2008 Woodie Awards
Campaigning for values that Americans hold dear
Brandon Biegert
Issue date: 10/14/05 Section: Opinion
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The Republicans have labeled themselves the party of morals, campaigning on the idea that they care about the values that Americans hold dear.
Over the last several decades, evangelist organizations, such as Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority, and Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition have established firm control over the party leadership.
This has led to the empowerment of Christian conservatives in this country and blurred the line between religion and politics, threatening the line between church and state. The evangelicals within the Republican Party are using their majority status to attempt to bring about their view of a Christian, moral country.
But morals are relative. What is moral to one person may seem completely immoral to another, and to pass laws based on one group's system of morals alienates those who do not share them. This is contrary to American values of equality and fairness.
In order to better understand the situation, one must look beyond what the Republicans say they stand for and examine the views of the individuals who make up the conservative movement.
One recent example is former education secretary under President Reagan, William Bennett. On his syndicated conservative talk show in Oregon last week, he suggested that an effective way to curb crime in America would be to abort every black baby in the country.
He pointed out that it would be an immoral course of action, but it does show the simplicity of his views towards race and crime. This is most disturbing, since the poster child Republican, President Reagan, felt that this mental midget was the best man to control the education of our children.
Senator, and then Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi also has some notable views regarding race in America.
In 2002 he praised Strom Thurman's leadership in the campaign against racial integration during the civil rights movement, saying, "We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years either."
Over the last several decades, evangelist organizations, such as Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority, and Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition have established firm control over the party leadership.
This has led to the empowerment of Christian conservatives in this country and blurred the line between religion and politics, threatening the line between church and state. The evangelicals within the Republican Party are using their majority status to attempt to bring about their view of a Christian, moral country.
But morals are relative. What is moral to one person may seem completely immoral to another, and to pass laws based on one group's system of morals alienates those who do not share them. This is contrary to American values of equality and fairness.
In order to better understand the situation, one must look beyond what the Republicans say they stand for and examine the views of the individuals who make up the conservative movement.
One recent example is former education secretary under President Reagan, William Bennett. On his syndicated conservative talk show in Oregon last week, he suggested that an effective way to curb crime in America would be to abort every black baby in the country.
He pointed out that it would be an immoral course of action, but it does show the simplicity of his views towards race and crime. This is most disturbing, since the poster child Republican, President Reagan, felt that this mental midget was the best man to control the education of our children.
Senator, and then Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi also has some notable views regarding race in America.
In 2002 he praised Strom Thurman's leadership in the campaign against racial integration during the civil rights movement, saying, "We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years either."