And What About the Values Vote?

Yesterday was primary day in several states, one of the latest to occur in the year, and the pundits are poring over the vote totals like tea leaves, trying to discern hints of what November 7 will bring. Their work is cut out for them. Veteran political observer Charlie Cook, who will speak to the FRC Action Washington Briefing next week, says that conservative voters face a "motivation deficit" going into the fall elections. He notes a "generation gap" among the pundits: older observers see major losses for the GOP and younger ones, including party operatives, see smaller losses but continued GOP control of the House and Senate. Analyzing the role of values voters, it's hard to discern any motivation gap in the results so far. In Rhode Island, liberal Republican Lincoln Chafee won the GOP primary yesterday, but his feisty challenger, Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey, said little about social issues and matched Chafee's opposition to the Federal Marriage Amendment. Laffey campaigned against both parties in Washington and stressed the economy. In Arizona's 8th Congressional District GOP primary, voters selected Randy Graf over the national GOP's handpicked choice, Steve Huffman, by a 43-37% margin. Graf embraced the right to life and traditional marriage and voters responded.

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In Jesus' Name

Our brave soldiers brave hardship, pain and death. Aiding these men and women are chaplains, who minister to them at risk of their own lives. Our chaplains are from different faiths and have been allowed, until now, to pray and minister according to their religious convictions. After some questionable religious practices at the Air Force Academy, the Air Force has passed interim guidelines that go to the opposite extreme and undermine the ability of chaplains to minister according to their own faith tradition. Reps. Todd Akin (R-MO), Walter Jones (R-NC), and Jim Ryun (R-KS) worked to pass language in the House version of the National Defense Authorization that reads: "Each chaplain shall have the prerogative to pray according to the dictates of the chaplain's own conscience, except as must be limited by military necessity, with any such limitation being imposed in the least restrictive manner feasible." This language allows chaplains to pray according to their faith traditions, whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim or other. Incredibly, Sens. John Warner (R-VA) and Carl Levin (D-MI) are trying to replace that clause with politically correct language that will require chaplains to be "sensitive" to, not people of other faiths, but to the "diversity of faiths." People of all faiths should object to any requirement that chaplains pray or serve contrary to their faith tradition.

Additional Resources
Where's the 'tolerance' for Christianity?

 

Rosie's "Threatening" View

On yesterday's edition of ABC's "The View," Barbara Walters claimed that her dog spoke to her. But that wasn't the most bizarre piece of hard-hitting news to come from the show. Rosie O'Donnell, who apparently has also been talking to her co-host's dog, quipped, "...radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam in a country like America where we have separation of church and state." Unfortunately, it seems that O'Donnell isn't alone in her belief that Christianity is a threat. Attorneys for the Alliance Defense Fund have just sent a letter to Georgetown University regarding in the school's decision to cancel agreements with six Christian student organizations while continuing to recognize and support student groups of other faiths, including the Muslim Student Association. These notions of a Christian "threat" contrast with what President Bush described yesterday as a "Third Awakening" in America. The president commented that he notices more expressions of faith in the people he meets. "I don't have people coming in the rope line saying, 'I'd like a new bridge, or how about some more highway money,'" said President Bush, "They're coming to say, 'I'm coming to tell you, Mr. President, I'm praying for you.' It's pretty remarkable." The president's observations reflect the reality that Americans see religious revival as the hope for our nation, rather than a threat.

Additional Resources
Georgetown University refuses to renew recognition of several Christian student organizations
Rosie O'Donnell: 'Radical Christianity is Just as Threatening as Radical Islam'
The "W" Is Not for "Wobble"