Politics Today ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Pontiff, Pat Robertson, and G.W. Bush All Need to Get Real About Their Racist Sins J. Rousseau, March 24, 2000 It is not enough for the Pope to say he is sorry for the torture, mutiliaton and mayhem done in the name of his Church in the not so long ago distant past? Has he fired his assistant who told National Public Radio last year that is was alright to burn people at the stake for the purpose of "protecting our faith?"�� Has he unsealed the archives that will help historians find the missing details about the Catholic Church's inquisitions?�� Has he committed to blocking the planned praising of Pope Pius XII who aided the crimes of Adolf Hitler against the Jews?� The answer to all these questions is no, and what we get from the Pontiff is more nice lipservice about tolerance and forgiveness.� Victims of his Church probably want more -- something called justice and coming clean about all the dirty details. What about Pat Robertson?� Here is the Protestant racist who sounds like Hitler in his diatribes against people on the left side of his theocratic pavilion and his comments that put Jews into more negative Christian light.� Here is the squinting, laughing preacher who says that God does not hear the prayers of Jews. What about his lies and hypocrisy and the insanity of the Christian Coalition using religion as a cover for right-wing economic policies?� Enter Dubya Bush. Bush is hugging the South Carolina that prevented Jews from voting in colonial days, that favored slavery during the Civil War era and today does not like the marriage of black and white Americans or the dating of people with differing skin tones. Bush is hugging the enduring symbols of old American racism by being silent about them, just like the Pope keeps his lips sealed about the Inquisition archives, the men who work for him NOW who justifiy the burning of Protestants and Jews at that stake, etc. etc. Bush won't come clean about his cocaine use, his promotion of the Willie Horton ad, or his lack of concern about racism or prejudice today. What a trio!� If these three men had more spine, we might get somewhere with their apologizing and rhetoric about everyone getting along.�� � Below is a press release from the Americans United for Separation of Church and State: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 23, 2000 Contact: Joseph Conn or Rob Boston 202-466-3234 202-466-2587 fax www.au.org CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS HONOR EXTREMIST TV PREACHER Lott, Hastert, Armey Celebrate Pat Robertson's 70th Birthday, Despite Broadcaster's Controversial Record Top leaders of Congress are cosponsoring a birthday celebration for TV preacher Pat Robertson despite the religious broadcaster's record of religious and political extremism. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas) and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) are among the "Inner Circle Sponsors" of the Pat Robertson 70th Birthday Celebration, scheduled for March 24 at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. Other "Inner Circle Sponsors" include U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft (R-Mo.), House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas), U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) and U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.). Top officials from Robertson's home state also are well represented, including Gov. Jim Gilmore, Lieutenant Gov. John Hager and Attorney General Mark Earley. Americans United for Separation of Church and State condemned the congressional endorsement of the TV preacher. Said AU's Executive Director Barry W. Lynn, "Pat Robertson makes Bob Jones III look tolerant, yet major leaders of Congress still line up to kiss his ring and toss him flowers. What a disgrace!" Lynn charged that Robertson's power in Congress and Republican political circles has reached new heights even though his Christian Coalition has waned in influence and his rhetoric has remained extreme. Examples of Robertson's record include: * According to Robertson, a centuries-old Satanic conspiracy controls world events. In his book, The New World Order, he claimed Presidents George Bush and Jimmy Carter are agents of "tightly knit cabal whose goal is nothing less than a new order for the human race under the domination of Lucifer and his followers." He claims Jews were admitted to the conspiracy through the Masonic lodge in France in 1782. * Robertson has expressed open contempt for groups he dislikes. He once said on his television program, "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." * On another occasion, Robertson said, "Many of those people involved with Adolf Hitler were Satanists, many of them were homosexuals. The two things seem to go together." * In a fund-raising letter issued during a campaign to defeat an equal rights amendment in Iowa, Robertson wrote, "The feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians." * Last year, Robertson advocated changing U.S. foreign policy to allow for assassination of foreign leaders. Admitting that the change "sounds somewhat Machiavellian and evil," he nonetheless said, "[I]t's the intelligent thing to do and I don't see anything un-Christian about it." * In 1998 Robertson warned that the city of Orlando, Fla., might face divine wrath for allowing a gay group to display rainbow flags from city light poles. He said it might bring about terrorist bombs, earthquakes, tornadoes and "possibly a meteor." Observed AU's Lynn, "Robertson's extremist track record is clear. Top-ranking members of Congress involved with this event ought to cancel their dinner plans." Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization represents 60,000 members and allied houses of worship in all 50 states. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
