politics

“What issues will resonate with voters?”

Candidates spend a lot of time asking this question. So we talk to voters. We watch the news. We accumulate data to find “winning issues.”

Research is a big part of campaigning. REALLY BIG. You need to craft a message based on issues that will be popular — popular enough to get enough votes to win.

The political term for this is populism.

In an ethically ideal world, every candidate would work hard to reconcile his or her own convictions with the popular ones — make sure you actually believe what you say you care about. In my candidacy for United State House of Representatives, I am running on my own convictions.

I have yet to purchase any polling data.

Some of my views, in fact, collide with those of my own party. For example, I’m certain our representatives in Congress should do more to decrease senseless gun violence in America. It would save lives. Parents wouldn’t be afraid to send their kids to concerts. Or, school.

But, as weird as it might sound, gun safety is not a popular Republican issue. It’s the opposite. The NRA is the biggest special interest group in the country and they spend countless millions of dollars getting Republicans elected and fighting virtually every bill to regulate firearms.

I’ve angered lots of fellow Republicans — those in my own party — over my stance on gun safety.

But I don’t’ care what the Republicans think. I don’t care what the polls say. As a U.S. Congressman, I believe it would be my solemn duty to keep innocent people safe. Especially children. (Since 2013, there have been over 200 school shootings in America — an average of nearly one a week.).

Today is the special election in Alabama for United States Senate. And for months, people around the country have been hearing about Roy Moore — his positions, his views, the issues he is running on. They are learning about a man that claims to be running as an Evangelical Christian, and who is informed by the teachings of the Bible.

Like all political candidates, Moore has his issues. And, like all candidates, one of three things must be true about what Moore has to say.

1. He doesn’t really believe his positions but thinks they are popular “winning” issues that, based on research, will get him elected.

2. He actually believes his positions as a matter of personal conviction.

3. Both 1 and 2.

So here are a few of the positions of Roy Moore.

Regarding LGBT issues: “Homosexual conduct should be illegal, yes.”

After equating homosexuality with bestiality, he said his position was “a moral precept upon which this country was founded.”

At a recent Moore campaign rally, one of the few African Americans in the crowd asked when the last time he thought America was great. Moore responded, “I think it was great at the time when families were united — even though we had slavery — they cared for one another…. Our families were strong, our country had a direction.”

When asked if Obama was born in the U.S., a claim that delegitimizes our nation’s first African American President, Moore said in 2016, “My personal belief is that he wasn’t.”

When asked about evolution, Moore claimed: “There is no such thing as evolution…”

The list of Moore’s campaign positions seems endless. Just a few days ago he said, “Now we have blacks and whites fighting, reds and yellows fighting, Democrats and Republicans fighting, men and women fighting.” Yes, he said “red” and “yellows.”

Perhaps most notable is his view that getting rid of constitutional amendments after the Tenth Amendment would “eliminate many problems.”

For those unsure about what Moore’s vision would look like, Amendments adopted after the 10th include the 13th, which ended slavery, the 15th, which prohibited federal and state governments from denying citizens the right to vote based on “race, color, or previous condition of servitude,” and the 19th, which allowed women to vote.

Some are wondering why would Moore repeatedly campaign based on a message of homophobia, misogyny, and racism.

So why would a political candidate risk offending millions of Americans that deem such positions backward at best and evil at worst?

It’s pretty simple: the candidate believes his positions are true or he believes voters do. Or, both.

But here’s the most important thing. Whether Moore believes the things he says or not, millions of voters in Alabama want to elect him into office, including President Trump.

As a citizen of the U.S., as a candidate for Congress, and as a Christian, I see Moore’s positions as problematic.

But win or lose, the problem isn’t Roy Moore.

The problem is hate.

Today President Trump retweeted videos posted by Jayda Fransen, leader of conspiracy theory far-right group Britain First. Even Trump sympathizers, including Piers Morgan, didn’t waste a minute in responding

Prime Minister of Britain, Theresa May, then came out and condemned Trump’s actions:

“British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudice of the far-right, which it is the antithesis of the values that this country represents: decency tolerance and respect. It is wrong for the President to have done this.”

Contrast Trump’s continued xenophobic and racist attack against Muslims with the leadership of President George W. Bush, just days after September 11, 2001.

Bush knew the difference between crazy extremists who we need to be destroyed, versus Muslims, such as the over 5,000 that serve in the U.S. Armed Forces.

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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary


September 17, 2001

“Islam is Peace,” Says President

Remarks by the President at Islamic Center of Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

3:12 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you all very much for your hospitality.  We’ve just had a — wide-ranging discussions on the matter at hand.  Like the good folks standing with me, the American people were appalled and outraged at last Tuesday’s attacks.  And so were Muslims all across the world.  Both Americans and Muslim friends and citizens, tax-paying citizens, and Muslims in nations were just appalled and could not believe what we saw on our TV screens.

These acts of violence against innocents violate the fundamental tenets of the Islamic faith.  And it’s important for my fellow Americans to understand that.

The English translation is not as eloquent as the original Arabic, but let me quote from the Koran, itself:  In the long run, evil in the extreme will be the end of those who do evil.  For that they rejected the signs of Allah and held them up to ridicule.

The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam.  That’s not what Islam is all about.  Islam is peace.  These terrorists don’t represent peace.  They represent evil and war.

When we think of Islam we think of a faith that brings comfort to a billion people around the world.  Billions of people find comfort and solace and peace.  And that’s made brothers and sisters out of every race — out of every race.

America counts millions of Muslims amongst our citizens, and Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country.  Muslims are doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the military, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, moms and dads.  And they need to be treated with respect.  In our anger and emotion, our fellow Americans must treat each other with respect.

Women who cover their heads in this country must feel comfortable going outside their homes.  Moms who wear cover must be not intimidated in America.  That’s not the America I know.  That’s not the America I value.

I’ve been told that some fear to leave; some don’t want to go shopping for their families; some don’t want to go about their ordinary daily routines because, by wearing cover, they’re afraid they’ll be intimidated. That should not and that will not stand in America.

Those who feel like they can intimidate our fellow citizens to take out their anger don’t represent the best of America, they represent the worst of humankind, and they should be ashamed of that kind of behavior.

This is a great country.  It’s a great country because we share the same values of respect and dignity and human worth.  And it is my honor to be meeting with leaders who feel just the same way I do.  They’re outraged, they’re sad.  They love America just as much as I do.

I want to thank you all for giving me a chance to come by.  And may God bless us all.

END

3:19 P.M. EDT

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What a difference.