Tuesday Night in Philly–Patriotism, Military Strength, Righteousness…and a Gay Speaker
By Bill Fancher
AFR News
August 2, 2000
WASHINGTON, DC (AgapePress) – The major theme last night at the Republican National Convention seemed to be patriotism and the military, as speakers included an esteemed Gulf War hero and a former Vietnam prisoner of war. But there was only the slightest sign of protest as Arizona Congressman Jim Kolbe, an open homosexual, addressed the crowd. Some members of the Texas delegation removed their hats and some were seen praying as Kolbe gave his brief speech.
General Norman Schwarzkopf, the architect of the Gulf War, was among several speakers who addressed the convention Tuesday night. The general warned that our nation must do a better job than the Clinton Administration has done to prepare our military for action.
“We must make sure that they go into battle as well equipped, well trained, and highly motivated as the men and women of Desert Storm,” Schwarzkopf said.
The general says we must end the Clinton 40% reduction of our military because it is what protects our freedom.
Elizabeth Dole–wife of the GOP’s 1996 Presidential candidate and former Director of the Red Cross–managed to speak to a different topic. The former Presidential candidate sounded a call for righteousness in our nation.
“The success of freedom,” Dole said, “can never be measured in material terms alone, for one day, each of us will be held to account–not for the money we made–but for the difference we made.”
Dole told delegates to be strong in their faith and that they did not have to be missionaries to serve their fellow man.
Last night’s final speaker was Senator John McCain. The former Presidential contender with Bush offered his endorsement to the Texas governor, and then challenged everyone else.
“I say to all Americans–Republican, Democrat, or Independent,” McCain said, “if you believe America deserves leaders with a purpose more ennobling than expediency and opportunism, then vote for Governor Bush.”
McCain affirmed he was proud to be a supporter of the Bush candidacy.
Meanwhile, Kolbe–who was one of the last speakers on Tuesday night–became the first openly homosexual Republican congressman to address his party’s national convention. Giving him the spotlight bothered many pro-family leaders. Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth says he was disturbed by the event.
“We all know what’s going on,” LaBarbera says. “The Republicans are playing ‘big tent’ politics, and they made a deliberate choice to put an open homosexual out front in prime time. It’s sad because there [are] very few, if any, speakers giving a principled defense of the Biblical position on homosexuality.”
“To have an open homosexual advocate up there…adds insult to injury to the Christian Republicans.”
LaBarbera says since he was “outed” by the homosexual activists, Kolbe has become an activist himself for the homosexual community.
“Now he does activist events with the Human Rights Campaign, which is a radical homosexual lobby group, and other homosexual groups,” he says. “So he’s a full-fledged gay activist now.”
LaBarbera says George W. Bush does not have the Christian vote in his pocket just yet, and such events as last night might cause him to lose some of that support.
Copyright 2000, Agape Press.