Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Evangelical hate group tries & fails to justify support of Trump

Trump and conservative evangelicals have a predatory relationship.

Hate group the Family Research Council is furious about the criticism its recent Values Voter Summit and Trump, who gave a keynote address,  has received. In its latest  Washington Update, the group whined specifically about North Carolina pastor and activist William Barber

Barber had called the summit "heretical extremism" during an appearance on MSNBC and criticized Trump for addressing the group.

FRC head Perkins said the following about Barber's words:

Before the motorcade even arrived at the venue, liberals had fired their first shots. First, they took aim at Donald Trump for speaking to a "hate group." When that didn't work, they started in on Christians, shaming them for supporting a man they claim "contradict[s] Jesus directly." Conveniently (and selectively), they quote Scripture to make their point, desperate to prove that conservatives are betraying their faith by sharing an agenda with the president. "We have to stop pretending that these men and women are leaders in the Christian church," Rev. William Barber argued. Why? Because they appreciate a leader who will finally go to bat for that church? Say what you will about Trump's past or his fiery personality, he's done more for Christian conservatives than any president since Ronald Reagan -- and this is only his first year!

This isn't blind allegiance on the part of evangelicals. This is the earned respect of a man who's kept his promises. We wanted to move public policy, and this president has. Look at what he's done since taking office: defunding global abortion, protecting religious liberty, rolling back President Obama's social experimentation in the military, appointing originalist judges, overturning the HHS mandate, and fighting for mothers and their unborn children. As I've said before, our support isn't unconditional. But Donald Trump has done more to restore a pro-family, pro-faith culture in eight months than George W. Bush did in eight years! Were Christians foolish for supporting him?

Yet still, people like Rev. Barber fumed, "Last week, the men and women who crowded into that D.C. ballroom claimed to be attending a values conference. But instead, they proved yet again how morally bankrupt a vocal segment of Christians has become." Morally bankrupt for advocating for the unborn? Morally bankrupt for advocating for the freedom to live according to stated biblical values? Rev. Barber, who was a part of the Democratic National Convention, which called for forcing taxpayers to fund abortion and pushed religious freedom to the back of the bus so that sexual libertines could impose their values on the nation, is looking in the mirror of moral bankruptcy.

Even though he clearly didn't mean to, Perkins justified the criticism aimed at FRC and other so-called moral groups and evangelicals for supporting Trump. Since taking office, Trump has been a disaster who has thus far accomplished nothing. He is unfocused, immature, and has a tendency to either shamelessly lie or pick petty fights with members of his own party. He has taken the side of white supremacists, attacked the First Amendment right of individual Americans and the media, and whines about being treated unfairly when quoted specifically and directly.And I haven't even mentioned the sexual harassment accusations or the "grab them by the pu**y" comment.

It is this man, Perkins claims, who is restoring a pro-family, pro-faith culture. That, my friends is a big load of horse shit.  Perkins can talk about "restoring a pro-family, pro-faith culture" all he wants. Talk is cheap when everyone sees how quickly and eager you are to kiss the ass of the devil.

This is a predator relationship between Trump and conservative evangelicals. There is no sense in attempting to make it into something of a higher moral state. As long as Trump gives FRC, Perkins, and the rest of the conservative evangelicals what they want, they are willing to overlook or actually justify his behavior. Perkins claims the support Trump receives from conservative evangelicals isn't blind allegiance but his tone not only contradicts his point, but also proves that what people like him and groups like FRC want isn't best for the country. Look at this paragraph:

This isn't blind allegiance on the part of evangelicals. This is the earned respect of a man who's kept his promises. We wanted to move public policy, and this president has. Look at what he's done since taking office: defunding global abortion, protecting religious liberty, rolling back President Obama's social experimentation in the military, appointing originalist judges, overturning the HHS mandate, and fighting for mothers and their unborn children.

Let's break what Perkins said in plain English instead of propaganda phrases.

defunding global abortion - lessening the quality of healthcare of women on a worldwide scale

protecting religious liberty - pushing for discrimination against the LGBTQ community on the grounds of religion while, in some cases, allowing the entities who are discriminating to keep their access to taxpayer monies.

rolling back President Obama's social experimentation on the military - kicking out transgender men and women who are serving in the military for no explainable reason whatsoever other than prejudice

appointing originalist judges - appointing judges handpicked from conservative think tanks and religious right groups; judges who we all know will rule in the favor of conservative think tanks and religious right groups even BEFORE they will hear cases.

overturning  HHS mandate - taking away healthcare from millions of Americans and causing premiums to go up by sabotaging Obamacare and not even providing a replacement.

fighting for mothers and their unborn children - trying to defund Planned Parenthood over lies about it and abortion, thereby taking away necessary access to decent healthcare from women, particularly impoverished women.

While Trump and right-wing evangelicals are playing kissy face, but what about the rest of the country? Trump is supposed to be president for everyone, not solely for those willing to divorce integrity to support him.

Perhaps to save time and space, Perkins should have said, "yes we support Trump because he gives us what we want. Screw everyone else."

No comments: