Yesterday, Robertson told “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” that he didn’t believe Hindus or Muslims should serve as either federal judges or members of the President’s cabinet:
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS … in your book The New World Order you wrote, “‘How dare you maintain that those who believe in the Judeo-Christian values are better qualified to govern America than Hindus or Muslims.’ My simple answer is, ‘yes, they are.'” Does that mean no Hindu and Muslim judges? PAT ROBERTSON Right now, I think people who feel that there should be a jihad against America, read what the Islamic people say. They divide the world into two spheres, Dar al Islam Dar al Harb. The Dar al Islam are those who’ve submitted to Islam, Dar al Harb are those who are in the land of war and they have said in the Koran there’s a war against all the infidels. So do you want somebody like that sitting as a judge? I wouldn’t. [cite]
Just one little thing stands in Robertson’s way. It’s called Article VI, Section 3 of the US Constitution:
“no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States”
While he attacks Islam more often, Robertson intensely dislikes Hinduism as well. In 1995 he said Hinduism was demonic, and that Hindus ought not be allowed to enter the United States.
One might see Robertson’s decision to block Hindus and Muslims from the judiciary in terms of the importance he places upon it:
On Sunday morning, Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson told TV viewers nation-wide that the threat posed by liberal judges is “probably more serious than a few bearded terrorists who fly into buildings.” When an incredulous George Stephanopoulos asked if Robertson really believed that these judges posed “the most serious threat America has faced in nearly 400 years of history, more serious than al Qaeda, more serious than Nazi Germany and Japan, more serious than the Civil War?,” he responded, “George, I really believe that.” [NYT Daily News]
Or you might just decide that he is a total loon who has repeatedly compared liberals (literally) to the Nazis, opposed democracy in South Africa, and compared Episcopalians, Methodists and Presbyterians to the Anti-Christ. The scary thing is that Robertson is still close to the President and is still a respected conservative figure. The Rev. Louis P. Sheldon of The Traditional Values Coalition has come out in agreement with Robertson already.
You can read the whole transcript of Robertson’s remarks on his website. He defends his statements about federal judges being the most serious threat to America as well.
Robertson’s idiocy is a bit late. British courts were arguing that Hindus made unsuitable jurors over two years ago. But lawyers routinely eliminate jurors based on their ethnicity or religion, in the interests of ensuring a fair trial.
“Jews, Hindus Not Wanted” WSJ, 2/17/03 http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110003082
And this is a surprise? It is disgusting and unfortunately, not just an aberrant opinion because lots of people where I live would agree with him – but not openly. I believe such comments should be more widely publicized. After observing the Indians in africa, i can assure you that the passivity of Indians in the US will only end up hurting the community.
Actually the more guys like Robertson and Falwell spew their rhetoric, the more chances that they will screw up somewhere and get bitch slapped by the media/public in general.
The evangelical right is over playing their hand and when any group tends to do that, next round of elections they will get a reality check. Plenty of Republicans around that feel the religious contigent of the party is calling the shots on social issues. Many Republicans are uneasy with the strong push by evangelicals on several of these issues.
Not so…look at the example of Ann Coulter, she says reprehensible, border-line criminal things, and the worst she gets is a bit of pie in the face or a hostile question. She’s still on Fox News every other damn day, consequence-free. We must not blithely allow such venomous rhetoric to proliferate and marinate amongst the docile masses. Fighting the good fight means just that…fighting.
Did you watch the Republican National Covention?
I am one of the many law students who read Sepia Mutiny. My childhood dream was to become the Secretary of State. Pat Robertson you’ve just inspired me to keep chasing that dream. Oh and he has his own law school in VA- Regent University. Somehow it has ABA approval!
You are misinterpreting my comment. I didn’t say that one should NOT fight. I meant that when men in such positions come out and say exactly what they mean, their positions become crystal clear. It gives opponents of such positions solid footing to fight for said cause. When guys such as Robertson hide their comments under a veil/smoke screen, it becomes more difficult to flush them out for who they are: Theocrats.
“Docile” masses get confused when people use smoke and mirrors. Sure, clear positions become easier to rally to, however they are easier to fight against and take down also. Ann Coulter spews no more rhetoric than an Al Fraken or Michael Moore. Based upon book sales, both sides seem to slog it out successfully. Getting a rise from her opponent is what Ann Coulter is looking for. She feeds off it and gets stronger.
Sure I did, and the focus was primarily on getting Bush re-elected. Even those who do not share the ‘Christian’ vision simply smiled and waved. Thats what politicians do. Also, I did not say it was a majority of Republicans, but there are quite a few who would probably fall under the “John McCain” flag.
Here is where Robertson back peddles in the interview:
Summary: He likes the constitution, just not when it starts working against him.
I’m sorry for inundating this page with comments.
Not that I am a Republican or Democrat, however I do fall in the percentage of people who voted for President Bush and Democratic candidates for house and senate NOT on religious grounds. The GOP is making a gross error in believing that a vote for Bush was a mandate for his social policies. (Hence I feel the GOP is overplaying its hand that will backfire on it.)
If you meant she spews no more vile rhetoric than AF, MM, I challenge you to find any quotes by either of them that even approach the following sayings that have issued from Coulter’s less-discussed orifice (her mouth):
Ann Coulter on the Muslim world: We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.
Ann Coulter on political dissent: When contemplating college liberals, you really regret once again that John Walker is not getting the death penalty. We need to execute people like John Walker in order to physically intimidate liberals, by making them realize that they can be killed, too. Otherwise, they will turn out to be outright traitors.”
Ann Coulter on political opposition: There are no good Democrats.
Ann Coulter on environmentalism: I take the biblical idea. God gave us the earth…We have dominion over the plants, the animals, the trees….God says, “Earth is yours. Take it. Rape it. It’s yours.”
Ann Coulter on the freedom of the press: “My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times Building.”
-(courtesy Saurav)
Vurdlife: Vile, rhetoric, whatever. Bottom line is its pure BS, lies, stupid comments, spin, etc.
I say to-may-to, you say to-MA-to. The point I was making was when people say dumb shit (to whatever degree you rank it on a scale) from whatever political viewpoint, its still full of shit. All Coulter is looking for is a reaction from the opposite side. When idiots feed her, she goes back and preaches to the Choir repeating what has been said and inflames them. She is all about the attention and validation from her minions.
Of course, the new Pope made the same division of believers vs. non-believers, so I’m waiting for Robertson to call for banning Catholic judges.
And the Bible calls for different penalties than the U.S. penal code, so let’s yank the Protestants as well.
Atheists might be a good choice, except the Constitution and the currency are replete with references to deism.
So I suggest he nominate Hindus: both judge and criminal can return to rectify any errors in later karmic cycles.
It’s comforting to know there are fellow travelers silently endorsing the Rightwing as they ever increasingly attack the rule of law. Even McCain sold the country out during this past election.
Why don’t you all stand up already like Christie Todd Whitman or Richard Clarke or Lincoln Chaffee did or any number of other fairly conservative, apparently principled people?
george f. will says religious tests are bad.
It’s just a matter of time before one of them gets caught with a prostitute, or molesting raccoons or something… (no disrespect intended, to the raccoons)
It’s just a matter of time before one of them gets caught with a prostitute, or molesting raccoons or something
robertson has had issues with “blood” diamonds in africa. i don’t know if there is anything else there. also, we shouldn’t get manichaean about this, in the 1960s robertson incurred a lot of anger from his father (a conservative democratic senator) because of his work in the black community and his support for desegregation.
GAH. Surely there is something to be done more than just grumbling on this blog. Who are the political groups we can ask to help get a real agitation going? SAALT? USNINPAC?
It was far worse than that – just quickly, off the top of my head, he had a company called Freedom Gold that he chartered in the Cayman Islands, and where he was personally in charge. It had a deal with Charles Taylor, the dictator/President of Liberia, to mine gold, and Taylor would get a 10% cut. When Bush tried to get Taylor out of power, Robertson openly opposed this, saying that they shouldn’t push a Baptist out of power in favor of Muslim rebels. That’s when Freedom Gold came to light, and on his website, he confirms much of this. His defense is that he never made any money, and that if he had, he would have plowed it back into charitable work (but he never showed company financials). Taylor is a nasty man in terms of human rights violations, and some people argue that he helped Al Queda move money through blood diamonds. In the end, Taylor succumbed to US pressure, and the persuasive arguments of a desi evangelist named KA Paul, one of the biggest Evangelists in the world.
I’ll post some links to all of this at the bottom of the original post later today or this weekend. It’s a great story.
Sorry, unclear – I was responding to Razib above.
More about Pat Robertson’s Regent University and its agenda to train lawyers to train religious lawyers to fight the Christian conservative fight in the courts.
Jerry Fallwell now also has Liberty Law School as well.
I feel dejected and angered at the same time. I am Hindu, and I’m afraid poisonous rhetoric like robertson’s is weakening my ‘liberal’ or ‘generous’, or plurality-accepting religious beliefs. The more I read of history and current US political climate, the more it comes home that tolerance is anachronistic and utopian (I shouldn’t be, it CAN’T be!!). I mean the source of my inner peace and ease of acceptance of everyone on this planet IS based on the idea that ‘there is one truth, sages know it by different names’.
The problem at large is that perhaps due to the non-proselytizing and personal nature of Hindu spirituality, today there doesn’t seem to be a united front against all the lies, hate, and fear being perpetuated against Hinduism. Of course I love the diversity in the world and wouldn’t dream it any different, but I’d like the same respect and space for my views as I provide the others. While VHP makes a fool of itself and distances itself from mainstream Hindu thought, is there another organization that takes upon itself to offer a front for protest against such hatemongering and education re: the Hindu religion?
Sorry didn’t mean it to be rambling, but the discussion here appears centered and sane, so…
Ann Coulter speaks with such hyperbole that I wonder if she’s deliberately performing as a stand-up comedian. On the other hand, it seems that typical so-called conservative Republicans are only a little less extreme. They constantly make statements with no regard for truth. Case in point: the Clear Skies Act – which reduced pollution standards for industry.
She sure is cute though – in a voodoo sort of way.
Pat R. is an idiot, especially after his latest comments about Sharon. He needs to get a life! Enough said.