The American Spectator : Dawn, Go Away

Text Size

Dawn, Go Away

By Ken Blackwell on 2.17.10 @ 6:08AM

Programmatic pogroms in the age of Obama.

President Obama is big on civility. He talks a very good game. But his nominee for a top slot at the Department of Justice -- Dawn Johnsen -- is a leading exponent of incivility. Johnsen worked with the ACLU for years. And she joined ARM -- the so-called Abortion Rights Mobilization -- to strip the Catholic Church of its tax-exempt status because of its pro-life advocacy. The Catholic Church eventually won that case -- but not until it had spent years and millions of dollars defending itself. The Catholic Church was just the biggest ARM target. If it had succeeded against the Catholics, it surely would have come after the Southern Baptist Convention, the National Association of Evangelicals, and the Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod.

If Mr. Obama is serious about civility he needs to withdraw Dawn Johnsen's nomination. If she is confirmed, we will see a radical anti-Catholic, pro-abortion zealot influencing not just every policy of the Justice Department -- but every policy of the entire federal government.

We are seeing an anti-Christian programmatic pogrom. "Pogrom" is the word for anti-Jewish raids by Cossacks and others in Czarist Russia, but a programmatic pogrom best describes what we see happening now. These are not isolated attacks. And while we no longer have Cossacks, we do have left-wing bloggers who actually call themselves Kossacks (after the Daily Kos).

In North Carolina, the Catholic college Belmont Abbey is threatened with closure for its refusal to dispense contraceptives. Radicals are not impressed with the college president's response: We don't give contraceptives to women staffers -- or to the monks! Here, the local branch of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission smells discrimination.

In Washington, President Obama's nominee to the federal EEOC, Prof. Chai Feldblum of Georgetown University, is blunt: If there's a clash between the gay agenda and religious liberty, your liberties lose. If confirmed, she would be in position to pursue the pogrom nationwide.

On the West Coast, the Christian Legal Society (CLS) is under assault from the Hastings Law Center of the University of California. The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear Christian Legal Society v. Martinez this term. Radicals are trying to force CLS to accept officers who are openly homosexual. David French, speaking for the pro-family Alliance Defense Fund, says:

"The Left is trying to create a right that destroys a right. As of now, there is simply no widely recognized right of private citizens to join any private expressive association they want to join -- regardless of their belief or conduct. In fact, even in the campus environment, only the courts of the Ninth Circuit have forcibly opened private associations to non-adherents."

Creating rights to destroy rights. That sums it up well. The Supreme Court has already spoken to the issues raised in this case. In Boston, gay activists demanded to be included in the city's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. But that parade was organized and run by an Irish veterans' group that did not want its message hijacked by homosexuals. The Supreme Court in 1995 slapped down their claim 9-0.

The Supreme Court also recognized the right of association of the Boy Scouts. The Court ruled in 2000 that James Dale could not force the Scouts to keep him as a Scout leader after he had declared his homosexuality.

All of these cases put great financial burdens on churches and private colleges and voluntary organizations like the Scouts and the Christian Legal Society. The threat of lawsuits by well-funded, media-backed leftist activists forces too many groups to cave in to pressure. And all our rights suffer as a result.

President Obama is forever "reaching out" to Christian groups. He is happy to breakfast with Christians and defend himself from charges that he is a Muslim or a non-citizen. But when it comes actually to protecting the rights of Christians and Jews, where is his administration?

It's hard to call for an end to the culture wars when your own side is manning the barricades. So far, Mr. Obama's eloquent words are not matched by deeds. They remind me of the beefy Chicago Alderman who was told he needed to lose weight. He took up jogging. But he soon quit that, complaining that when you jog, "there's nobody to knock down." Is Mr. Obama's idea of amity and concord one where we are all knocked down?

topics:
Catholic Church, Justice Department, Dawn Johnsen

About the Author

Ken Blackwell, a board member of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, is a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission and a senior fellow at the Family Research Council.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (89) | Leave a comment

Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 2.17.10 @ 7:42AM

Any government that discriminates or targets any group will eventually get around to every group and individual. Liberals love power because they love to misuse it and betray the public trust.

Obama is just another form of every weak Democrat who has come along, including Clinton, Carter, and (_________________) you fill in the blank.

Copyleft| 2.17.10 @ 8:22AM

Interesting argument, Bill. Let's turn it around: Any public group that's free to discriminate against any minority group will eventually get around to every other group and individual.

Therefore, we'll use government to put a stop to it--just as we did with civil rights, women's rights, and we're doing now with gay rights.

I'm glad you recognize the ugly, anti-American trait of bigotry... but why do you ascribe it only to government? Liberals deserve power because, unlike right-wingers, they use it to DO THE RIGHT THING.

Also called "Justice." Which is exactly what Johnsen should be administering.

2Anglico| 2.17.10 @ 9:50AM

I see you've read Mein Kampf, The Communist Manifesto as well as Mao's Little Red Book. How about reading The Federalist Papers, you might understand the author's point. You can go away too.

ZerObama| 2.17.10 @ 11:55PM

Destroy my rights to create rights for Lib Reader--doesn't seem too fair to me.

Joe Heathen| 2.18.10 @ 12:45PM

And doubtless you thumb through your bound copies of "Der Sturmer" on a daily basis.

Sonny| 2.19.10 @ 4:17AM

Communists like you, Heathen, killed many more people than Hitler did. I'm sure that's what attracts you to Stalin and Mao so much.

JP| 2.17.10 @ 10:17AM

"Interesting argument, Bill. Let's turn it around: Any public group that's free to discriminate against any minority group will eventually get around to every other group and individual."

Churches are not public groups.

Copyleft| 2.17.10 @ 11:02AM

And nobody's forcing churches to perform gay marriages. Who said they were?

c. j. acworth| 2.17.10 @ 6:40PM

Nobody yet. Obama's leaving that for his second term.

wwwexler| 2.17.10 @ 11:37PM

Exactly--not yet.

Won't be long before our clergy are being frog marched off to jail for preaching the Bible. Fascists like Liberal Reader/Copyleft don't care about the people, they only care about power and control.

Little authoritarian b@stard.

Copyleft| 2.18.10 @ 8:10AM

Ahh, so you're being oppressed... in your IMAGINARY FUTURELAND.

Gee, that must be rough. I hope you'll be okay there, in Imaginary Futureland.

wwwexler| 2.18.10 @ 3:24PM

Your use of snark doesn't obscure the fact that you didn't try to refute my post.

Authoritarians like you relish the thought of the use of force to get what you want. Sieg Heil, CL/Liberal Reader!

martyatmgc| 2.18.10 @ 5:48PM

In Canada the Christian minister of a church, had charges brought against him for teaching of the sin of homosexuality as expressed in the bible. He was convicted of the charge. He either went to jail or paid a fine, I forget which, and forbidden to teach this dogma in his church. It is considered a hate crime.

wwwexler| 2.19.10 @ 4:14AM

I remember that case and it's happened in the Netherlands, too. Liberal fascists know it's coming here and that's why they lie about it.

Ray| 2.17.10 @ 11:44AM

"Liberals deserve power because, unlike right-wingers, they use it to DO THE RIGHT THING. "

Which is a rather convenient excuse as those same liberals are the ones who decide just what the "right thing" is and how to enforce it. Do you know what that's called? It's called tyranny.

Charles Stevens| 2.17.10 @ 1:14PM

To 'copyleft'... Your logic is flawed. None of these organizations being targeted by progressive tyrants in public office, are themselves public. They were founded as private organizations, with the intent of remaining so. This means that membership in them is voluntary, made on an individual basis. Their services are only for those who have so joined, or have in a voluntary manner chosen to accept them.

In logical discourse, if your premise is flawed, any subsequent conclusion is automatically flawed as well. Either you are unable to discriminate between public and private, or else you have slyly and deliberately done this in order to mislead the debate. As a progressive, it is more likely that you are congenitally unable to think clearly because of the incessant semantic games you play with yourselves and others in order to rationalize your already-assumed conclusions. It is interesting to examine your mindset here. You blur the lines between public and private. Since you are a prime example of a progressive, we might easily posit that progressives either refuse to see such a distinction, or instead want to tear down this distinction in order to gain more power over all elements of society. To support the latter supposition, we can easily examine court cases over the past few decades and determine that it has been happening, in an evolutionary fashion of course, as per various progressive courts. This is yet more progressive tyranny.

You then proceed with a further logical fallacy by equating groups which are disparate, specifically blacks, women, and gays. The latter group is denoted by behavioral characteristics, not genetic, and therefore cannot be equated to the other two. So-called gay rights are actually special rights, and are being forced down the throats of all individuals under the civil rights pretense. In addition, you continue the progressive folly of subverting equal treatment of individuals under the law, by handling them as groups. From this has come the unending stupidity of such programs as affirmative action, as exemplified by Obama, a man who has risen far above his level of competence, and King-Harbor Hospital in LA, run by and for blacks, and which was shut down in 2007 for unending substandard conditions in spite of the limitless public monies provided to it.

Your whole raison d'etre is thinly disguised and therefore easily unmasked. Progressives desire nothing less than total control over all segments of society, both in thought and deed, with obeisance to their all-powerful state. You have long ago declared war against all traditionalist elements of society. Guess what? Thanks to your great leader Obama (Peace Be Upon Him), we are now waking up, we are seeing past all your trickery and lies, and we have chosen to resist at all costs. You should study the words of Admiral Yamamoto: "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve."

Copyleft| 2.17.10 @ 1:19PM

You're correct that false conclusions flow from false assumptions.

For example, your evidence-free belief that gays are somehow deserving of second-class status for a reason that blacks and women are not--all three "situations" are determined by birth, as science has proven.

Then there's your assumption that a magic wall exists between "public" and "private" groups, with no blending between them, despite blatant evidence to the contrary. Many allegedly "private" organizations have a profound public impact--such as Wall Street investment banks, for example--and therefore should be held publicly accountable for their actions.

Simple black-and-white answers are very satisfying, but they're also inevitably wrong.

Charles Stevens| 2.17.10 @ 1:42PM

Whatever science you seem to be depending upon for your assumptions about gays is on the same order as AGW, i.e., supposedly “settled” science which is in actuality flawed at its outset (just as one minor example, geneticists have yet to determine whether genotypes or phenotypes are the cause of any specific physiological trait, let alone a behavioral trait which is the basis of gay BEHAVIOR, get it?) Then, as your next logical fallacy, you assume a fact not in evidence, i.e., that I desire “second-class status” (whatever that may be, since you refuse to define your terms, yet another debating trick) for gays. You then proceed to prove my point about how progressives seek to destroy any semblance of distinction between public and private, by citing Wall Street which consists of private organizations that have been for decades, by dint of government interference, coerced into collusion with public government. Both financial and healthcare organizations are the most heavily regulated entities in this society. BTW, your feeble attempts in this instance fall under the logical fallacy of circular reasoning.

My recommendation for you is to quit now before you dig yourself into a deeper hole. As for me, I refuse to waste any more time on you.

ZerObama| 2.17.10 @ 11:51PM

Science has proven nothing of the sort about gays, Lib Reader/Copyleft. Nice try, though.

tom| 2.21.10 @ 8:34AM

copyleft.I was waiting for you to say fags are BORN that way.WRONG AGAIN!! There is no scientific proof of this.But it is part and parcel of the left to assign fact to fiction.Homosexuality is a CHOICE ! Americans now understand the agenda of the far left and how they QUEER the language to support their false claims.Times up.

Regular Joe| 2.17.10 @ 1:38PM

Well stated Mr. Stevens. I salute you. I see people slowy awakening all around me.

Regular Joe| 2.17.10 @ 1:39PM

slowly, even. ;-)

Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 2.17.10 @ 2:01PM

The comment by Copyleft is moronic.

Here's why.

All actual authority is invested in the government, not the public. Public groups only have as much authority as granted to them.

The government retains all other authority including the sublime right to discriminate. All collectivism always leads to racism.

ZerObama| 2.17.10 @ 11:48PM

Copyleft/Liberal Reader is a fascist; he wears his jackboots to prove it.

Sieg Heil, Lib Reader!

Da Dog| 2.18.10 @ 1:45PM

I reserve the right to discriminate as I choose. I do not attempt to force my views upon anyone, and I expect the same in return. What, pray tell, is "The Right Thing" in your twisted view of reality? Tis' best that liberals leave the snarling dog alone lest they be bitten savagely.

wyn| 2.18.10 @ 9:18PM

Bigotry and discrimination were not invented in the US. They exist everywhere.
Do I not have the right to choose if my child is exposed to such behavior? Yet if you on the left continue to attack those institutions I deem useful, have you not denied me that right? Why is not my right to reject such people less than their right to insist on being part of society - which I am all for. I am simply outraged at your denial of my right to make a choice to send my child to a school or any other institution that agrees with my understanding of what is right.
(I am not part of any group. I vote. That is all. Or you are suddenly going to insist that I vote your way?)

Melvin| 2.17.10 @ 7:49AM

Will someone please legalize Marijuana, so that the 60s hippies will go home and leave us alone.
I've had it up to the wazoo with saggy breasted, hairy lipped, man hating feminists.

Tom| 2.17.10 @ 9:38AM

Yeah, gosh, what is it with them. When a conservative doesn't care for something, he leaves it alone. When a 60's liberal doesn't like something, she wants a constitutional amendment to ban it.

Copyleft| 2.17.10 @ 10:11AM

You mean, like blasphemy? Or interracial marriage? Or gay marriage? Or flag-burning? Or abortion?

Yeah, liberals are all about the banning with the heavy hand of government, you betcha.... (laugh)

The Big E| 2.17.10 @ 10:21AM

I haven't heard of any recent effort to ban blasphemy . . . oh wait, that's right, the Global Warming crowd want to outlaw questioning their "science." But that's the onoly example . . .oh wait, the UN wants to outlaw anyone criticizing Muslims. I assume those must be the instances your citing.

Likewise, I know of no one calling for a ban on inter-racial marriage.

I do however, knows lots of people who ban certain thought, who want to stamp out all dissent, and vehemently hate and long for violence against anyone who disagrees with them. Remarkably, they sound very much like you.

Copyleft| 2.17.10 @ 11:01AM

Read some history, Big E... the urge to ban is a classic conservative impulse, all through our nation's history.

Drummermanpaul| 2.17.10 @ 12:53PM

Copyleft - maybe you should get down the library and do some reading as well. Check out the section marked '20th Century History' and read about the people and organisations who wanted to control and ban the most. Here's a clue, they have names like 'Hitler' (anti-smoking, anti-Christianity, pro-vegetarianism) and the Nazi Party - the National SOCIALISTS ....

Copyleft| 2.17.10 @ 1:15PM

An even weaker dodge than usual! Dragging in irrelevant far-right nuts like Hitler (a devout Christian) as an example of LIBERALISM?

Then again, a lot of the fringe right folks insist, with a straight face, that Obama is both a communist AND a fascist... it's no wonder they have zero clue what any of these terms mean.

The Big E| 2.17.10 @ 3:49PM

Hey Copyleft, rather than simply once again repeating what others have told you to say, why don't you show some real knowledge and describe in detail what made Hitler a rightwinger? While you're at it, describe the policy differences between him and Stalin, or for that matter, him and Hugo Chavez, or him and Saddam Hussein. Finally, go back and actually READ a little history about the man. The claim that he was a devout Christian is utterly ridiculous. Hitler claimed to be a Christian only when running for office for the purpose of fooling those voters who cared about such things. Officially, the Nazi party, like the Communist party, was Atheist, and throughout his rule, Hitler cracked down HARD on any Christian that wouldn't toe his line.

Drummermanpaul| 2.18.10 @ 5:16AM

As other posters have already pointed out to you Copyleft, your ignorance is staggering. Hitler and the Nazi Party he created and ran was resolutely anti-Christian. Everything Christian was hijacked and twisted in support of their atheist purpose, right down to the baubles and trinkets on Christmas trees ....

The issue, Copyleft, is that so-called Progressives, with their anti-establishment rhetoric and posturing are the biggest censors of the opinions and views of others. When outside of the Establishment they can bask in the self-generated, self-righteous glow of their 'radical' views, bragging about their open-minded, free-speech mindset: when they become the Establishment they are the very opposite, being dictatorial and unforgiving of any position or viewpoint that doesn't conform with theirs. Check out Chavez or Castro to see what I mean: 'revolutionaries' who have created one-party, totalitarian states that reject and deny any opposition and contrarian views, resorting to co-opting the law to keep themselves in power.

The Big E| 2.17.10 @ 3:38PM

It is abundantly obvious that I have already forgotten more history than you have ever bothered to learn. Probably because I read and make up my own mind, rather than simply repeat what others have told me to say.

Conservatives frequently want to outlaw actions which they deem wrong or a danger to society. Sometimes when we do this, we get it wrong because we're human.

Liberals, on the other hand, try to stamp out speech and points-of-view with which they disagree. Sometimes they use the coercive power of the State to do this, such as with laws banning "hate speech," which is really only speech of which they disapprove, and other times they use the implied threat of violence, or non-governmental punitive actions, such as efforts to stamp out certain speech and thought on the college campus.

In other modes, liberals attempt to coerce people, through the courts or otherwise, to think the way they wish them to think, and believe only what they (the liberals) desire people to believe. The twentieth century, had you bothered to study it, is littered with the corpses of hundreds of millions of people who died because they didn't think the way some liberal power-hungry nut, such as Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Kim Il Sung, Brezhnev, Tito, etc. etc. etc. wanted them to.

Of course, liberals like these and Castro, Chavez, Lenin, run such free, open societies, where nothing is ever banned.

ZerObama| 2.17.10 @ 11:59PM

Care to provide some proof with your whine, lib Reader?

Prohibition is a creation of you Progressives, after all. You have to control people to get power--otherwise, your fascist impulses will be rejected.

tom| 2.21.10 @ 8:42AM

Again copyleft steps in it.Everything you illude to is correct.Conservative America(65% of the population) DO want to end interacial marriage and gay marriage and flag burning and abortions and over taxation and illegal immigration and corrupt politicians and their policies and oil dependence on the middle east and ----- GET IT?

waterman3| 2.21.10 @ 12:16PM

and coming atcha outta chute no. 3- enter the strawmen!

always the first line of reserves in any liberal rant.

Pecos Pete| 2.17.10 @ 9:48AM

Oh my, gone is Jerimiah, Liberal Reader, etc... Now we have Copyleft. Or maybe they are all one and the same?

Dixie Pixie| 2.17.10 @ 10:37AM

Same song sheet, “Diverse” singers.

By the way, what happened to Ms Daphne?
She was funny.

ZerObama| 2.17.10 @ 11:41PM

Yes, all one and the same but just as stinky.

Timothy L. Pennell| 2.17.10 @ 10:18AM

Why WOULDN'T he nominate this broad? These are his PEEPS. JESUS said: "I will know you by the company you keep." Frank Marshel Davis, Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers, Bernadine Dorhn, Father Pfleger, Louis Farakhan, Khaleed Rashidi, The Black Panthers. A self professed COMMUNIST in Van Jones. A Media Broad who looked to the GREATEST MASS MURDERER of the 20th CENTURY, for her 'inspiration'. An FCC Chairman who "ADMIRES HUGO CHAVEZ" for the way he SHUT DOWN Radio and Television Stations, who dared broadcast an OPPOSING VIEW, thus "SAVING HIS BEAUTIFUL REVOLUTION". A Science Czar who sees 'NO PROBLEM' with the GOV'T. putting STERILANTS in to the DRINKING WATER. Or a Health Czar who would implement Chinas' ONE CHILD POLICY, if he could. And his NORTH AMERICA MAN/BOY LOVE ASSOCIATION loving SAFE SCHOOL CZAR, who would like to see HOMOSEXUAL SEX PRACTICES taught in the ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
Now, he wants a FAR LEFT, RADICAL CHURCH HATING FEMINIST from the ACLU to join his team?
What kind of a man would hang around with this bunch?
"And I saw the BEAST rise up from the Sea. And he was given a MOUTH, to speak HAUGHTY and BLASPHEMOUS words. And he was allowed to exercise authority for FORTY TWO MONTHS." Revelations 13-5.
Sound like anybody we know?

WRTolkas| 2.17.10 @ 12:54PM

Dear Timothy,

The "One who Honors G_d." You are well named.

Best regards,

WRTolkas

dasboot| 2.18.10 @ 10:33AM

Word.

La Realidad| 2.17.10 @ 10:38AM

This is another dangerous Obama nomination that has to be stopped. I have already contacted my senators about this.

The president's attempt to reach out to the relgious communities is a joke. First he appoints Harry Knox who is an open homosexual and a virulent anti-Catholic as his Faith-Based Advisor and now this. So much for unity there...

Now he is appointing individuals in position of powers to further the Left's agenda of social reengineering, etc. by giving special rights to homosexual groups and the likes.

To Copyleft and the likes, calling the homosexual movement akin to the civil rights, etc. is an insult to me and other people of color. We have suffered discrimination for ages because of something we CAN'T change which is our ethnicity and the color of our skin.

Dont' tell me "we can't change" since I've had friends and known people who have overcome their same-sex attractions and now live in healthy heterosexual relationships. You can make up things like calling others "bigots" who disagree with you, but know this. As long as you try to advance this perversion on our society, we will fight back and continue to do so. It will be done in a forceful yet peaceful way. The common good and natural order always prevails and we'll do everything we can to make sure it is preserved.

Nick| 2.17.10 @ 11:38AM

Here are some things that you lefty, commie-pinko, anti-Christian, pervert loving, bleeding heart liberals need to get through your thick skulls:

-Health Care is not a RIGHT. Medicines are PRODUCTS. Doctors provide SERVICES.

- Education is not a RIGHT. Teachers provide SERVICES.

-Housing is not a RIGHT. Houses are PRODUCTS.

-Having a job is not a RIGHT. Employment is a voluntary CONTRACT between master and servant.

-Doing business with a private company is not a RIGHT. Individuals can decide with whom they DO NOT want to do business with. (This was the conservative objection to the Civil Rights Act.)

-Joining private groups is not a RIGHT. Freedom of Association is a right.

I hope this clears up your misunderstanding of "rights", stinkin libs.

Ray| 2.17.10 @ 12:06PM

We can add another other nonexistent "right" to that list as well: The "right" to broadcast.

Freedom of speech is a right, but not broadcasting your speech to a large audience. You need a license to broadcast speech, even if it's just to a group of people in a public area.

For you liberals who don't understand this limitation, it's because your freedom of speech ends at your lips. You don't have a right to impose your freedom of speech on others by broadcasting it to everyone around you without limitations. If I want to hear what you have to say, I'll ask you, but don't EVEN try to force people to "allow" you to speak by trying to impose some sort of "fairness doctrine" upon everyone.

Nick| 2.17.10 @ 12:19PM

Ray,

I forgot about that, good one!

I also forgot about food.
Food is not a RIGHT. Food stuffs are PRODUCTS. Packaging food so it is ready to eat, is a SERVICE.

Or, you can grow your own food.

wake up| 2.17.10 @ 3:45PM

And a couple more while we're here:

* "blasphemy" is not a fact, but a STATE OF MIND, because unless you already BELIEVE in something, you can't blaspheme it. If you don't believe in it, you're merely passing comment.
* homosexuals do not have any more "rights" than anyone else, but they have the same RESPONSIBILITIES.

Nick| 2.17.10 @ 5:03PM

If your comment is impious, irreverent, or injurious to God, it is blasphemy. That is a fact.

WAKE UP| 2.17.10 @ 5:24PM

Not if you're an atheist, Nick. You're arguing from Belief, but the Logic actually is: if you don't believe in God, you have no relationship with him at all, let alone being able to "injure" him, or be impious or irreverent. However Nick, as a believer (I assume) , you can be all of those things if you wish.

WAKE UP| 2.17.10 @ 5:28PM

While on that, I'll take the opportunity to add here: that simple principle (you can only "blaspheme" if you already believe) is the one thing that constantly "offended" Muslims need to learn above all, it they are to make the transition to the modern world. It would make the world, and their lives, much happier if they remained content in their beliefs and stopped hassling those who don't share them (this applies to all believers - it's only a matter of degree).

Nick| 2.17.10 @ 5:48PM

You had better grab a dictionary, then. You are trying to change the definition of the word.

Or, maybe, you are just clumsily trying to explain that you feel no guilt from blasphemy, unless you believe.

I don't agree with that premise, but I can understand why YOU would believe that. Seeing as you have rejected God.

I will pray for you.

WAKE UP | 2.18.10 @ 12:17AM

Thanks Nick. I'll do my best for you too. We're actually on the same side, but I'm entitled to my view.
ps - I haven't rejected god; once again, Logic dictates that you can't reject something that doesn't exist.

Missy| 2.18.10 @ 12:36AM

Yes, you're entitled to your view, but knowing God sure makes life easier.

WAKE UP| 2.18.10 @ 2:13AM

"knowing God sure makes life easier" ...for you, Missy. Fine by me. In turn, you must respect that I do not feel the same as you about that, even as we both do our best in this world, against our common enemies .

Missy| 2.18.10 @ 3:26PM

As you also must respect my views, right?

PeterB in Indianapolis| 2.19.10 @ 10:14AM

Logic also dictates that you must logically disprove the existence of something. Please submit to us your logical proof of the non-existence of God.

DR_X| 2.17.10 @ 11:51AM

Obama hates America and anyone who believes there is a Natural law that is above the government. Everything this man does proves that point. Nothing else needs to be said.

Petronius| 2.17.10 @ 12:09PM

The left has one goal, the abolition of anything and everything not of themselves. Think "final solution." The civil rights laws did not simply strip middle class whites of our right to freely associate, (which includes the right not to associate). Besides letting minorities invade our lives it forces us to subsidize their treason, their deficiencies, and above all, their vices.

dasboot| 2.17.10 @ 12:31PM

I wish Dawn Johnsen's mother had aborted her.

ZerObama| 2.17.10 @ 11:43PM

Liberal women have far more abortions than conservative women--add in self-extinguishing homosexuals and liberals are a vanishing population.

Oh, well--too bad.

2Gunz| 2.17.10 @ 12:39PM

Too bad we don't have "loser pays", its a shame that the Church , Boy Scouts or anyone else has to spend uncompensated millions to defend themselves from these leftist busybodies.

Franklin| 2.17.10 @ 2:53PM

"If Mr. Obama is serious about civility he needs to withdraw Dawn Johnsen's nomination."

I don't pretend to be a mind reader. I can't say for certain that my intuition about little o is based on anything but my 58 years of life and experience.

But, in my opinion, little o nominated her (as well as all the people that surround him) because she shares the same beliefs as he does.

Don't you know that this is what little o meant by a transparent government? "I'm doing what I want; I'm not hiding what I believe in, so there!"

obarurnq| 2.17.10 @ 3:17PM

Great article, Mr. Blackwell. Though terrifying. Churches with traditional beliefs, and associated institutions, are under tremendous pressure in the US right now. Most Americans would absolutely reject this sort of coercion -- if only they heard something about it from the mainstream media! Keep focusing on subjects like this.

Miles Hession| 2.17.10 @ 3:22PM

With a left wing nut like Dawn Johnsen teaching at IU it is one of the reasons why I am embarrassed to admit that I graduated from IU

davelnaf| 2.17.10 @ 4:36PM

The dems’ appearance of playing along with this disaster in the White House strongly suggests they could care less about the country. But that is counter-intuitive. These people are professional politicians, after all. At least the moderates and vulnerable among their number have a plan—they are bailing on Obama.

Richard Baker| 2.17.10 @ 6:32PM

Keep your powder dry and your hatchet scoured, folks. These tyrants are hastening the day when the George Washington Tyrant Removal method will be implemented. Making a list and checking it twice. Gonna find out who's naughty and nice. Center of Mass.

Tassie| 2.17.10 @ 6:56PM

America, please, I beg you, return to your moral values. Don't let these troubled people (to put it nicely) ruin your lifes, your country and the rest of the world. If you return to these eternal values the whole will follow you. God bless you.

ZerObama| 2.17.10 @ 11:45PM

You're right, Tassie--ALL of us have to return to God.

Copyleft| 2.18.10 @ 8:12AM

You first. (chuckle)

ZerObama| 2.19.10 @ 4:20AM

You won't see God where you're going, troll.

Hint hint--it's very HOT there.

Richard Baker| 2.18.10 @ 10:02AM

Copyleft:
I am looking forward to the day when I go to God. Oh death, where is thy sting? How about yourself or are you too smart to believe in God?

Annie Ladysmith| 2.18.10 @ 12:44PM

I hate the Catholic church. It has been Catholics through the centuries that have led pogroms against the rest of us. Keep their big traps shut and out of any debate, hippocrits all! It's obvious, the US is getting trashed, what ya going to do about it? Words and opinions will not stop them.

bob s| 2.18.10 @ 5:32PM

I pity you.

Nick| 2.18.10 @ 7:03PM

Perhaps you would like to give me your address, Miss Ladysmith, so this Roman Catholic could come over and lead a "logic pogrom" on you?

How long have you been an anti-Catholic bigot?

Sandra| 2.19.10 @ 4:23AM

Poor Annie has probably had numerous abortions and can't forgive herself for her misdeeds.

Go to God, Annie; it's the only place you have left to go.

Tony in Central PA| 2.18.10 @ 12:49PM

I noticed Catholic adoption agencies in D.C. have gone out of business just like they did in Massachusetts in 2006 for the same reasons. Perhaps a visiting liberal can enlighten me as to why churches won't be forced to marry same - sex couples when they aren't permitted to follow their own creeds with respect to familes in the process of adoption because they are " discrimminatory " ?

What about abortion ? Now that the UN has declared it a fundamental right, what business do churches have telling people its wrong ? Should organizations that oppose the fundamental rights as outlined by the UN receive tax - exempt status or even be permitted ?

As Chesteron said, when the Church ceases to exist, the State becomes the Church. That has been the goal of the Left since the 60's.

Jeanne Large| 2.18.10 @ 1:14PM

I signed on to The American Spectator with hopes of becoming better informed. Instead, I'm reading lots of comments that remind me of when I taught grade school and heard the names and silly comments eleven year olds tossed at each other on the playground.

What happened to informed, respectful discussion?

Oz| 2.19.10 @ 4:26AM

Jeanne, why don't you offer something positive instead of whining? It's easy to complain, but serves no purpose.

Ken Roberts| 2.18.10 @ 1:45PM

Copy left leaves himself no breathing room , the church does not go after groups of any type we only preach and teach the word of God , that includes all the groups you say will be targeted by the church . I have never seen where the church prohibits any one from doing any thing they please it is just they teach about the wrong and the evil of doing somethings. We are against any man who would lay with another man because it is an abomination before God. its in the Bible read it . What we don't do is persecute nor try to silence them, if they want to do that they have a right to do it. but do not expect the church to accept it as normal . Just because someone thinks it is ok to do somethings does not automatically change scripture nor does it change the mind of the church, if you do not go along with the teachings of the church you are welcome to stay out of the church ,but if you want to sit through a sermon with out interrupting you are welcome to sit there and learn . The church has a right to defend its doctrine and also they have a right to a day in court just as any one is . Most of the people that are for a sinful life style does not get along with the church very well, so that is life, accept it and leave us alone . We do not go about killing any one in the name of the Lord, the ones that do have a problem mentally and are most of the time liberal in their thinking . check it out most violent crimes against any group is left leaning .

Shlomo O'Kelley| 2.18.10 @ 3:05PM

Re. CopyLeft: I am reminded of a Scripture. As it is written:"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; but he that hearkens unto counsel is wise" (Prov.12:15). Two questions arise: 1) which one are you? and, 2) which one do you want to be, wise or a fool? Numerous contributors to this site have endeavoured to correct your incorrect conclusions. So now, take your pick. But, be reminded also:"If thou shalt be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself; but, if thou scornest, THOU ALONE shalt bear it" (Proverbs 9:12). Take your pick.

Yosemeti Sam| 2.19.10 @ 1:59PM

" ... President Obama is big on civility ...."

LOL.

Yeah, he knew/knows how to 'work' the middle finger - in civility.

Toni| 2.19.10 @ 2:19PM

Jeanne Large... who exactly is it that is FORCING you to read the childish comments? Why that is just so unfair when you could do like you lefties always tell us righties to do and change the channel.

Click away, Jeanne, click away!

Richard Baker| 2.20.10 @ 7:42AM

Jeanne Large:
Yet another whining lefty. I suppose you feel more enlightened at the Huffington Post and the Daily Kos, the absolute models of civility and moderation?

Carrington| 2.20.10 @ 12:36PM

Saying what needs to be said. Thank you, Spectator.
Many of these homosexual mafia/militant members try to hide their hate but it so consumes them that it always bubbles up for all to see.
http://www.boston.com/bostongl.....e_stumble/

http://www.heritage.org/research/family/bg2328.cfm

I thank GOD that more people are realizing what type of parasites Obama has surrounded himself with and are taking the proper action in rejecting these zealots.
Not only Feldblum, but think Kevin(fisting is good for 2nd graders) Jennings. These people are depraved.

Earl Grey| 4.10.10 @ 4:36AM

The level of paranoia and hatred coming from "conservatives" these days is mindboggling. ("Conservatives" in quotes because what they really are now are right-wing authoritarians.) Gee, you never recognize Ronald Reagan in this morass of rabid hysteria. Despite gargling about how much they love their country; they actually despise it, and ninety percent of the people who live in it.

Inevitably, some budding Timothy McVeigh will decide to suit actions to such words as much of the comments above, and we'll have a mass-casualty terrorist attack. But this one will be inspired by our own homegrown Milosovics and Zhirinovskys.