The Values Voters Summit was an October gathering of the most extremist born again right wing theocratic thinking rabid-sheep the nation has to offer. The GOP candidates were summoned before them to give their reasons why they deserve the votes of these God Fearing men and women. Each of them took their turns at the microphone, trying to impress the hallelujah crowd with their holiness and commitment to being guided in office by their faith and solid Christian credentials.
During that assembly Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association – an extremist fundamentalist Christian organization - took the podium and declared that the Religious Right should only support the candidate with a “sincere, authentic, genuine Christian faith.” (He also said they must reject any candidate who backs evolutionary theory instead of Creationism). That disqualifies Romney and Huntsman on both counts.
Given this litmus test for the GOP Presidential candidate- Abe Lincoln, arguably the greatest president this nation has ever had, would not get the Religious Right’s vote for the nomination. They would have sent William H. Seward or Salmon P. Chase up against Stephen A. Douglas, the democratic Presidential Candidate. Lincoln could never have passed the religious test of today’s Super Christians; his own words would disqualify him. Among them this:
"The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession." -- Abraham Lincoln
And as though that needed any corroboration there was this statement after his death:
"Mr. Lincoln had no hope, and no faith, in the usual acceptation of those words."-- Mary Todd Lincoln
The GOP which has proudly proclaimed itself “The Party of Lincoln” would, by Fundamentalist standards, rejected their name sake.
Who knows what course the nation would have taken had that Christian requirement been applied in 1860.
- How much longer would slavery have continued?
- Would the slaves ever have been emancipated?
- Could a black man ever have run for the presidency today?
- Would the nation have split in two permanently?
- Would the victor in the war have saddled the vanquished with reparations and crippling penalties?
We can only speculate.
But there is no speculation as to how Fischer, Reverend Jeffries, and their mindless supernaturalist theocratic ilk would have responded to Lincoln’s candidacy. He was a damnable heathen unworthy to hold office. And we don’t even know what he thought of Darwin.
"The Party of Lincoln,” indeed. The Republican Party today holds nothing in common with Abraham Lincoln. The very words and actions of the GOP defile his name. The only thing they remotely have in common is death: Lincoln in physical form, the GOP by virtue of their intellect.
I love the fact that the names of these groups are the opposite of the words they use. "Values Voters" are those with no values. "American Family Association" means a group who is anti-American (they don't believe in the constitution) and support anti-family strategies.
ReplyDeleteJefferies was quoted as saying he would rather see a "...born-again follower of Jesus Christ" as a candidate than a "...good, moral person..." Huh? Really, you would rather have a liar and religious sheep than someone who actually has morals?
ReplyDeleteThere are 43 African-Americans currently serving in Congress - all are Democrats. There are 30 Hispanics - 24 are Democrats. And of the 89 women serving in Congress 64 are Democrats.
ReplyDeleteThe party who's made up of a large percentage of racists is the "Party of Lincoln". Laughable.
The new Republican slogan should reflect their true feelings:
"Bring back slavery. It's good for the economy!"
YAGP -- Yet Another Great Post.
ReplyDeleteThese are my favorite Bart -- those posts that talk about US History *as it actually occurred!*
As always, this will be forwarded on to a select few -- and it will have the usual caveat I now include frequently: "WARNING: There is actual American History in here -- Read at your own risk!!"
I should add that the posts with some historical context are my favorite because one of my guilty pleasures is watching/hearing the religious right wingnuts labor through some serious mental gymnastics in attempts to discount "actual American History".
ReplyDeleteSuffice to say, US history is emphatically *NOT* on their side and they know it. When they must defile the names of Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, etc. to advance their agenda, well, that's a win for our side.
Hey Hump,
ReplyDeleteGreat article! According to this article from Christopher Hitchens, Lincoln did read Darwin. If this is true, Lincoln wouldn't stand a chance today.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2009/01/09/the-man-who-made-us-whole.html
Zar