It looks like Texas State Board of Education members Don McLeroy, R-College Station, and Cynthia Dunbar, R-Richmond, don’t mind speaking to Republican organizations that discourage — intentionally or not — non-Christians from becoming members. McLeroy and Dunbar will be joining other far-right speakers at an education “conference” hosted by Golden Corridor Republican Women in the Dallas area April 24.
The Golden Corridor group covers Dallas, Collin and Denton counties in North Texas. Check out the group’s logo, which includes a Christian cross positioned over an American flag and an outline of Texas:
Of course, we defend the right of all Americans and private associations to show their faith as they see fit. But we imagine Jews and other non-Christians might not feel very welcome joining a party organization that seems exclusively for Christians. For that matter, we suspect mainstream Christians might feel a bit out of place as well. In any case, Golden Corridor is yet another example of how the Republican Party of Texas is increasingly an exclusionary organization that welcomes primarily conservative Protestant fundamentalists (and others who don’t mind having their personal faith slighted or ignored).
The conference’s audience will also hear from representatives of a variety of far-right state groups. According to the Golden Corridor Republican Women website, the audience will “learn practical and effective ways to improve your school district.” Among the topics: “protecting free speech & religious freedom.”
Yeah. Sure.
Is it ok for a church to host such an obviously partisan political action committee?
Why is such a church tax exempt?
Among the topics: “protecting free speech & religious freedom.”
Let me translate that for you (in my opinion)
1) Protect Free Speech. That means the freedom to voice disdain for the sinners, including most other Christians, who do not believe exactly as they do. It includes the right to get so loud and agitated that the frenzy will move some fruitcake among the broader conservative ranks to commit acts of violence against said sinners. After that is done, they will go to the microphones and condemn the violent acts of the fruitcake—then walk away quietly self-satisfied within their innards that the victim got his just reward.
2) Protect Religious Freedom. That means the freedom to take over the government at all levels and force the general population to comply with the tenets of Christian fundamentalism. “Nobody Doesn’t Like Sara Lee—This Means You!” It includes the right for Christian fundamentalist preachers, teachers, and school administrators to come to your public schools and teach all sorts of two-bit country hick religious nonsense to your kids when you are not looking—because if you were looking—you would be very angry. And they know that. The preacher may tell you that you must fulfill the Great Commission by witnessing to everyone you meet and at every place you go—and that is what the First Amendment means by “free exercise.” What he forgot to tell you is that you cannot do it in my bedroom at 3:00 a.m., and you cannot do it to my child at school without my permission. You do either, and we are going to court. Capiche?
The freedom to tell everyone who doesn’t agree, “Shut the hell up!””
And then, if they don’t, brandish your weapon because they’re obviously interfering with your 2nd amendment rights.
Actually, the reason I think they’re going this way is that the tide has already shifted. They’re losing momentum, traction, the worm has turned. They’re trying to “bunker up” and gather the hard-core together. I know a lot of these churches are going broke, and of course we’ve seen an increase in “church fires”.
Considering the blows the Religious Right in Texas took in this year’s GOP primary and run-off (McElroy is gone, Russell lost big time, Green lost, etc.), maybe the Golden Corral (heh) Republican Women will re-think this kind of logo. Then again, after reading their “history” section on the About Us page, it may only embolden them: “it was revolutionary that the new grassroots Christians turned out in the numbers they did, became precinct chairs and got themselves elected as State Delegates” because “politics for the Christian is not an easy task,” particularly when “many of our principles are black and white and we do not like to compromise them.”
Nobody really likes to compromise on principles, but a brazen unwillingness to yield to anyone else in a democratic society is what separates tyrants, authoritarians, bigots, despots, ideologues, demagogues, and myriad other extremists from statesmen and the mainstream, particularly when the issues they refuse to budge on trample the basic rights, freedoms, and dignity of others whose consciences, even if they themselves are also Christian, are unburdened by the peculiarly fundamentalist beliefs and theocratic tendencies of the Religious Right.
Is it any surprise there is a cross over a U.S. flag over a map of Texas? The Republican Party of Texas’ Platform states right at the top of their home page:
“The Republican Party of Texas affirms the United States of America is a Christian Nation …”
State of Texas GOP Platform, 2004