent the authors a note effectively saying don't call me again. Said
Kennedy," I'm fighting for God and for truth and for morality and for
decency. When we quit doing these things we might as well lay down
and die."
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3 - DON'T BE FOOLED. THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT WILL NOT ABANDON POLITICS.
Paul Weyrich's polemic, followed by the publication of the
Dobson/Thomas book, sparked widespread speculation about whether the
Religious Right's troops would heed Weyrich's call. In fact all of
the squabbling and the subsequent media coverage might lead one to
believe that Religious Right activists were preparing to abandon
political activity. A closer examination suggests just the opposite.
The movement is gearing up to work harder than ever to advance its
agenda during the 2000 elections.
In fact, the Christian Coalition is heading into fundraising overdrive
to prepare for the elections. Like Weyrich, Pat Robertson pledged to
defend the House managers. The CC will also target the swing states
of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois (containing
99 electoral votes), raise $21 million for this political activity
and distribute 70 million "handbills and postcards in churches,
synagogues, civic meetings and union halls." Religious Right
candidate Gary Bauer has already qualified for federal matching funds
and has been busy touring the country with his "Bauer Power" signs.
These are not the signs of a movement that is ready to throw in the
towel.
Additionally, just a few days before he posted his open letter
Weyrich himself announced plans to rally support for the House
managers who prosecuted President Clinton in the Senate impeachment
trial. Representatives Tom DeLay and Henry Hyde are among those to
be awarded the Free Congress Foundation's "Liberty Award" for their
"efforts to try to save America." Furthermore, Weyrich and other
Religious Right heavyweights such as Phyllis Schlafly, Randy Tate and
Mike Farris have formed the Committee to Restore American Values.
The purpose of this ad-hoc group is to pick a successful right-wing
Republican presidential candidate who can galvanize the Religious
Right vote in 2000.
Weyrich has also expanded on his initial statement. After days of
constant interviews and talk show appearances, Weyrich issued a
commentary saying, "We are not talking about dropping out of politics.
We are talking about recognizing that, in terms of culture, politics
is not going to get us where we need to go." For Weyrich, a polluted
culture requires a kind of Christian separatism, but the main goal is
still to reclaim mainstream culture and eventually regain political
power.
______________________________________________________________________
Learn more about the activities of the Religious Right at PFAW's
website:
http://www.pfaw.org/issues/right/
Read previous issues of RIGHT WING WATCH ONLINE at:
http://www.pfaw.org/issues/right/rwwo/
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