Gov. Rick Perry ignited a firestorm with his controversial and erroneous comments about the teaching of creationism in Texas public schools while he campaigned for Republican primary votes in New Hampshire last week. But while most of the press focused on Perry’s remarks, far less attention was paid to the actions of the American Family Association and how it basically confirmed our suspicions about the real intent of Gov. Perry’s Aug. 6 prayer and fasting rally.
As Gov. Perry was telling a youngster in New Hampshire that “in Texas we teach both creationism and evolution in our public schools,” the AFA was about to hit the send button on an email:
Today, I want to introduce you to Champion the Vote (CTV), a friend of AFA whose mission is to mobilize 5 million unregistered conservative Christians to register and vote according to the Biblical worldview in 2012. Only half of the Christians in the United States are registered to vote. Imagine the impact we could make on the future of America if these Christians made their voices heard in the voting booth!
CTV’s research has shown that it takes only 5 million voters to influence the outcome of an election. This is a do-able goal, and Champion the Vote is seeking Champions – an army of volunteers — to help with the effort. A Champion is simply a Christian talking to other Christians about registering and voting.
That’s all well and good. There’s nothing illegal with an organization asking people to register to vote. The only problem is that this email went to the exact same people who registered to attend Gov. Perry’s prayer rally, The Response, held in Houston’s Reliant Stadium.
Guess what happened in South Carolina on Aug. 13, exactly a week after The Response? Yep, Gov. Perry announced he was running for president. This email was in people’s inbox five days after the announcement.
We don’t want to come off as conspiracy theorists but the timing of all of this is highly suspect. Despite Gov. Perry’s and AFA’s protestations that this event was not political in nature, here we have a hint-hint, wink-wink email that could reasonably be construed as a plug for “Perry for President.”
I mean, if you were one of the people at a prayer event initiated by Gov. Perry, and only a few days after he announces a run for the White House you get an email from event organizers telling you to register to vote, what are you supposed to think? Vote Huntsman? Probably not.
Here’s the email in full:
Thank you for registering for The Response on August 6 in Houston. I hope you were able to attend or participate online as it was certainly a day to remember. I was especially encouraged to see so many youth and young adults in attendance. In addition to the tens of thousands who were in attendance at Reliant Stadium, over 2,000 churches and groups gathered together and joined the event via a live web stream, and hundreds of thousands participated via a live web stream from their homes. If you were not able to participate live, we encourage you to watch the video archives of The Response that will be available at the website (http://www.theresponseusa.com) until the end of August.
The Response was just the beginning of a nationwide initiative to return America to the principles on which she was founded, with God at the center of our nation. All of us in attendance in Houston were moved by the overwhelming call to repentance, prayer and action.
Today, I want to introduce you to Champion the Vote (CTV), a friend of AFA whose mission is to mobilize 5 million unregistered conservative Christians to register and vote according to the Biblical worldview in 2012. Only half of the Christians in the United States are registered to vote. Imagine the impact we could make on the future of America if these Christians made their voices heard in the voting booth!
CTV’s research has shown that it takes only 5 million voters to influence the outcome of an election. This is a do-able goal, and Champion the Vote is seeking Champions – an army of volunteers — to help with the effort. A Champion is simply a Christian talking to other Christians about registering and voting.
If you would like to be involved in this important initiative, go to the CTV website (http://www.ChampionTheVote.com) for complete details. We can make a difference, one by one, multiplied across the nation.
Sincerely,
Don Wildmon, Founder
American Family AssociationP.S. Our leaders need your prayers. Here are two easy ways to pray daily for our leaders – http://www.PrayForLeaders.com.
Getting people to register is fine, telling them how to vote isn’t.
In god you trust. And god gives you more hot air. Enjoy god’s drought. tracey martin, Southfield Michigan
“Getting people to register is fine, telling them how to vote isn’t.”
Of course, the people signing on for the prayer rally/electioneering horse-pucky are most probably in the bag for whatever “Christian” means to Wildmon, et. al. That’s what is dishonest about the AFA and their ilk; they’re more than willing to include every person who professes faith in Jesus Christ as part of their “group”. Nevermind the millions of American Christians who would be appalled to learn that they’re grouped in with the Christian right.