Rep. Mark Foley's predilection for pubescent young men, his public exposure (pun intended), and subsequent resignation exploded in the MSM on Friday. Now considering that the religious right stridently preaches against what they term the "homosexual agenda," one could rightfully assume that Dobson, Kennedy, Scarborough and all the rest would be scrambling to be the first out of the box (or out of the closet) to condemn Foley and smother Republican leadership in a tsunami of moral outrage for the attempted pre-election coverup.
More on the flip:
And since these leaders of the religious right position themselves as the moral authority on rights of the unborn, the young and innocent, and traditional marriage, this scandal appears to be tailor made -- an opportune moment to carry their "message" to an even wider audience just a few short weeks before the November 7th elections; that message being that ungodly, unAmerican, treasonous Democrats support the homosexual agenda, gay marriage, abortion rights, terrorists and attemtpt to corrupt our children with perverted cartoon characters, lewd and lascivious movies and music, etc.
But I had seen nothing coming from the Falwells and the Dobsons and the Wildmons of the world, so this morning I surveyed the landscape and cruised (pun intended) the websites of some of the most prominent on the religious right to see how Foley's disgrace has been handled over the weekend. I almost came up empty. Apparently, They're generally of a mind that predation on congressional pages is a-okay if the perpetrator is a Republican. How else to characterize the profound silence by these bastions of morality and dignity?
Results of survey:
American Family Association (Donald Wildmon) - no comment
Christian Coalition - no comment
Main page has news updated as of 9/29/06 - no report
Concerned Women for America (Beverly LaHaye) - no comment
Press releases on main page - no report
Coral Ridge Ministries (D. James Kennedy) - no comment
Culture and Family Institute - no comment
Family Research Council (Tony Perkins) - no comment
Scrolling News - no report
Focus on the Family (James Dobson) - no comment
Institute of American Values - no comment
Repent America - YES!!!!!
Southern Baptist Convention (Richard Land) - no comment
SBC President Frank Page - no comment
Talk to Action (Rick Scarborough) - no comment
Toward Tradition (Daniel Lapin) - no no comment
Toward Tradition scrolling news updates - no comment
Traditional Values Coalition (Louis P. Sheldon) - no comment
Press releases page contains five items on homosexuality, none on Foley
Vision America - Rick Scarborough Report - no
World Harvest Church (Rod Parsley) - no
One must necessarily draw the conclusion that for all the high and mighty talk spewing from these groups on a daily basis, the primary mission (pun intended) is primarily political in nature. None other than Pat Robertson makes that point abundantly clear. Religion is used solely as an expedient means to an end...POWER.
Recall that not more than two weeks ago activists held a conference in Washington, D.C., with 1,000 in attendance in an attempt to pump up its base to vote in November. Dobson was quoted as saying that Congress has failed in its mission to legislate the conservative religious agenda and that Bush has flaws, but electing Democrats would be worse for the country. Many of the featured speakers specifically railed against the sins of the gay lifestyle and the need for protection of traditional marriage; can't leave these important issues up to those heathen Democrats. No sireee.
Well, the religious voters in Mark Foley's district don't seem to be waiting for a cue from their religious leaders before forming their own conclusions. News reports from Stuart and Palm Beach, Florida, are rife with quotes of outrage at Foley's conduct and the ensuing coverup. Could this tawdry episode expose the hollowness in the message of their religious leaders once and for all? Has the "movement" finally jumped the shark?