Lyin' Taming over Africa
November 29, 2012 - Thursday
It used to be that the media reported the story. Now they are the story. With fewer journalists able to separate the news from their personal politics, groups like FRC are no longer fighting bias--but outright deception. If you read Monday's Update or follow me on Twitter, then you know that FRC was highly complimentary of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who took the bold step of leading his country in a public prayer of confession for a multitude of sins Uganda committed over the last 50 years, including the genocide of Idi Amin. "We want Uganda to be known as a nation that fears God and as a nation whose foundations are firmly rooted in righteousness and justice..."
Not surprisingly, the U.S. media wasn't nearly as impressed by this gesture as FRC--a fact I alluded to in a tweet that same day. "American liberals are upset that Ugandan Pres is leading his nation in repentance--afraid of a modern example of a nation prospered by God?"
Well, as we learned two years ago, if you want to get the press's attention, just say the word "Uganda" and wait for the firestorm. For years, the African nation has been condemned for its severe laws criminalizing homosexuality. Despite allegations to the contrary, FRC has never supported that policy--or any policy that imposes the death penalty on homosexuals. What we do oppose is the suggestion that gay and lesbian acts are universal human rights. So when Congress introduced a resolution in 2010 denouncing Uganda's punishment for homosexuality, FRC fought--at the request of some Members--to strike the pro-homosexual "human rights" language from the final measure.
Several liberals, including David Weigel at the Washington Post, chose to misrepresent our involvement as an indication that we opposed the entire bill! "Family Research Council Lobbied against Resolution Condemning Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Law," Weigel's headline read. It was a convenient storyline for extremists like the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) who resort to demonizing FRC when they can't compete with us ideologically. Although Weigel later posted a retraction, the damage had already been done.
Now, more than two years later, the lies about FRC's position have resurfaced. After Monday's story, HRC had the audacity to post that by applauding President Museveni, FRC was "praising the 'kill the gays' bill." I challenge anyone with a half a brain to read my tweet or Update story and conclude that FRC is any way supporting the death penalty of homosexuals. But gay activists have their hooks so deeply in the mainstream media that reporters no longer bother to check their facts. Once the blogs start spreading the lies of organizations like HRC and SPLC, they percolate up to reporters like Carolyn Lochhead at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, who regurgitate HRC's garbage without so much as a courtesy call to our office. And these aren't harmless little lies either. They're the same intentional misrepresentations that led to the controversy over FRC's alleged ties to Chick-fil-A--culminating, as you may remember, in the violent shooting of one of our own employees!
Americans need to understand that this cozy relationship between the liberal media and unreliable sources like HRC is fostering a culture of hatred and violence--that same culture that led to the attempted mass murder of the entire FRC office. While it's troubling that any organization would deliberately spread untruths, it's more disturbing that someone who claims the title of journalist would report these lies as fact. Is it any wonder that distrust of the media is at an all-time high?
The Rice and Fall of Obama's Ambassador
Unfortunately for U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, the Benghazi scandal isn't the only controversy she's been at the center of. Long before this firestorm, FRC raised concerns about Rice's positions on another global front: abortion. With rumors swirling about Rice's future, several conservatives are encouraging the President to take his hunt elsewhere for the next Secretary of State. Based on FRC's research, pro-lifers should second that request. As a member of both the Clinton and Obama administrations, Rice has been a shameless advocate for exporting abortion-on-demand--even to countries with moral objections. "Reproductive rights are human rights," she tweeted on World Population Day. "They are essential, which is why the U.S. works tirelessly to protect them."
Like Hillary Clinton, Susan Rice has several liberal cheerleaders, including Planned Parenthood, National Organization for Women, and Emily's List. If that doesn't tell you everything you need to know about global diplomacy under Susan Rice, take this statement from Planned Parenthood chief Cecile Richards: "Susan Rice has consistently affirmed... [and] understands the important role the United Nations plays in promoting and protecting women's health around the world, especially in developing countries. We expect that she will work effectively with other countries to fulfill the UN's development agenda, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) on maternal health," whose goal is to "achieve universal access to reproductive health care" [read: abortion]. For more on Susan Rice's record--and the red flags her nomination to State would raise--check out FRC's new backgrounder.
** Ken Blackwell is also weighing in on the serious threat to U.S. sovereignty in his new column for Townhall.com, "Independence Forever! Stop the U.N. Disabilities Treaty."