I do not know how many people have seen the following article regarding the Texas GOP 2004 Platform. When I received this information, I found it hard to believe. But after looking at the Texas GOP Website, this is the truth. For those people who do not believe the religious right has alternative motives, think again. Based on this platform, let's take society back about 100 years. Even better, let's start ruling like the Taliban. Or, why not round up everyone who does not live their lives in the manner that the religious right thinks we should and send them to......Anywhere but America? Maybe it is time we all started thinking twice about candidates who profess the support of the religious right? Otherwise, this may become the National Republican Platform in the near future!
RELIGIOUS RIGHT'S GRIP ON TEXAS GOP TIGHTENS
AS PARTY CONVENTION PASSES EXTREMIST PLATFORM
Tightening their grip on the Republican Party of Texas, far-right activists
pushed through an extremist party platform at the GOP state convention in
San Antonio this month. Policies proposed by the 2004 state party platform
threaten religious freedom, civil and equal rights, public education and
good government. (Page numbers from the platform are in brackets below.)
Religious Freedom
* "The Republican Party of Texas affirms that the United States of
America is a Christian nation." [8]
* "Our Party pledges to exert its influence to restore the original
intent of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and dispel
the myth of the separation of Church and State." [8]
* The 2004 party platform opposes efforts to restrict display of the
Ten Commandments and other religious symbols in government buildings and
other places maintained by tax dollars. [7]
Civil/Equal Rights
* "The Party supports amendment of the Americans with Disabilities Act
to exclude from its definition those persons with infectious diseases,
substance addiction, learning disabilities, behavior disorders, homosexual
practices and mental stress, thereby reducing abuse of the Act." [14]
* Republicans state that it should be a felony to issue a marriage
license to a same-sex couple "and for any civil official to perform a
marriage ceremony for a same-sex couple." [10]
* Defining marriage as a "God-ordained, legal and moral commitment only
between a natural man and a natural woman," the platform supports a federal
constitutional amendment that bans same-sex marriage and opposes "granting
of benefits to people who represent themselves as domestic partners without
being legally married." [10]
* The platform opposes hate-crime laws (which increase penalties for
crimes that target people based on hatred for their religion, race, sexual
orientation and other characteristics). [8]
* The platform supports "covenant marriage" (which endangers battered
spouses because it would allow couples to divorce only after a waiting
period and counseling, even in cases of domestic abuse) and advocates
rescinding no-fault divorce laws. [10]
* The platform condemns homosexuality, supports criminalizing sexual
relations between consenting adults of the same sex and calls on Congress to
"withhold jurisdiction from the federal courts from cases involving sodomy"
(an implicit criticism of last year's U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that
overturned sodomy laws). [10]
* The platform opposes the adoption of children or foster parenting by
gay men and lesbians. [10]
* The party supports laws that bar Child Protective Services from
removing an abused child from his or her home, even in cases of "immediate
danger to the child's physical health or safety." [13]
* The platform calls for requiring people who report child abuse to
identify themselves and their contact information. [13]
* The state party platform calls for a ban on stem-cell research (which
experts believe holds the promise of cures for a variety of diseases like
Parkinson's and Alzheimer's). [12]
Public Education
* The party calls for schools to emphasize "Judeo-Christian principles"
and for including Bible-based "theories" like "intelligent design" about the
origin of humans in science textbooks (which would, in effect, water down
discussions of evolution). [16, 17]
* Republicans support health education that promotes abstinence from
sex "until heterosexual marriage with an uninfected person" and oppose any
other instruction on methods of preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. [15]
Four months ago, I decided to run for Congress because I believed, and still do, Healthcare in America stands on the brink of becoming a castrophe. I still believe Healthcare is the number 1 issue facing society today. Before I announced my decision to run for Congress I was told by members of the local Republican Party not to run. Washington D.C. and the power brokers in D.C wanted Marilyn (nice to know the people no longer have the right to choose their elected representative). Any other Republican Candidate who ran against her would not be acknowledged and no support would be offered. At the same time, Marilyn Musgrave began to push her Federal Marriage Amendment. This is an agenda she will push until she achieves HER goal. Since she served in the Colorado Legislature, she has enacted legislation against the gay community. Discrimination of the gay community is her goal. So I stood up to her FMA. I announced I opposed her FMA because I viewed it as discrimination, which it is. If anything, we needed to amend the Constitution to PROTECT the rights of ALL people. Expecting the Gay Community to support a candidate who opposed an individual who has made it her goal to discriminate against them, I am rather surprised by the reaction I have received. Individually, I have received support from gays but to think gay organizations support my cause, is wrong. My campaign wonders why the Log Cabin Republicans do not support my campaign? My campaign wonders why the HRC does not support my cause? My campaign wonders why other gay organizations do not support my campaign? Then I think back to the advice I received. Marilyn IS THE CANDIDATE! Since she is viewed as being unbeatable, the winner of the republican primary WILL win the November election, no one dares oppose her. It took the democratic party three months (late May) to convince their candidate to run against her. So I come to the same conclusion military commanders do. You fight the battles you can win. Since all these gay organizations do not believe Marilyn can be defeated, they will take the fight elsewhere. They will not support, financially or through endorsements, my campaign. I believe people have to stand up for what they believe in. THE REAL CANDIDATE is an individual who is fighting for the people and not special interest. THE REAL CANDIDATE is an individual who is fighting for the people and not their personnel/moral values. THE REAL CANDIDATE does not quit because they are the underdog, instead, they have to continue the fight because they are the last line of defense. This fight has just begun, and I ask you, which side of the line are you on? Do you believe Marilyn is unbeatable and are willing to seek shelter elsewhere or are you willing to support THE REAL CANDIDATE! If you support THE REAL CANDIDATE, then help me convince the gay organizations in Colorado to spread the world to ALL unaffiliated and moderate republican voters to VOTE Bob Faust for Congress August 10th. Otherwise, come November 3rd and you will have TWO more years of Musgrave discrimination.
The Johnstown Breeze has endorsed my Candidacy for Congress. You can read the article in this weeks Breeze at www.JohnstownBreeze.com. Look for the article titled "Richard Nixon must be spinning like a reel-to-reel tape".
I was asked to write a piece on the republican party and surrendering to extremism. This is my take on the republican party and has surrendering to extremism.
The Republican Party is salvageable. However, for this to occur, the individual citizen who makes up the Republican Party will have to force the change. The “common” citizen will have to take an active role in the party. By participating in the caucus system or actively running for office, the “common” citizen can bring the party back to the moderate position. The problem is participation.
The caucus process is controlled by the extremism position. Primarily due to the lack of involvement by the citizens. The extreme position has an issue they want to force and are willing to work the caucus process to achieve their goal. The common citizen does not have issues they are extremely committed too and therefore do not find the caucus process important or requiring of their involvement.
Running for office is the first place the common citizen starts to get involved with the party. Again, the problem is involvement. Until a citizen is willing to take a stand, the candidate choice will be controlled by the extremism.
How do I see the common citizen bringing the Republican Party back to the moderate position and away from the extreme position? Through the vote. We moderate republicans have to vote for candidates who reflect our viewpoints, regardless of their party affiliation. Until we start electing officials who represent our viewpoint the extremism will control the party. We can no longer vote just republican. We have to vote in the primary election. We cannot wait until the general election. If we wait until the general election, the extremism candidate will control the ballot.
The 4th of July is when I think of the freedom that most Americans never cherish. The freedom we take so lightly. I think of The Declaration of Independence and the phrase, "....that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Right, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.....". I think of how our forefathers came to this country to escape religious persecution. Then, I look at what is currently occurring in society today. We have elected representatives who think their religious beliefs are the beliefs that ALL society should live by. I think they forget that religion is good for society, but it should not dictate the laws of the land. By creating laws based on religious teachings we instill discrimination. We need to ensure our laws are written so that ALL Americans can experience THEIR pursuit of happiness. As you enjoy your 4th of July, think about the rights of others and remember, their happiness is just as precious to them as your is to you. So lets respect the rights of others and enjoy life to its fullest. I wish everyone a joyous 4th of July and hope all of our soldiers serving in harm's way a safe trip home. Especially my Nephew, serving with the US Marines in Iraq.
SIncerely,
Bob Faust