What's he on about now?

In case the articles, essays and opinions throughtout this site just weren't enough for you, here's my online diary (a.k.a. 'blog'). It's as close as you'll come to the inside of my head, so don't say I didn't warn you
(and remember, you can always e-mail me if you love or loathe anything you're about to read)...


   Monday, March 27, 2006

   THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY IS MY FRIEND

Marvin Olasky, a close associate of President Bush credited with the concept of "compassionate conservatism," has shown little for former right-wing golden boy Ralph Reed after a string of indictments. According to The Nation's Jack Newfield:

When Ralph Reed was the boyish director of the Christian Coalition, he made opposition to gambling a major plank in his "family values" agenda, calling gambling "a cancer on the American body politic" that was "stealing food from the mouths of children." But now, a broad federal investigation into lobbying abuses connected to gambling on Indian reservations has unearthed evidence that Reed has been surreptitiously working for an Indian tribe with a large casino it sought to protect--and that Reed was paid with funds laundered through two firms to try to keep his lucrative involvement secret.

Olasky is editor in chief of World magazine, dedicated "to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." Reed, says Olasky, "has damaged Christian political work by confirming for some the stereotype that evangelicals are easily manipulated and that evangelical leaders use moral issues to line their own pockets."

Gosh, Marvin, you don't say! Since Ralph Reed's been at this for over a decade, you're a little late for the party but better late than never, right? See, here's what's always irked me about those on the other side of the gay rights debate -- some (a very few, I find) are thoughtful opponents like Steve Burton, some are wing-nut bigots like James "Spongebob Queerpants" Dobson and some, like Reed, are so obviously just opportunistic political weasels looking to use religion to distract everybody while he robs the henhouse. His main business client was ENRON, for pity's sake! Why, WHY can't people make these distinctions? After all, it's in the Book [Acts 9:18, King James Version]:

"And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose..."

Labels: George W Bush, religion