Paul Weyrich
Thursday, Aug. 5, 2004

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  Well, what should the Democrats do after their Party has ignored the religious voter for decades - going to deliberate lengths to exclude them by selling the Party's soul to the likes of the National Abortion Rights Action League (now repackaged as "Pro-Choice America")? Why not set up a committee to handle "Religious Outreach"?

Indeed, that is exactly what the Democratic National Committee has done. And guess who is one of the Senior Advisors? Rev. Brenda Bartella Peterson. Rev. Peterson is one of 32 clergy members who signed an amicus brief in support of Michael Newdow's case to strike the words "Under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance.

The reaction of Catholic League president William Donahue to this affront to religious voters says it all: "Would [the Democrats] hire a gay basher to reach out to homosexuals?"

Should we be surprised?

After all, the Catholic League found much to criticize about the Kerry campaign's own hire to reach out to religious voters. Mara Vanderslice once spoke at a rally sponsored by the AIDS Coalition to Unlease Power (better known as ACT-UP), and participated in the violent protest in Seattle against the International Monetary Fund.

Frankly, if the Democrats want to make serious inroads into the religious vote, then they will have to do much better than the appointments of Rev. Peterson and Ms. Vanderslice which highlight just how clueless this Party is when it comes to reaching out to religious voters. Their appointments are a slap in the face - not a show of real friendship - to believing Christians.

One way the Party might start making amends for its previous outright hostility to believing Christians and Jews is to have their Members of Congress sign on to the Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act, HR 235, that is sponsored by Rep. Walter Jones, (R-NC).

Prior to 1954, churches could speak freely out about any and every topic - without government limitations. Since the "Johnson Amendment" to the IRS tax code, the IRS forbids religious leaders to speak out on the political issues. Since morality is becoming a hot political issue, if found in violation of this law, a church or synagogue could lose its tax-exempt status.

An organization called Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AUSCS) is monitoring sermons of churches throughout the country. The AUSCS hopes to file complaints that the pastor, and therefore the church, is in violation of the IRS Code. What this group really wants to do is to deny churches and their pastors the right to free speech, particularly the speech that AUSCS deems to be politically incorrect.

In fact, AUSCS made a complaint to the IRS against Pastor Ronnie Floyd and the First Baptist Church of Springdale, Arkansas for pointing out the differences between the two major Party's presidential candidates on the issues of homosexual marriage and late-term abortion. AUSCS explained targeting this church because, "The church is known for its stands on social issues and its opposition to legal abortion and gay rights."

Three months ago, the AUSCS called on the Internal Revenue Service to investigate the Roman Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs. Bishop Michael J. Sheridan issued a pastoral letter in the diocesan newspaper, discouraging parishioners from voting for candidates who support legal abortion, stem-cell research or euthanasia. Rev. Barry W. Lynn, the AUSCS executive director charged, "Bishop Sheridan's letter is code language that says, 'Re-elect Bush and vote Republican.' Everyone knows Bush and Kerry differ on the issue of abortion. Sheridan is using a form of religious blackmail to steer votes toward the GOP. The IRS should look into this immediately."

Survey research shows many evangelical Christians failed to turn out to vote in 2000. Millions were not even registered. That should provide a clue to both Parties that they are failing to reach a large bloc of voters. Is it possible that many of those evangelicals might be more receptive to the Democrat agenda on economic issues but turned off by the Party's wholehearted embrace of abortion and homosexuality? (I grew up in Racine, Wisconsin where many Democrats believed in God, Country, and the Party that, at that time, prided itself as being the one that represented the workingman…not environmentalism, abortion, and alternative lifestyles).

Jones' act will amend the IRS Code to protect the religious free exercise and free speech rights of churches and other houses of worship.

Here's my two cents to Terry McAuliffe, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee: One good way to end the Party's faith gap would be to attract serious co-sponsors to Rep. Jones' bill. That would be a first step. (Right now, only three Democrats are co-sponsors: Rep. Eni Faleomavaega of American Samoa; Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota; Rep. Nick J. Rahall of West Virginia). Next, the Party would have to start recruiting and supporting some serious candidates who truly advocate Judeo-Christian values on important social issues but who may take more conventional stands on economic issues. That would be a real start. Then the Party will have to make sure that the values candidates it manages to elect will be able to vote their conscience without fear of reprisal.

There, I've said it. But what do you bet McAuliffe and Kerry and the rest of the Democrats just turn a deaf ear to what I've just said and what millions of believing Christians of both Parties desire? I'd like to believe that they would surprise me, but I've been around too long. I know how the Party of Vanderslice and Rev. Brenda Bartella Peterson really works.

Paul M. Weryich is Chairman and CEO of the Free Congress Foundation.