Christian Theocrats behind Terri Schiavo

[sandnsea]

70% of Americans support Michael Schiavo making the decision regarding his wife’s life support, and 70% of American’s think Congress has overstepped the separation of powers laid out in the Constitution. Criminy, now that’s a mandate! The logical question that Americans should ask is, why is Congress doing this if the people don’t support it and why is this getting so much media.

The answer is simple, and one bloggers and Democratic Party activists have known for a long time, the money of the Christian Theocrats. That money buys alot of pundits and lawyers who apply the same old strategy we are oh so familiar with. As Majikthise so aptly puts it, pseudoscience and character assassination.

The cable tv onslaught has been led by various representatives of Concerned Women of America, who have been on every television show, just as they always are when a so-called “values” issue arises. Just who is this group? It was founded in 1979 by Beverly LaHaye, wife of Tim LaHaye, founder of the Moral Majority along with Jerry Falwell.

Online, the attack is being led by Gary McCullough who operates several Christian organizations. His Christian News Wire has released a national call for thousands to travel to Pinellas Florida. He has had access to Terri and is the photographer of several pictures. He also heads the Christian Communication Network and has been involved in Prisoners for Christ, Society for Truth & Justice, and Operation Witness in conjunction with Randall Terry of the radical Operation Rescue group.

The Life Legal Defense Fund is the primary organization providing legal services to the Schindler’s, and have spent at least $300,000. Much of this money has come from the Alliance Defense Fund, a multi-million dollar anti-gay organization whose founders include James Dobson and Bill Bright of Campus Crusade. You might remember the Alliance Defense Fund, as they are also involved in the civil rights case of the teacher who is suing a California school over hand outs filled with religious references.

In fact, there are really only a handful of individuals directing the most powerful Christian Theocrat organizations. You may know the names, but you probably don’t know the money behind the names. Jon B. Eisenberg, a lawyer for Michael Schiavo, wondered about the money and influence himself. His research turned up the same money names we’re all familiar with, Richard Mellon Scaife (heir to the Mellon industrial, oil and banking fortune), Harry Bradley (electronics), Joseph Coors (beer), and the Smith Richardson family (pharmaceutical products).

These names turn up over and over in conservative and religious foundations, like Heritage, AEI, Moral Majority, and CNSNews. A handful of Christian Theocrats pushed a handful of US Congressman into usurping the Constitution. I never thought it would be that easy. I wish people understood how few of them there really are.

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=600

[Dookus]

1. thank you for showing

the forces behind this case.

I have maintained all along that anybody who repeats the anti-choice position on this case are either trolls or dupes.

Michael Schiavo is a hero.

[TaleWgnDg]

3. It's the same legal theory . . .

.

It's the same legal theory . . . both Roe v. Wade and the Right-to-Die-with-Dignity case law are derived from the right to privacy inferred in our federal constitution. Both of which slam up against religious zealots across America, whether Roman Catholic, Mormon, Eastern Christian Orthodox, Orthodox Jews, Southern Baptist Convention and other protestants extremists. It's all about religion.

The political activism of these groups is tiny. Tiny but vocal. And well financed due to it being tied into politics and the easy ability to get-out-the vote. Strange bedfellows are these newbie religion-into-law Republican types with the corporate America diehard conventional Republicans!

And George Walker Bush feeds off of them. Panders to them. Didn't he come to Washington, supposedly, to sign into law the Terri's Parents Act thereby cutting short his "vacation?!" Wow. Doesn't THAT sell big time? Who cares if this law is ruled unconstitutional? Regardless, it will get out the vote and fill the political campaign coffers!!

---

[katinmn]

8. Your * signature photo -- says it all

He will only appoint judges, who, like himself, hear God.

[TaleWgnDg]

15. Indeed . . . and here's another . . .

.

Indeed . . . and here's another. I wonder if Scalia is auditioning, here, for the soon-to-be-vacant-post of Chief Justice (in light of GWBush's quote about same)?!!




As a collateral issue, note Scalia's arrogance. After all, Scalia is stating that 85% of Americans who believe in the 10 Commandments are ignorant of the Commandments meaning. And that he is of the percentage that knows the meaning but not the rest of the American public. Thus, Americans *need* reminders of these religious embodiments in public places sanctioned by the government. Nice, huh?! Lovely guy is he. Are John Adams and Thomas Jefferson rolling over in their respective graves?

[sandnsea]

11. Will it ever matter?

This case is everything we're fighting to expose. The Christian theocrat agenda and how they operate, individual rights, their willingness to usurp the Constitution for their purposes. Will people ever be able to focus long enough to create as strong a message as the right has? Why do hysteria threads always go on forever and ever around here? :grr:

[MnFats]

2. yes, and together with the 'talking points' memo GOP...

office=holders were sending around, we see the stunning level of hypocracy exhibited by these people...

[rodeodance]

4. "Concerned Women for America" is illusionary label much like "Clear

Skies" etc.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bridget Burke]

6. CFWA was founded to fight the Equal Rights Amendment

Beverly & Tim LaHaye met at Bob Jones University & are both involved in the Dominionist/Christian Reconstructionist thing. He's also famous for co-writing the "Left Behind" series.

The CFAW site is good for tracking the "stories" soon to be mentioned in letters to editors & in the MSM. Remember "they won't let us say Merry Christmas"? Currently: "Let Terry Live."

www.cwfa.org/main.asp

[Cooley Hurd]

9. I'll never forget James Carville going ballistic on Sandy Rios...

...of CWFA on Crossfire right after 9/11. She was spouting off how she agreed with Franklin Graham's assessment of Islam (being an "evil religion"), and Carville spat and swore at her for being a bigot.

Wish I could find the transcript (I did a google search to no avail)...

[FreedomAngel82]

13. Wow

That was just awesome if him to call her out on her bigotry. Good for him!

[JI7]

7. great article

when you look at other issues the right wing pushes you see similar type of connections.

[sandnsea]

10. It's all connected

By the money that funds them and direct mail kings. Still think we should organize and put fliers on car windows at churches.

[FreedomAngel82]

12. I'm not too surprised

Not surprised I recognize some of those names. And it's so funny with Coors beer behind a Christian thing? LOL. There must be something else. Christians don't have anything to do with drinking.

[sandnsea]

14. Unrestrained capitalism

All these money people have much more to do with unrestrained capitalism than anything else. And you know Christianity is the free market capitalist religion of the world. Communism is evil because it attacks both religion and free market capitalism, these money mongers can't have that.

[meow2u3]

16. Even John Fund said the Schindlers made a bad move

retaining Randall Terrorist as counsel. The same guy told to keep away from abortion clinics, the same guy who advocates violence against people who don't share his outrageously extremist views, you name it.

Randall Terrorist even had the Schindlers say that if Terri Schiavo dies, she will burn in hell! The parents have cursed their own daughter, thanks to that piece of scum!!! :grr: