Gordon Klingenschmitt

It was just earlier today that I was noting that Matt Barber was using the arrest of Dale Mcalpine to try and terrify Christians into thinking that they are about to be rounded up and imprisoned here in the United States.

Now, Rick Scarborough of Vision America has sent out an new email alert, also making the same claim, but using it to generate opposition to Elena Kagan:

On October 22, 2009 Hate Crimes protection was extended to sexual orientation by the Senate and sent to the President's desk to be signed shortly thereafter.

On April 20, 2010, police arrested Dale McAlpine, a 42-year-old Baptist street preacher in Britain for telling a passerby -- in earshot of a policewoman -- that God views homosexuality as a sin. Under Britain's Public Order Act 1986, which forbids "using threatening, abusive or insulting words ... tending to and causing harassment, alarm or distress," he will face a criminal trial at a date yet to be determined. McAlpine was fingerprinted, given a DNA swab and retina scan, and was locked in a police cell for seven hours.

The law was in place for 24 years before it was applied to a preacher of the Gospel, but now, in Great Britain, you can go to jail for agreeing with the Holy Bible on homosexuality. And you can rest assured America is on a collision course with the same tragic conclusion.

The appointment of Elena Kagan is the latest step toward the moral abyss for America. As the President's latest pick for the Supreme Court, this judicial neophyte is a doctrinaire radical leftist with a written disdain for the Constitution of the United States, the very document which she will be sworn to uphold if approved by the Senate, an almost fore drawn conclusion unless enough God fearing Americans raise their voices and demand that she be withdrawn.

...

The real losers are not the preachers who will go to jail, for they shall find God's presence there and be rewarded in this and the next life. The real losers are those caught up in a sin that our Government forbids us to tell the truth about, without being threatened with arrest.

Can't happen here? Just ask Rev. Dale McAlpine of Great Britain.

Till they come for me, I am going to continue to announce the truth and pray for revival in America.

Scarborough urges activist to sign up to blast fax "ALL 100 Senators for just $99" to urge them to oppose Kagan.  

Gordon Klingenschmitt is offering the same service for only $38.

Gordon "Chaps" Klingenschmitt is also demanding to know whether Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan is gay and is launching a petition urging the Senate to "oppose and filibuster reported Lesbian Elena Kagan's nomination to the Supreme Court":

As far back as 2006 and 2007, four different Harvard Law Students confirmed that Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan was a Lesbian. Why is the Obama Administration now suddenly ashamed of Kagan's homosexual orientation?

CBS News first reported that President Obama's new Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan will be the "first openly gay justice," pleasing much of Obama's liberal base. But after pressure from the White House they amended the report: "I have to correct my text here to say that Kagan is apparently still closeted -- odd, because her female partner is rather well known in Harvard circles." CBS later pulled the report entirely, after The Washington Post criticized CBS policy, saying "most major news organizations have policies against 'outing' gays or reporting on the sex lives of public officials unless they are related to their public duties."

Why the sudden media blackout, even among conservative news organizations?

Only the Alliance Defense Fund asked, "If Elena Kagan Is a Lesbian, She Should Say So because Public Has a Right to Know." Kagan's private sex life already has, and will directly impact her public Supreme Court decisions, especially on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and other issues.

In breaking news, Chaplain Klingenschmitt reveals that four different Harvard Law School students reported Kagan was Lesbian Homosexual as far back as 2006 and 2007.

The 4 Harvard law students' quotes are now online at www.prayinjesusname.org/kagan.

Will any news reporter dare to track down and interview these four students?

Chaplain Klingenschmitt, who delivered over one million faxes to the Senate against the anti-Jesus Judge David Hamilton, is now launching a new "Fax Congress" petition drive campaign to oppose and filibuster reported Lesbian Elena Kagan's nomination to the Supreme Court.

For the record, it was not the Alliance Defense Fund that asked if Kagan is gay, it was Peter LaBarbera and his Americans for Truth.

Yesterday, it was reported that the Army had rescinded its invitation to Franklin Graham to speak at a National Day of Prayer event at the Pentagon due to his past attacks on Islam.

Not surprisingly, Religious Right activists are upset. 

While Gordon Klingenschmitt focuses his ire on Mickey Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, TVC's Andrea Lafferty blamed CAIR: 

Nihad Awad, a founder of the Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its chief public spokesman, was the first to start taking a victory lap and announced that evangelist Franklin Graham was "disinvited" from a National Day of Prayer ceremony at the Pentagon.

"This attack on Franklin Graham and Christians was engineered by CAIR and it has the fingerprints of Barack Obama's White House all over it," said Traditional Values Coalition Executive Director Andrea Lafferty.

"Nihad Awad and CAIR offer us a preview of what America will be like if they are ever successful. Playing by their rules – shariah law—there is no separation of church and state. There is one state religion and Islam is it. There is zero tolerance for anything at variance with Islam, particularly if it's Christian or Jewish.

For  this part, FRC's Tony Perkins claimed the decision is an attack on the religious freedom of all Christians: 

The fact that he has theological differences with Islam, differences wholly in keeping with the teachings of the New Testament, and that he has expressed them publicly, is now being used by anti-Christian zealots in a manner offensive to the freedom of religion guaranteed by the very Constitution military leaders are sworn to uphold.

"This decision is further evidence that the leadership of our nation's military has been impaired by the politically correct culture being advanced by this Administration. Under this Administration's watch we are seeing the First Amendment, designed to protect the religious exercise of Americans, retooled into a sword to sever America's ties with orthodox Christianity.

"For those Christian leaders who have avoided the controversy of political issues, saying they just wanted to preach the gospel - this should be a wake up call!"

And never one to be outdone, the AFA's Bryan Fischer sees it as proof that our military has been taken over by "fundamentalist Muslims and homosexual activists": 

Bottom line: you want to know who's now running the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy and the Marines and calling the shots where it counts? Fundamentalist Muslims and homosexual activists.

In fact, I'll predict that there will be a day of prayer at the Pentagon on May 6, and it will feature a Muslim imam, a homosexual clergyman, and no conservative Christians of any kind.

This is not your father's military. It's not even your father's country anymore.

• Marco Rubio will be a keynote speaker at the next CPAC.
• Tim LaHaye has now teamed up with Craig Parshall for a new series of apocalyptic novels.
• Tom Tancredo says he is going to run for Governor in Colorado.
• Gordon Klingenschmitt wants you to pay $17 to urge Senators to filibuster David Hamilton.
• The perfect storm: Carrie Prejean interviewed by the co-author of Sarah Palin's new book.
• Patrick Mahoney: Why is the FBI harassing me instead of Nidal Malik Hasan?
• Next Monday, anti-Islam activists plan to rally for Rifqa.
• Finally, FRC says Washington DC can't afford to not let religious groups discriminate because the city "will quickly find [that] without faith there is little good works."

President Obama hasn't even signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act yet, but right-wing activists are already "challenging" it ... or at least their warped version of it.

Here is the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission vowing to defy the legislation:

"The fact the hate bill had to be passed in such an unscrupulous and cynical manner (attaching it to the Defense Authorization Act) reveals the depth of President Obama's commitment to a radical, anti-Christian agenda. He will stop at nothing to undermine the will of the majority of Americans to pay back militant homosexual activists who raised millions of dollars for his campaign and worked to get him elected."

"To sign the bill in the Rose Garden is another slap in the face and shows the level of contempt President Obama has for the majority of Americans who oppose the "homosexualization" of marriage and public education."

"The Christian Anti-Defamation Commission will soon be announcing its plans, along with other leading pro-family groups, to defy, counter and challenge this unconstitutional attack on our religious liberty."

And here is Gordon Klingenschmitt daring Obama to prosecute him:

In other words, A) pastors may quote the Bible publicly if their "intention" is the free exercise of religion or speech, but B) pastors may not quote the Bible publicly if their "intention" is to conspire with listeners to commit an act of violence. This begs the question, if the pastor never announces whether the unspoken "intention" of his heart is A or B, how can any prosecutor, judge, or jury know whether the pastor's secret thoughts intended A) free exercise or B) conspiracy? Without revealing the secret intention of my own heart, whether A or B, I hereby publicly quote both Romans 1:32 and Leviticus 20:13:

Romans 1:32 -- "Men with men working that which is unseemly...who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death."

Leviticus 20:13 -- "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."

I further invite President Barack Obama, as the chief law enforcement official of America, to discern the secret thoughts and intentions of my heart, and to prosecute me for conspiracy or inciting the violent crimes of others who might read my words and act upon them, if he dares to think he knows or can prove my motives were not pursuant to the free exercise of religion or speech.

Of course, neither CADC or Klingenschmitt nor anybody else is going to be prosecuted for speaking out or "defying" this and they know it.  After all, the legislation expressly protects free speech and religious freedom:

(4) FREE EXPRESSION- Nothing in this division shall be construed to allow prosecution based solely upon an individual's expression of racial, religious, political, or other beliefs or solely upon an individual's membership in a group advocating or espousing such beliefs.

(5) FIRST AMENDMENT- Nothing in this division, or an amendment made by this division, shall be construed to diminish any rights under the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

(6) CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS- Nothing in this division shall be construed to prohibit any constitutionally protected speech, expressive conduct or activities (regardless of whether compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief), including the exercise of religion protected by the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States and peaceful picketing or demonstration. The Constitution of the United States does not protect speech, conduct or activities consisting of planning for, conspiring to commit, or committing an act of violence.

But just because the legislation poses no threat to their religious freedom or right to free speech, amazingly that is not going to stop some on the Right from trying to use the legislation to turn paint themselves as martyrs.

• Nate Silver: The NRA's Pyrrhic "Victory" on Sotomayor.
• Minnesota Independent: The religious right is ramping up its campaign against health care reform, even joining with the “tea party” movement to encourage conservative Christians to swamp town hall meetings. Minnesota’s religious right leaders say that the health care reform package is against God’s plan for health care and that Christians should go to community forums and “read them the riot act.”
• Steve Benen says right-wing agitation during town hall meetings is "not quite democracy in action, but rather, organized madness on a national scale."
• Did Gordon Klingenschmitt offer to "waive all rights to future legal complaints against the Navy, if [he] were offered adequate compensation for [his] many years of service to our nation"? Apparently, yes.
• SPLC: Providing yet another sign that major elements of the Minuteman anti-immigration movement are broadening their agenda to become part of a resurgent antigovernment “Patriot” movement, a top official of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (MCDC) has announced that he resigned Aug. 1. Al Garza, who was vice president of the largest and richest Minuteman organization in the country, will now head the newly formed Patriots Coalition, a conspiracy-mongering Patriot group whose website contains jokes about assassinating President Obama.

The Lodi News-Sentinel reports on a complaint filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation against the Lodi (CA) City Council about it repeated prayers to Jesus Christ at the opening of council meetings.

FFRF says that "the prayers being offered do not fall into the narrow exception of constitutionally permissible government-sponsored prayer laid out by the Supreme Court."  In response, the Alliance Defense Fund has, according to the News-Sentinel, contacted the city in order to provide it with sample prayer policy that it has defended in court in the past and offer free legal assistance for the city if it gets sued for adopting said policy. 

The issue is set to be taken up at the next City Council meeting scheduled for August 5th and while FFRF, ADF, and the city itself all seem to be seeking to work out an acceptable solution in a low-key manner, certain Religious Right activists have other plans:

Groups in favor of prayers at public meetings will be at the August meeting to ask the City Council to continue to allow prayer.

Wiley Drake, a Southern Baptist preacher who has a radio show on www.crusaderadio.com, said he is working "to put Lodi on the map," with Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt, of "In Jesus Name We Pray" and the Will of God Christian Center.

The religious leaders want to organize an international prayer meeting at 6 p.m. before the council meeting. Drake said he will work with the city on permits to broadcast the event on his radio show, and also set up an international telephone number for people to call in and listen.

Drake has encountered the Freedom From Religion Foundation and said the group bullies cities into compliance by threatening large, expensive lawsuits.

"They thought Lodi is a little country town up in Northern California, and it would be great if we can make them an example of them, so that's why they are picking on Lodi," Drake said.

He said the main aim of the prayer meeting ahead of time is to let the city know that citizens support them in keeping prayers that reference Jesus Christ.

For those who don't recall, back in April, Klingenschmitt issued a call for "imprecatory prayer" against employees at Americans United, calling on God to curse them and destroy their homes, livelihoods, and families.

And just last month, Wiley Drake, who once issued his own imprecatory prayer against AU, declared that he was praying for the death of President Barack Obama.

I presume that if the Lodi City Council was initially inclined to defend and maintain its current prayer policy by claiming that it is reasonable and constitutional, it is probably rethinking that now that two men who regularly use prayer to call for the deaths of their political enemies are planning on showing up to lead the crusade. 

Until I saw this article in WorldNetDaily, I was completely unaware of the Reclaiming Oklahoma For Christ:

[Pastor Paul Blair of Fairview Baptist Church in Edmond, Okla.] is founder of a group called Reclaiming Oklahoma for Christ, an outreach to pastors that encourages church leaders  to take a stand against the spread of immorality in American culture. He is urging pastors across the nation to stop being silent and muster the courage to speak out against efforts to criminalize Christianity. He said church leaders have abandoned the prophetic call and have chosen instead to be CEOs of competitive church businesses rather than proclaiming "faith in Christ alone and repentance from sin."

"Pastors used to speak strongly about issues – like when Billy Sunday led a crusade, and the next thing you know, liquor was outlawed. So they made a difference," he said. "The year 1954 is when pastors began to grow timid because, all of the sudden, they had this misguided notion that they might lose their tax exemption if they made too much noise."

Shortly after ministers grew silent, prayer and Bible reading were taken out of schools. The sexual revolution immediately followed, along with Roe v. Wade. Now, he said, attacks on Christian liberty and morality have become more brazen and coordinated than ever – with widespread movements to legalize homosexual marriage, the Department of Homeland Security's efforts to profile Christians as "potential terrorists" and strategies to silence pastors through hate crimes legislation.

...

Blair is stepping up the effort by calling on "patriot pastors" to lead their congregations in three areas: 1) evangelizing and leading people to Christ to change the culture 2) educating people about the truth of America's Christian heritage and real threats like the Hate Crimes Prevention Act and 3) contacting elected representatives by writing letters and participating in petition drives.

His church is planning a special Memorial Day weekend sermon where he will bring in a 150-foot crane to fly the American flag as he warns his congregation of attacks on freedom.

"We absolutely will be addressing the fact that freedom isn't free," he said. "We'll talk about the great sacrifice that was paid for the liberty we enjoy and how there are attacks on that liberty not just abroad, but here at home."

Accompanying this article was this ten minute video in which Blair runs through the litany of right-wing lies about hate crimes legislation:

While watching it, my first thought was “this sounds an awful lot like the nonsense Janet Porter has been peddling” which, as it turns out, makes sense because Blair’s organization has ties to Porter, having signed on to her recent effort to pressure Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to resign.

It made even more sense when I saw that she was going to be a featured speaker at the upcoming Reclaiming Oklahoma for Christ Conference:        

The 2009 conference will be held on July 24 and 25 at Oklahoma Christian University in Edmond.

Scheduled speakers include Peter LaBarbera from Americans for Truth, Dr. John Morris from the Institute for Creation Research (ICR), LTG (Ret.) Jerry Boykin, one of the original members of the U.S. Army's Delta Force, and Faith2Action President Janet (Folger) Porter.

Boykin, you may recall, made news a few years back when he declared that we were at war with Islam and that our “spiritual enemy ... will only be defeated if we come against them in the name of Jesus” but that we would eventually win because our God is real while they worshiped an idol.  Since leaving the military, he’s hooked-up with fringe Religious Right figures like Rick Scarborough and now, apparently, Reclaiming Oklahoma for Christ.

In fact, ROC seems to have some pretty significant ties to a variety of second and third-tier right-wing leaders.  According to its website, its 2008 conference featured the likes of David Barton, Bill Federer, and Mat Staver.  The organization also participated in the “One Day Crusade” events put on by Scarborough and Gordon Klingenschmitt before the election last year and was deeply involved in rallying support for Oklahoma legislator Sally Kern, the self-proclaimed “warrior for Judeo-Christian values” who declared that the “homosexual agenda” was “the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam.”

It seems that while we were busy not paying any attention this organization, they were busy building relationships with a variety of more high-profile right-wing leaders and organizations to whom we do pay attention.  And since they seem to be treating ROC as a legitimate ally, I guess we’re going to have to start trying to pay a bit more attention to what they are up to.

• Nate Silver wonders why Mike Huckabee doesn't get more respect.
• Andrew Sullivan says that Ed Whelan was involved, during his time in the Bush Administration, in discussions of torture, but Whelan denies it, calling it a vicious lie. [UPDATE: See this post regarding the EPPC's demand that we prominently note Sullivan's retraction.]
• Ed Brayton points out that David Hamilton's decision in Hinrichs v Bosma says the exact opposite of what right-wing groups like the Traditional Values Coalition are claiming it says.
• Matthew Yglesias tears apart Liz Cheney claim that waterboarding is not torture.
• When Michael Steele canceled his speaking engagement with the Religious Action Center earlier this week, he cited an "urgent family commitment." As Ben Smith points out that that was not necessarily the case.
• AU points out that Gordon Klingenschmitt has now changed his website after they pointed out that he might have been violating the law by presenting himself as an active-duty member of the armed services.
• John McCain is claiming that the author of the "controversial" DHS report has been fired, but Think Progress checked and found out that its not true.