Is it "hackneyed, inappropriate, and immature" to call Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson "frauds" — particularly when they regularly lie about the positions and activities of the ACLU in defense of religious freedom?
Ed Brayton at Dispatches from the Culture Wars discusses this question with Dru Stevenson, an associate professor at the South Texas School of Law in Houston.
Within the last year I’d say Joseph Farah has been far more vocal against the ACLU than Falwell or Robertson.
I view James Dobson as the bigger threat. He is not as open as Falwell and Robertson, so the public is not as aware of his extremism. However, it is Dobson and his children (FRC, FOTFA) that get the regular phone contact with the West Wing of the Bush Administration. Dobson is the Robespierre of the RR. Falwell and Robertson are clowns. Hannity, Farah, Falwell, Libaugh, and Robertson blow a lot of hot air about the ACLU and gay people; Dobson creates legislative (FRC) , political FOTFA), front (FOTF, P-FOX), and legal (ADF) organizations that are capable of destroying lives… and do!
I have no problem calling Dobson a fraud, though. I’ve heard him claim on-air that “confide” came from “con” plus “fide,” meaning “with God.” He’s failed to notice or refused to correct a guest who didn’t know what a synoptic gospel was. He has made claims that he ought to know are bogus, drawn quite often from the research of Paul Cameron, who is a well-known fraud.
He may be important, but he’s certainly vulnerable. Is anyone doing a Dobson Watch blog, by chance?
Soulforce has started a web site about Dobson, deardrdobson.com. But it’s a promo for an event later this year, not a daily weblog.
I wish I knew of daily blogs watching Dobson, and I hope someone will start one — or volunteer to write it for XGW.
Dobson’s daily “CitizenLink” and “Family News in Focus” articles and radio programs pump out more half-truths every day than I could possibly keep up with, on my own.
Focus on the Family effectively controls the Exodus national office, board of directors, and youth program, so watching Dobson is essential.
Mike, I listen to FNIF and FOTF daily and they’ve drastically cut back on gay rhetoric since the election, hence you’ve been getting much less email from me.
I regularly check the Alliance Defense Fund newsite (since they are on my personal watchlist) and get the daily CitizenLink gar-bawj. I have thought about doing a “Focus on Focus” Blog, but really, as you note, Mike, it would be a full time job; and, I want to have a live that is free to focus on positive material 🙂
haha, funny how we each have our own passions for the groups we keep tabs on. Mike if I’m right your passion is Exodus?
I have made this comment before. There needs to be some investigation of the finances of Dobson and FOTF.
Getting back to Falwell: he blamed gays for the 9-11 terrorist attacks. And I should hesitate for even as long as a nanosecond to consider whether or not he can reasonably be called a fraud? Stop the insanity!
Bravo, well articulated Regan. The whole “counterfeit marriages are a threat to the real thing” argument falls perfectly into this in a way even moderates may understand.
I am wondering if any of the marriage law cases have brought up transgenders, if there is any settled case law on transgenders.
Nancy,
Trans marriage is a confused patchwork right now.
https://www.positiveliberty.com/2004/05/same-sex-marriage-advanced-techniques.html
is the latest thing I’ve written about it, but the subject would be worth revisiting.
Also, I’m curious about FotF’s finances. Could you contact me by e-mail, perhaps? I’d be willing to put a weekend or two into this if necessary, to write a really thorough introduction to the problem, possibly more if I can get my hands on primary sources.
I personally know of at least two cases where MtF (male to Female) TSs legally married biological(XX) women. The courts in most jurisdictions (NJ the possible only exception) consiter the gender at birth, as recorded on a birth certificate to rule your life marriage options.