THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 31, 1994 TAG: 9407290283
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Opinion
SOURCE: BY BILL SMITH
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
Two articles by the editorial page editor of The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star raise a couple of questions of public concern. Has Pat Robertson bought into the editorial page? Is Mr. Barnes' material subjected to critical review by in-house higher authorities? In regard to the second question - if not, it should be, for Mr. Barnes appears to be uninformed in matters concerning church and state. His work is not up to the standards long established and maintained for generations by this highly respected newspaper.
On Friday, June 6, Mr. Barnes featured a major editorial titled, ``Demonizing Christians.'' The thrust of this article was straight out of Pat Roberson's party line of the militant extreme religious right. Specifically, to criticize Mr. Robertson, the Rev. Jerry Falwell and any of their ilk is tantamount to a criticism of Christianity as a whole. There needs to be a distinction made between these people and the rest of Christianity. In all fairness, due to the vast circulation of The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, this distinction should be noted in response to the article by Mr. Barnes.
I happen to be a Virginia Baptist Christian. I would speculate that I am surrounded by citizens who are predominately Christians of one denomination or another and who are either Democrats or Republicans and who, for the most part, participated in the politics of the public arena. The point being there is no stigma attached to Christian citizens participating in the political processes of the public arena. In fact, in a democracy, all citizens are encouraged and urged to participate.
We need only to look at our founding fathers - Mr. Washington, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Madison and Mr. Mason - for examples of good citizenship by Christians who had a modicum of influence on the establishment of the religious freedoms which we enjoy today. We must forever be vigilant for any threat which would tend to undermine this precious heritage.
So who are the Republicans and Democrats demonizing? This is the question which should have been asked to Mr. Barnes before publication of his piece.
I would submit that the criticism leveled by Democrats and Republicans alike, to which Mr. Barnes refers, is directed to that small but highly vocal militant group of power brokers trading under the banner of Christianity. This is the distinction that should have been made by Mr. Barnes. To suggest that all of Christianity is being ``demonized'' because the public at large rejects the behavior of this small militant group of religious extremists is irresponsible editorializing and renders a disservice to The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star.
Baptists of the Southern Baptist Convention are particularly sensitive to and adamant about the separation of church and state. Our forefathers fought for and were significantly influential in establishing the separation of church and state as a part of the Bill of Rights to provide for the protection of all religious faiths. The emphasis here is ``all religious faiths.''
The second article titled ``Now We Know'' appeared in Wednesday, June 29. In this article, Mr. Barnes again picks up the mantle for Pat Robertson. Mr. Barnes feels the general public ought to know that the Virginia Beach Political Action Committee, with help from the Virginia Education Association PAC, raised much more money to support their candidates for the Virginia Beach School Board than did Mr. Robertson with his $15,000 for his ``Kids First Team.''
Well, money talks. It's difficult for me to see where the problem is. If Mr. Robertson wishes to finance a particular set of candidates to the tune of $15,000 in order to infiltrate the Virginia Beach School system with his established political agenda, isn't it reasonable for those opposing such infiltration to raise amble funds to prevent it? I should hope so.
Finally, Mr. Barnes attempts to ridicule Vic Fazio, D-Calif. and chairman of the House Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, when he expressed concern for the Republican Party for accepting the extreme religious right into that party if accompanied by their tactics. Mr. Fazio's concern transcends party lines. If religious zealots of any persuasion ever gain a significant foothold in either political party, it becomes a threat to those religious freedoms so precious to us all. This is not hyperbole. One needs only to look to the Southern Baptist Convention for the consequence of letting your guard down. The moderate Virginia Republicans lost only an election. We Baptists of the Southern Baptists lost an entire denomination. MEMO: Bill Smith, a Portsmouth resident, lives on Tyre Neck Road.
by CNB