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06/27/2007
The power to dePress: AFA extends duplicitous reach
So as you know, the American Family Association and other "pro-family" groups have been lying right and left far right about proposed hate crimes legislation, claiming such would prevent their right to preach against homosexuality. And while it's always disconcerting to see such fallacy come from anyone, when it comes from the AFA we are really not all that surprised. They, after all, have turned extremist demonization into a less-than-fine art.
But for those of you who wonder why we even give credence to these silly groups, as you think that nobody takes them seriously -- well, consider this image just sent to us by a reader. This is an ad that, according to our tipster, is running in three different newspapers in and around her Virginia hometown:
Yes, churches in Virginia (and presumably other areas) are just passing off the AFA's deceptive "Action Alerts" and fallacious talking points as facts in full page newspaper ads. They, while likely knowing the actuality of the situation, are telling citizens that bills that are truly meant to curb bais-motivated violence would prevent them from their right to pray as they please. Knowing they have no ACTUAL legs to stand on, they are relying on a duped angry mob to protest truly righteous legislation. They can't get us on the actual issues at hand, so they instead expel some fake ones from their fanny.
Ugh, with a capital "Have you no decency?"
Ya know, For some reason this whole thing makes us think of false witnesses and bears. Not sure why.
AFA-crafted ad [Leesburg Today clipping]
**One point of interest: As you will notice in the above clipping, the talking point being passed around is that "[t]he proposed law would make it a crime to preach on Romans Chapter 1 or I Corinthians Chapter 6. Or even to discuss them in a Sunday School class." However, if you look at the AFA's online version of that same message, they use the more mealy-mouthed line (capitalization our own): "The proposed law COULD make it a crime to preach on Romans Chapter 1 or I Corinthians Chapter 6. Or even to discuss them in a Sunday School class."
What gives, AFA? Is it that you want to leave some wiggle room in the version that will most readily be scrutinized? yea, we're going to go with that.
Your thoughts
The summary of the bill provided by the American Family Association is almost as long as the actual bill, without ever acutely talking about it. Fear and lies are such easy tools of motivation when you control the information. Its sad how good they are getting at it.
Posted by: Patrick B | Jun 27, 2007 9:00:19 PM
Maybe we should be flooding the churches' email boxes with, you know, the TRUTH.
Posted by: Wade, MD | Jun 27, 2007 9:28:32 PM
In your "point of interest" should say "would" in the first quote (the one from the ad), it says "could" now. A good point though, and it makes me wonder, can you get in trouble for running a political ad that's simply untrue (as the claim about restricting preaching certainly is)?
Posted by: werdna | Jun 28, 2007 8:55:39 AM
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