May 13, 2006

Finally, a sane word on the ACLU

Stephen Carter takes on the conservative christian mantra of demonizing the ACLU. Along the way, there are a few challenging words for liberals like myself. Good reminders.

The ACLU Is Not Evil - Christianity Today Magazine: "I spend most of my driving time nowadays listening to Christian radio. Most of what I hear is edifying and uplifting. But now and then a genuine clunker comes along, often in the form of a politically active Christian who derides anyone who disagrees with his version of biblical wisdom. One of the nastiest words, at least for many radio preachers, seems to be liberal.

Now, I have often been described as a liberal myself--although rarely by liberals. Once, after I gave a talk at a small Christian college in the Bible Belt, a concerned student carrying one of my books approached me. He had enjoyed the lecture, he assured me, but something in my book troubled him. He flipped to a page on which I had complimented something President Bill Clinton had said. The student then turned to me, the look of worry still on his face, and told me I must have written this because I was, really, a liberal. This student believed it was impossible for the good guys--the way he said liberal told me that liberals were not among them--to say anything positive about President Clinton.

The host of a popular syndicated Christian radio program once told me that he had received death threats--not just a few, but a lot--during the Clinton administration. His sin? Reminding listeners of their obligation to pray for those God had placed in positions of authority, whether or not they happened to agree with their policies."

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