The Art of Shelf Defense
June 13, 2012 - Wednesday
The greatest threat to national security isn't global terrorism or Iran's nuclear program. No, according to one organization, one of America's biggest threats is the Word of God. That's what Mikey Weinstein is telling the U.S. military as part of his push to ban Bibles from base exchanges. And not just any Bibles--but military-themed editions. Fox News's Todd Starnes broke the story, which started when the Military Religious Freedom Foundation complained that LifeWay publishers was selling Army-, Navy-, Air Force-, and Marine-specific Bibles to troops.
Apparently, it's irrelevant that the Bibles were sold at no cost to the government, and service members voluntarily purchased them. At no point were military members coerced or encouraged to buy the books. Yet Weinstein insists that their mere presence in base shelves constitutes a religious endorsement by the Department of Defense. "If their logos are being placed on a particular version of Christianity... when we are engaged in a war with fundamentalist Muslims--it's a security threat."
When Starnes called LifeWay, a spokesman said the government contacted them last year and said they were no longer authorized to use the branches' insignias. The Pentagon was quick to call it a "trademark issue" that had nothing to do with religion. I'll bet. Just like the Walter Reed Bible ban had nothing to do with the Bibles.
This is all part of the progression that started exactly 50 years ago in schools--when society started purging God from the classroom. Just consider how far we've fallen. Months before the start of World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt actually wrote the prologue to the Gideon Bibles given to the Armed Forces, encouraging them to draw courage from its contents. "As Commander-in-Chief, I take pleasure in commending the reading of the Bible to all who serve in the armed forces of the United States. Throughout the centuries, men of many faiths and diverse origins have found in the Sacred Book words of wisdom, counsel, and inspiration. It is a fountain of strength, and now, as always, an aid in attaining the highest aspirations of the human soul."
Now, the march of humanism is at our military's doorstep. And once it falls, the rest of America is vulnerable. When Jesus instructed us to pray in our closet (Matthew 6:6), who knew it might be all we'd have left?
After Obama's Proposal, More Cold Feet
It looks like North Carolina isn't any closer to forgiving the President's same-sex "marriage" endorsement than they were last month. According to the latest polling, Barack Obama's campaign is practically leaking votes in a state that's vital to his reelection hopes. Public Policy Polling (PPP), a Democratic survey firm, said the President is losing "a stunning amount" of African-American backing in North Carolina--and quickly. Since Obama's May 9 announcement, Gov. Mitt Romney (R) has almost doubled his support from the black community (from 11% to 20%)--an astonishing shift for a demographic that almost universally supported Obama in 2008 (95%).
Brett LoGiurato of Business Insider thinks the President's grip on the state (and its 15 electoral votes) is quietly slipping away. "All of Obama's numbers with African-Americans are sliding. His approval rating is down from 86% to 77%, while Romney's favorability has doubled (from 9% to 18%)." Analysts at PPP headquarters see choppy waters ahead. "Seventy-something percent is obviously low," Jim Williams admitted. "It's not something we've ever seen before." Although there's plenty of time for the President to make up ground, Williams concedes that if he can't patch up his relationship with African-Americans, it will be "very bad news for him."
And those aren't the only cracks in the President's base. Young white voters are abandoning their "hope and change" candidate in droves. Just since November 2, President Obama has lost almost 10 points in the 18-29 crowd (from 52% to 43%). Overall, Gov. Romney is still maintaining his edge in North Carolina, 48-46%. Although the Governor hasn't spent much time in the state, his campaign seems to be benefiting from the thousands of voters who want to distance themselves from the President's liberal family policies. The more Americans who peel off from the Obama campaign, the more significant his marriage announcement becomes. In a state that was decided by 14,000 votes in 2008, the President can barely afford the defections.
Just ask Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.). President Bush experienced a Romney-like bump in Ohio between 2000 and 2004 when Buckeyes flocked to the polls to vote on the state marriage amendment. That extra momentum was just enough to push the 43rd President over the finish line. In other words, marriage isn't just a moral issue--it's a winning one. And the sooner Republicans learn that lesson, the better.
The Values Bus: A Driving Force for Good
The days of Ronald Reagan seem very far away in Illinois , given the prominence of Barack Obama, David Alexrod, Rom Emanuel, and others of their political stripe. But there are many proud conservatives--members of the Tea Party and others--who still carry on President Reagan's vision for America. The Values Bus met a lot of right-minded people last week on our most recent trip through the state, as we prepared voters for November...
To continue reading about the bus's adventures,click over to The Cloakroom Blog.
** Mark your calendars for a special newscast next Tuesday, June 19, as FRC tackles the war on religious freedom with leaders like Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Governor Mike Huckabee, and Terry Jeffrey. More details to follow!