Assassination Central

Dear Reverend Robertson,

My neighbor is an Episcopalian, who is clearly an agent of the anti-Christ, how should I take him out. I recognize that stoning is a proper Biblical method, but some of my neighbors might object. Is the use of a high powered rifle an acceptable alternative?

Yours in Christ,

Larry Redneck Biblebelt, Jr.

The idea that Pat Robertson is a 75 year old nut job, who apparently says whatever wacky thing that pops into his head, is being promoted by many of his long time adherents and fellow religious wingnuts. None of those who have, over the years, ridden on Roberson's Christian Coalition gravy train, will speak out against his outrageous suggestion that the Bush Administration murder Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. As the New York Times points out,

"... conservative Christian organizations remained silent, with leaders at the Traditional Values Coalition, the Family Research Council and the Christian Coalition saying through spokesmen that they were too busy to comment."

"Too busy to comment?" An American religious and political leader with close ties to the Republican Party and the entire religious right, calls for the assassination of a head of state and not one Christian organization on the right can find the time to even suggest that they aren't with good ol' Pat on this one?

The problem that the religious right has is that most of its organizations and leaders are as far from the mainstream and as corrupt as Robertson. They won't aggressively attack Robertson, because he is just wacky enough to spill their collective scam out over the airwaves on the "700 Club."

The religious right hasn't called for Robertson's accountability regarding any of his highly questionable business dealing in the past. His cozy relationship with Liberian war lord and strongman Charles Taylor has never been called into question by his religious right peers.

Or how about Robertson's efforts to alleviate suffering in Rwanda? Did any of his fellow evangelic millionaires ask about where the money he raised for that effort actually went?

"There was also...the $7m he gave to 'Operation Blessing' to alleviate the woes of refugees fleeing genocide in Rwanda. Robertson's press operation puts the sum at only $1.2m. More interesting is the way the Operation Blessing funds were used in Africa. Through an emotional fundraising drive on his TV station, Robertson raised several million dollars for the tax-free charitable trust. Operation Blessing bought planes to shuttle medical supplies in and out of the refugee camp in Goma, Congo (then Zaire).

But investigative reporter Bill Sizemore of the Virginian Pilot discovered that over a six-month period - except for one medical flight - the planes were used to haul equipment for something called African Development Corporation, a diamond mining operation a long way from Goma. African Development is owned by Pat Robertson."

Sometimes members of Robertson's religious right men's club even step forward and agree with Robertson's assessment of the world. Such as the insightful comments Robertson and fellow "Christian" Jerry Fallwell made after the 9/11 attacks.

"PAT ROBERTSON: Jerry, that's my feeling. I think we've just seen the antechamber to terror. we haven't even begun to see what they can do to the major population.

JERRY FALWELL: The ACLU's got to take a lot of blame for this.

PAT ROBERTSON: Well, yes.

JERRY FALWELL: And, I know that I'll hear from them for this. But, throwing God out successfully with the help of the federal court system, throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way - all of them who have tried to secularize America - I point the finger in their face and say "you helped this happen."

PAT ROBERTSON: Well, I totally concur, and the problem is we have adopted that agenda at the highest levels of our government. And so we're responsible as a free society for what the top people do. And, the top people, of course, is the court system.

JERRY FALWELL: Pat, did you notice yesterday the ACLU, and all the Christ-haters, People For the American Way, NOW, etc. were totally disregarded by the Democrats and the Republicans in both houses of Congress as they went out on the steps and called out on to God in prayer and sang "God Bless America" and said "let the ACLU be hanged"? In other words, when the nation is on its knees, the only normal and natural and spiritual thing to do is what we ought to be doing all the time - calling upon God.

PAT ROBERTSON: Amen"

Robertson later decided that the 9/11 attacks weren't really that bad. He pointed out that real danger facing America was the Federal judiciary.

"Federal judges are a more serious threat to America than Al Qaeda and the Sept. 11 terrorists, the Rev. Pat Robertson claimed yesterday. "Over 100 years, I think the gradual erosion of the consensus that's held our country together is probably more serious than a few bearded terrorists who fly into buildings," Robertson said on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos."

"I think we have controlled Al Qaeda," the 700 Club host said, but warned of "erosion at home" and said judges were creating a "tyranny of oligarchy." Confronted by Stephanopoulos on his claims that an out-of-control liberal judiciary is the worst threat America has faced in 400 years - worse than Nazi Germany, Japan and the Civil War - Robertson didn't back down. "Yes, I really believe that," he said. "I think they are destroying the fabric that holds our nation together."

This is one of the men to whom George Bush turns for moral guidance. This is one of the leaders of the "values" voters who returned George Bush to office.

Is it any wonder that America is being run by the most morally bankrupt administration in its history?