A bit of backgrounder
The news that Blackwell may be a member of the Gothard cult (which was sent to me by an anonymous respondent after someone else had asked about World Harvest Church in another thread) is especially disturbing, considering his role in a large dominionist political engine.
It is fairly widely acknowledged (in particular, in the Conyers report) that major voting irregularities in the 2004 presidential election in Ohio were directly attributable to Ken Blackwell--voting irregularities that may well have swung Ohio to Bush and resulted in a fundamentally unfree and unfair election.
These voting irregularities--and the investigation regarding other major controversies in the 2004 election--eventually led to Blackwell's overwhelming ouster in 2006 when he attempted to run for governor of Ohio; there was extreme concern regarding elections fraud, in part because Blackwell was the certifier of the results for his own election (in a classic case of "fox guarding the henhouse"--no insult meant to the fox, of course).
One area which has received (as of yet) distressingly little investigation by authorities--even with a considerable amount of publicity--is Blackwell's known relationship with World Harvest Church's Rod Parsley and the "Patriot Pastor" network. Parsley, the pastor of an "Assemblies daughter" megachurch that is so large that it has its own branded Mastercards and a dedicated electronic billing account for mandatory tithing at the church, is the founder of a very large political engine based largely in neopentecostal churches; the model originally started in Ohio but seems particularly active in Texas (leading to a formal investigation and complaint by the Texas Freedom Network) and is known to exist in a number of other states as well. (Texas is likely to be a major focus state for Huckabee, another Gothardite; even now, Blackwell is working with Tom Delay in establishing a major new "neocon bridge" organisation.)
Blackwell now works for the dominionist group Family Research Council (FRC originally started out as a lobbying wing of Focus on the Family, but the two orgs split after an IRS investigation; however, the two groups do still function very much as fraternal twins). Blackwell is also known to have links with Larry Pratt of Gun Owners of America (GoA is a group for folks for whom the National Rifle Association is considered too wishy-washy); Pratt has known links with racist groups, "Christian Patriot" militias, and dominionist domestic terrorist groups like the "Army of God".
Blackwell's solicitation of the dominionist community included not only stumping in churches, but also having dominionist churches like World Harvest stumping for him--in fact, in such an egregrious manner that practically every mainstream congregation in the Columbus, OH metro area ended up filing joint complaints to the IRS about illegal electioneering at World Harvest Church and another dominionist church in the area. At least some of the voting irregularities in 2004 were also traced to World Harvest--itself a polling location.
The political activities of the "Patriot Pastors" that Blackwell partnered with are under investigation in places other than in Texas and Ohio. CREW has, among other things, filed similar complaints with the IRS over illegal electioneering by a "Patriot Pastors" group in Pennsylvania.
So--knowing Ken Blackwell's known history and influence in dominionist groups as a political powerhouse, and knowing his role in getting George W. Bush in office--you can imagine my own deep worry and concern when I read this.
Gothard's buddy in Ohio...
"This" is an article--published in June 2006 on an independent publishing site--that makes a very good case for Ken Blackwell being essentially a Bill Gothard operative:
In this recent story, we showed you the connections between the secular front of the Bill Gothard movement and President George W. Bush. In the hotly contested election in 2004, Ohio was a battleground state -- and election experts like Bob Fitrakis have books documenting Ohio's stolen election. Well, it turns out that J. Kenneth Blackwell, Secretary of State and candidate for Ohio Governor, just so happens to have connections to these conniving Gothardites. (And you thought mixing politics with mega-churches was weird!)
. . .
The 2004 Character First! newsletter announces that J. Kenneth Blackwell will be the keynote speaker at the 2004 International Association of Character Cities Convention, while also giving general praise to Blackwell's efforts:
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Communities, Candidates, Colleges, and Character
The state of Ohio has made great strides towards fulfilling the state General Assembly's Joint Resolution that designated Ohio as a "character-building state."
Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell has championed the cause throughout Ohio, sponsoring the Ohio Center for Civic Character. The OCCC is a state-wide project designed to help leaders improve their communities. Blackwell and the OCCC have developed the Candidates of Character Project that encourages candidates for public office to make a written commitment to exemplify and encourage good character.
. . .
"No matter how technologically advanced we get, it will always be about relationships," said Ohio Assistant Secretary of State Monty Lobb. "We feel like from a citizenship perspective that character is the cornerstone of what it means to be a good citizen, and citizenship is the foundation for healthy, vibrant communities."
Blackwell will speak at the 2004 International Building Cities of Character Conference to be held September 22-24 in Oklahoma City.
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So who's that Assistant Secretary of State Monty Lobb? Locals might remember him as the old president of CCV (Citizens for Community Values) who worked to shut down the Mapplethorpe exhibit (due to the presence of images like the ones pictured here.) He has also been spotted more recently, giving speeches like this one, where he talks about how everyone in the SOS office wears "character lapel pins.
In an article rather like Silja Talvi's "Cult of Character" (which exposed the Gothardites for the sexist and child abusive beliefs), Katherine Yurica has one called "Blackwell's Un-American Scheme."
. . .
Just piece together the evidence, everyone. It's plain as day. George W. Bush is affiliated with Gothard. J. Kenneth Blackwell is affiliated with Gothard. Ohio is a battleground state. According to elections experts like Bob Fitrakis, Blackwell hands Ohio to Bush.
(For those unaware--CCV is probably one of the largest "activist" regional dominionist groups in Ohio.)
The article also includes excerpts from the Yurica article, which give even more of a powerful case that Blackwell is in fact a Gothardite:
What I intend to show you is that J. Kenneth Blackwell and many of the GOP leaders from Ohio and many others in Congress, necessarily know the truth about the religious moral code titled UncommonSense, and how civic renewal has been used and diverted from its original intent. They know that it is a covert way to impose certain religious beliefs upon American citizens using governmental powers. They know that they are in the process of religionizing America and also dominating it. They know it just as they know the sound and rhythm of familiar Bible verses. They know it like they know the prickly feeling on the back of their necks when they hear strains of down-home Gospel singing hitting their ears and hearts. They know it because they planned it.
First, to get an idea of the intent of the Ohio State legislators, let’s look at the resolution passed by the Ohio General Assembly, Concurrent Resolution 28.
The "Uncommon Sense" book in question is one that Ken Blackwell uses--and is also a Gothardist manual.
And Concurrent Resolution 28 should seem pretty familiar--it reads almost identical to the "Cities of Character" resolution passed by Cincinnati, only CR28 specifically called for the use of "No Child Left Behind" funds (possibly providing proof that even dominionists like a good pun now and again).
And--much like the Cincinnati resolution--the state resolution calling for the Gothardisation of the Buckeye State called for roping in state employees and others on a mandatory basis:
Lastly, Ohio State’s resolution contemplates not only building good character among youths, but the state is worried about employee productivity which the state wants to correct:
"Whereas, Encouraging employees to recognize positive character qualities has resulted in an increase in workplace ethics, employee safety, and organizational performance; and
"Whereas, An emphasis upon positive character qualities in every sector of society can only occur as institutions and individuals mutually commit themselves to exemplify positive character qualities in their public and personal lives and to collaborate with one another to establish character as a foundational community asset..." (Emphasis added.)
In signing off on this resolution, Ohio joined six other states who are known to have become "States of Character." According to the Character Training Institute States of Character are: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Ohio. The state of Ohio can look upon itself as a pioneer among the states. Ken Blackwell can think of himself as a leader in the America of tomorrow. The question is, exactly what kind of citizen is Mr. Blackwell and his supporters trying to create?
Katherine Yurica does an absolutely damning analysis as always--Yurica is one of the top researchers in the US on neopentcostal dominionism.
Even more disturbing to me, though...were the very real implications noted in the IndyMedia article about the Commander-In-Chief being a part of this cult.
...and in the White House as well
Back in September 2007, I wrote a post noting an evidentiary katamari that would suggest George W. Bush was a member of the "Joel's Army" dominionist movement--and speculated at the time that if so, he was likely recruited by a cell group outside of the Methodist church but potentially within his political circle, and that his "true" church allegiance may be to a cell-church of some sort.
I have found what is likely the missing piece of evidence here that would make this "evidentiary katamari" a Royal Rainbow--and the latest thing I've rolled up, courtesy of the Cincinnati Beacon, points out that the actual "cell" Dubya may be in could well make the Assemblies of God seem like a local Unitarian Church meeting in comparison:
What if I told you that local Republican Phil Heimlich is involved in bizarre political goings-on? What if the circuit of these twisted connections reached all the way to the White House? I know, it sounds crazy! Nevertheless, I believe the claim to be true. This revelation comes after months upon months of researching the backstory on Phil Heimlich...
...
Let’s start with the picture below, from the Home School Legal Defense Association Jan/Feb 1999 issue of Home School Court Report:
That’s our president, George W. Bush, standing next to a guy named Jim Leininger. Who is this Leininger character, and what does he have to do with Phil Heimlich? The answer is a simple Google search away.
Jim Leininger sits on the Board of Directors of the Institute in Basic Life Principals—the secular front for the Bill Gothard evangelical ministries that many experts liken to a cult. Gothard sits on the same Board with Leininger.
Erm. Uh. Well, then. :P I think we might well have found one of Dubya's "shepherds".
Leininger is, of note, not listed with International Association of Character Cities (which is actually closer to one of multiple "secular fronts" Gothard operates as recruitment fronts for IBLP)....meaning his association with Gothard is likely with the "home org", IBLP itself.
Of interest to the recruitment of Dubya, Leininger also happens to be quite politically influential in Texas. Texas Freedom Network's bio is telling--and in fact, a report put out by TFN essentially notes that James Leininger is probably the most influential person in both founding and maintaining political dominionist groups in the whole of Texas. The Houston Chronicle has also reported on Leininger being essentially the "sugar daddy" of dominionism in the state, and Sourcewatch also has info on him.
And sure enough, Leininger is in fact on Gothard's advisory board:
Dr. James Leininger
Advisory Board Member
An emerging entrepreneur with a heart for God, Dr. Leininger was working as an emergency room physician in San Antonio, Texas, when his concern for patients led him to develop special equipment designed to save lives by providing mobility after surgery. God has blessed his determination and desire to help others through the success of Kinetic Concepts, Inc. and many other businesses and ministries that Dr. Leininger has established.
He is also characterized by his passion to see God’s truth and ways promoted in government and actively contributes to this effort through the support of organizations such as the Texas Public Policy Foundation, which is designed to provide sound research and information on state issues to policy makers, media, and the general public.
Jim and his wife, Cecelia, have four children and live in Texas.
(I would probably not put the development of adjustable beds--that's the actual "special equipment" he refers to--as absolutely "lifesaving". Preventing of bedsores, I'll grant. It is where he's made his fortune, though.)
This is bad, folks. Really, really Bad. (It certainly explains the "Joel's Army"-speak coming from Dubya, at any rate.)
Back to that Beacon article, though. It would appear that not only was Dubya recruited, but potentially his brother Jeb as well; Florida was also a "demonstration state" for Gothardism until a number of controversies (not only with child abuse within the programs, but with the major controversies with the abuse occuring within Gothard's "faith-based" reform school in Indy) essentially shut the program down.
And Jeb was also governor in 2000 and 2004.
Jeb was in fact apparently also recruited rather early--he was promoting "Character First" stuff even back in 1999, and even more enthusiastically than most other "implementors" were at the time.
And in both cases, all things go back to Gothard:
The Texas proposal reflects the growing clout of the "private" voucher movement in Texas orchestrated by San Antonio multimillionaire Dr. James Leininger. He is the moving force behind an ambitious $50,000,000 private effort which is described as a "pied piper" in luring families away from the public school system.
. . .
Texas Governor George Bush, an unabashed voucher booster, has already thrown his weight behind the latest proposal. The bill originated in the State Senate Education Committee, where going into the 1998 election, seven of the nine sitting members had received political contributions from Leininger.
. . .
Efforts to pass vouchers in Florida supplement not only the push for charter schools, but another program that put a "values" curriculum in public schools which is known as "Character First!" It also shows the synchronicity between vouchers and extremist religious organizations which have established a thriving network of sectarian schools and so-called "Christian academies." In many cases, the curriculum in these schools teaches youngsters that evolution is a false doctrine, and implements a stern religious behavior code.
A bill to fund the program to the tune of up to seven million dollars in tax money passed unanimously last year in the state legislature, and will likely be on the governor's desk for signing in 1999. The Character First! program is published by the Character Training Institute (CTI), and offshoot of the Chicago-based Institute of Basic Life principles. According to the New Times paper of Palm Beach, IBLP "is the brainchild of a 64-year old evangelical Christian guru named Bill Gothard, who boasts some 2.5 million "alumni" of his Bible-based seminars, and he promises to give the world a 'new approach to life.'"
Along with the Florida voucher proposals cheered on by Gov. Jeb Bush, bills to institute Gothard's "Character First!" regiment in public schools -- supposedly sans over religious references to Jesus Christ and religion -- have been introduced by State Rep. Tracy Stafford and Sen. Howard Forman, Democrats from Broward County.
...I don't like to say this. I don't like to think this.
There is the real possibility, though, that Gothardites essentially stole the election not once but twice.
The United States may well have been victim to a literal coup-de-etat by a Bible-based cult.
For all of our sakes...I hope this is not true, and I hope we can all stop our squabbling enough to form a Rebel Alliance to take our country back.
I think we can.
I hope we can.
The world may well depend on it.
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