Bush and Ralph Reed court Southern Baptist "I Vote Values" campaign

[solarbird]

The Southern Baptist Convention seems to be trying to rally the troops towards more than just the amendment. (Which should surprise no one.) Stolen from Andrew Sullivan's website:

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PARTY OF GOD, CTD: The fusion of the Republican party with evangelical Christian churches is now well-entrenched, as this latest NYT story reveals. Ralph Reed, of course, was unrepentant in his courting of the Southern Baptists for the Republican party last month. And the president addressed the SBC conference by satellite, while Richard Land launched the voter registration drive called "I Vote Values." "I, for one, believe people of faith have the same rights to participate in the political process as any other citizens," Reed said. "Christians should not be treated as second-class citizens." Of course they shouldn't. Still, it's worth checking out the IVoteValues.com website to see exactly which values the president is endorsing. In the section on homosexuality, the Southern Baptists remind us of what the founding fathers thought of gays:

During the American Revolution, when the Continental Army Lieutenant Enslin was found "attempting to commit sodomy," Commander George Washington issued an order "with abhorrence and detestation." Enslin was to be "drummed out of the camp ... never to return." Thomas Jefferson authorized legislation to penalize sodomy with castration. At the time the Constitution was ratified, the states of New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Connecticut, Virginia, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Jersey each implemented the death penalty for those who committed sodomy."

Why is the SBC reporting this? There are other sections on the dreaded homos, entitled: "Targeting You ... And Your Children." And: 'Homosexuality Costs You Plenty!" This is what Bush Republicanism is now about - beneath the surface. Worth considering in this campaign. (Hat tip: Roger Abramson).

Comments

[avram]

And of course they neglect to point out that Lt Enslin was charged not only with attempted sodomy, but also with perjury. (An Ensign Maxwell had reported Enslin for the attempted sodomy, and Enslin had claimed Maxwell was lying.) According to the General Orders for that day, Enslin was “found guilty of the charges exhibited against him, being breaches of 5th. Article 18th. Section of the Articles of War”, but I haven’t been able to find out exactly what that was. It’s possible that he was drummed out for the perjury, and the sodomy charge wouldn’t have mattered much without it.

[banner.livejournal.com]

You should check out how they used to treat homosexuals in Portland Oregon, and Oregon in general. Not very pretty for a state that has (supposedly) considered itself 'liberal' for a great many years. :-P
No wonder the skin heads used to call it home.

[avram]

Erm, what? I wasn’t aware that Washington fought the British in Oregon.