This "religious freedom" summit (July 24-26) hosted by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is beyond hypocrisy in light of the president's Muslim travel ban and despite its lip-service to religious refugees, is an insidious attempt by the religious right to establish christian theocracy here and abroad. Top officials from 80 nations are scheduled to attend, and Vice President Mike Pence will be giving an address.
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, a Southern Poverty Law Center designated HATE GROUP, with a long history of anti-LGBT activities, has been promoting this event which dovetails with his anti-LGBT agenda here and abroad.
I don't understand how this summit cannot be blatantly unconstitutional as it is promoting, not just Christianity, but a very narrow definition of christian beliefs which are in direct opposition to the civil rights and liberties of other religions as well as to the rights of LGBT persons.
This is totally unacceptable.
There is no formal action that I know of to oppose this abuse of the office of US Secretary of State.
2 comments:
Frank - take a deep breath, buddy, before you get overheated.
Your outraged response needs some more facts to support your claims. While I don't doubt that anything coming from the Trumpf administration has an ulterior purpose, what exactly is "unconstitutional" about a gabfest of international speakers? You assert, but you don't offer much by way of proof.
If memory serves me rightly, the only thing the Constitution has to say on the subject is, "The Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion."
And I looked up the press release from the State Dept., which refers to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which begins, "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion."
The Preamble to the UDHR also restates FDR's Four Freedoms, namely, "freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want."
As the United States is a signatory and supporter of the UDHR (Eleanor Roosevelt was chair of the drafting committee that wrote it), it would seem to be well in line with United States policy to promote religious freedom - and I believe other administrations of both parties have participated in similar efforts from time to time, though I confess I can't name a specific example offhand.
So on the face of things at this point in time, there is no violation of American law or longstanding human-rights policy. Now after the conference, perhaps we will be able to quote statements and actions to the contrary, but they haven't happened - yet.
I just don't get it!
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