The Republican Party claims to be the party that best represents Christian family values. They have long stated that America is a Christian nation founded on Christian principles. They bragged for years that only their political positions best protect American families. They have arrogantly demanded that only their party can define America’s morality.
The latest blow to the Republicans’ claim as the guardian or model of America’s morality is the accusation that Alabama Senate candidate, Roy Moore, is a child molester. The GOP’s morality myth was exposed once again by accusations that the Moore pursued teenage girls while he was in mid-thirties. The charge that Moore had sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl is unproven, but there appears to be significant corroboration. Moore has admitted he may have dated teenage girls in the past, but only with their mother’s permission. The Republican Party is divided on whether Moore should step down as a candidate. Many Republicans are hedging, saying Moore should step down only if the allegations are true.
The larger question is why the Republican Party supported him as a candidate in the first place. The Republicans should have rejected Moore based on his long, reprehensible political career prior to the latest charges. He has defied federal law and been removed from office twice for his unconstitutional actions. He has compared gay sex with bestiality, called Islam a false religion and said Muslims shouldn’t be allowed to serve in Congress. Moore said that 9/11 was punishment from God for America’s immoral behavior. Senator Roy Moore is just the latest example of many Republican politicians that betray the GOP’s claim as the model of family values.
How does today’s Republican Party make any credible claim as a guardian of family values and justify their support for accused child molester Roy Moore? The Moore case is just more evidence that the Republican Party is morally bankrupt. What possible definition of family values would condone Moore’s sexual encounter with a 14-year-old?
The Trump Presidency is proof that the Republicans’ brand of morality isn’t based on honesty, decency, truthfulness or good character. Trump’s statements on the Access Hollywood tape exposed his lack of any moral compass.
Trump: “I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her. You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”
Billy Bush: “Whatever you want?”
Trump: “Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything!”
One of the great curiosities to Democrats is how Republicans, especially evangelical Christian Republicans, could accept and support a president that boasted that he assaulted women. How can self-described protectors of family values approve of taped excerpts of Trump on the Hollywood Access tape?
A large percentage of the evangelical community proudly identifies as Republicans and voted for President Trump. The Republican Party in turn has long claimed moral superiority because their party has such strong support from born again, evangelical Christians. They accept a President that brags about grabbing women by their private parts. Now they have become the Party that makes excuses for accused child molesters like their Senatorial candidate Roy Moore. Moore boasts that he is an evangelical Christian and he founded a group called the Moral Foundation.
The Republican Party has forfeited any claim as the party of family values. The sexual behavior of Trump and Moore is just the most visible evidence of the Republicans moral bankruptcy. Their rejection of America’s basic moral principles goes far beyond just inappropriate sexual conduct.
President Trump as leader of the Republican Party isn’t just a model for indecency. He is undermining many of the moral foundations of our democracy. His serial untruthfulness isn’t a model any American family would be proud to teach their children. Trump has ended our long history of promoting human rights in our foreign policy. He defends the President of Russia who attacked our election process and belittles America’s intelligence community. Trump is retreating from our long international alliances and weakening our standing in the world. He is elevating and making excuses for some of the worlds’ worst dictators. Trump has apologized for white supremacists and Nazis while condemning American’s exercising freedom of speech. He is dismantling America’s essential protections that underlie the responsible stewardship of our natural environment. His refusal to act on gun violence as children are slaughtered in churches is more evidence of his moral defects.
All of these actions defy America’s historical moral positions and defy Christian traditions. The Republican Party’s support for President Trump has nullified their claim as the judge of American family values.
by Rick Smith
Posted 11/14/17
