Buchanan and Pratt
20 February, 1996
Dear Op-ed Editor,
A piece regarding the recent attacks on Buchanan and Pratt of Gun Owners of America with reference to a 15 Feb. release from GOA: “Pratt Answers False Attacks”
The shunning of Pat Buchanan, the outsider, is to be expected from insiders. The GOP political establishment shudders to think that the “unelectable” Buchanan might gain the nomination and lead the party to defeat against Clinton. A reasonable concern. But big wigs in the party are playing dirty with their fears. Bennett runs to Alexander and Gramm embraces Dole, both proclaiming respectively that Buchanan “flirts with fascism” and admits “racists and anti-Semites” in his campaign. The “race card” is that trump which the leftists play whenever they think it advantageous. Sadly, it has now become a dirty trick in the current internecine struggle for the nomination.
We noted with regret Wesley Pruden’s comments on the matter in the Washington Times (16 Feb.). As with any “revolution,” diverse factions will cross paths as they oppose the tyrant they have in common. One need not look all the way back to, say, the Russian Revolution with its mutually hostile Mensheviks, Bolsheviks, or Trudoviks. Our own Civil Rights movement leader, Martin Luther King, had his associations with communists and racists. A common oppressor brings those commonly oppressed together. The Russians had their Czar Nicholas. Black people had the Jim Crow laws. And the oppressor of Americans of all colors today is increasingly recognized by many to be their own federal government.
It can be expected that coalitions of diverse groups will join together to reduce the strength of the central government to allow for the local governments to pursue their own forms of diversity as the people deem fit. Maybe Marylanders like their legalized abortion, while Texans do not. Maybe folks would be willing to migrate to a state where the laws uphold their “core beliefs.” It is difficult to imagine the KKK and the Nation of Islam joining together to force the feds to allow themselves to live as separate races, but Klan leader Tom Metzger made such a gesture to Farrakhan a decade ago after the latter recommended dividing the states up according to race. And it is difficult to imagine Muslims forming a coalition with Christians to call for the federal government to back off its pro-abortion activism, but we have already witnessed Sun Myung Moon making inroads with the likes of CWA associate Tim LaHay in forming political action networks – also, a decade ago. If Moonies and Christians can work together against Communism, conceivably a coalition of Muslims and Christians could be formed on the basis of a common loathing of atheistic government. Even though each despises the other’s fundamental doctrines concerning the deity of Jesus, both have a moral and legal code much more in common than either have with the present Godless federal government.
The Christian Identity Movement (to which Pruden imagines to connect Buchanan through Pratt through one Pete Peters) is certainly heterodox. Like Armstrong’s World Wide Church of God it espouses a pseudo-history of the progeny of Israel’s tribes and a heretical view of certain national covenants – together known by students of religion as British-Israelism. The doctrine revisits speculation concerning the “lost tribes of Israel” which was quite popular even among our forefathers, including Ben Franklin. One of our own home-grown religious groups promulgating this doctrine – and which added a few other heresies (racist and otherwise) – is the Mormons. It is sad that these false teachings have been embraced by anyone; sadder still that they are upheld by political leaders like Orin Hatch. But everyone is accustomed to Mormons as they have assimilated to American culture: most have gradually abandoned the original written Mormon doctrines espousing polygamy and racism and have embraced revised “revelation.”
Mr. Pruden says that “it’s fair to judge a man by the company he keeps” and proceeds to admonish Buchanan for allowing such folks to associate with his campaign. But what shall we say, then, about the disgusting associates of our government leaders? Do our Congressmen associate with known adulterers, sodomites, and promoters of child-slaughter? Does association with communist Congressman Ron Dellums impugn the character of all Congressmen? Does association with sodomite Congressmen Frank and Studds defile the rest of Congress? Arguably so, according to Mr. Pruden’s standard. We look forward to seeing him apply it consistently. But, somehow, being a racist is not as bad these days as being an advocate for the right to commit sodomy or abort babies.
Mr. Buchanan, you need not run from the mud that the self-righteous race-baiters sling at you. Hold your ground and return the fire. Call them what they are: baby-killing, race-baiting, fornicating, communist, God-hating sodomites. Keep your head high. And relax.
Cordially,
Michael Bray, Editor
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