The American Spectator

Political Hay

Obama and the Bombmaker's Church

By Jeffrey Lord on 3.18.08 @ 12:08AM

(Page 3 of 3)

REMEMBER MY EARLIER anecdote about the Reverend Sherry and Judge Bork? My protest directly to President Sherry over the conduct of my church leadership and the change that resulted? As a church member, I was fully aware that I could do something to change church policy because in fact the president of the UCC does not have the standing of, say, the Pope in the Catholic Church. Members not only can make a difference, they are, within their local churches, the ultimate authority. Yes, being in the White House helped get Sherry's attention. But I knew enough about the faith of my fathers to know that 1) the national church did not in any way speak for all rank and file members, and 2) I could change the policy if I acted.

So the questions for Senator Obama, who certainly as not only a member but a prominent member could get the kind of attention from the UCC leadership that would bring change, would be these:

* Do you agree with the UCC's position on FALN? Do you agree with the Reverend Paul Sherry, the then-President of the UCC, that these terrorists should have been granted clemency?

* How about the honoring by the UCC of your Chicago constituent Alejandrina Torres? Should a maker of bombs, caught on a surveillance tape, be honored by our mutual church in any form or fashion? Do you or your wife Michelle share with the Reverend Linda Jaramillo an admiration for Ms. Torres as a "role model"?

* Do you or your wife know Ms. Torres, have you met her or had any contact with her in any form? Has she or her husband or any of their associates been supporters of your campaigns for state senator, Congress, the United States Senate or the presidency?

* Have you ever met Ms. Torres's husband and worshiped in the UCC church where he was a pastor?

* Have you ever at any time led or participated in a movement within the UCC to change the policies of the national leadership on FALN or, for that matter, anything else?

* Do you think President Clinton did the right thing pardoning these people? (Hmmm, come to think of it, there may be another candidate in this race who has some insight on the Clinton administration and FALN pardons. As a matter of fact...no, never mind. Ms. Burlingame's piece on the subject covers that ground.)

* Would you, as president of the United States, pardon those terrorists still behind bars?

It is very safe to say that the United Church of Christ is going to prove to be a veritable field of political landmines for Obama.

Stay tuned.

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Trade, Barack Obama, NATO