Karl Rove, Christianity, Nastiness and Historical Cycles...

As I handle a number of on-line newspapers I get tons of press releases. I'm seeing more and more releases like the one below. We are becoming more and more polarized. Christians are complaining more and more about being denied basic free-speech. Double standards abound. There's more and more nastiness.

I'm a so-so student of history, read a bit, loved it in school... we're in a cycle and it isn't a good one. Who knows whether we're going to repeat a historical cycle, be a blip in the history books someday (written in spanish? chinese? arabic?).

Not only am I seeing more of the ugliness, the attacks, the stories like the one below, but I'm also hearing more and more folks talking about the U.S. going down the tubes. There's an old saying that if you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything. Is the U.S. heading for a fall? We're certainly sending the world a mixed message about what we stand for in this great country.

Here's the release that sparked this blog:

"Students Attack Karl Rove with No Arrests Made"

Law enforcement officials are now responding to events bases on the political beliefs and viewpoint of demonstrators rather than their actions," states Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition

WASHINGTON, Apr. 4 /Standard Newswire/ -- Lawlessness and discrimination reign in Washington, D.C. Students violently attack White House Advisor Karl Rove with no arrests made. See today's news coverage: USA Today -- Karl Rove heckled and pelted on college campus (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6rqql5bab.0.idirl5bab.hl94yxbab.13633&ts=S0235&p=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.usatoday.com%2Fondeadline%2F2007%2F04%2Fkarl_rove_heckl.html) and NBC TV-4 video -- Students Pelt Karl Rove In Protest (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6rqql5bab.0.jdirl5bab.hl94yxbab.13633&ts=S0235&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbc4.com%2Fnews%2F11516096%2Fdetail.html)

Meanwhile peaceful Christians are threatened with arrest and ordered to stop praying on a Capitol Hill public sidewalk during a Stations of the Cross Celebration last week (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6rqql5bab.0.kdirl5bab.hl94yxbab.13633&ts=S0235&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.christiannewswire.com%2Fnews%2F821612645.html).

The Christian Defense Coalition has written a letter to the Library of Congress seeking a public apology and clarification concerning the unconstitutional disruption of public prayer.

The Coalition is being representing by the American Center for Law and Justice and will seek further federal legal action if the matter cannot be resolved. See the letter online at www.earnedmedia.org/libraryletter.htm (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6rqql5bab.0.ldirl5bab.hl94yxbab.13633&ts=S0235&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.earnedmedia.org%2Flibraryletter.htm)

Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, comments:"There is now a new standard in Washington, D.C. concerning public demonstrations and political gatherings. If you are involved in an anti-war protest, you can violently attack White House officials with no arrests. You can spray-paint the United States Capitol with no arrests or consequences. You can disrupt news conferences with no arrests. And, you can take over congressional offices with no arrests. Meanwhile, if you peacefully chose to exercise your First Amendment rights by praying in the public square you are ordered to stop, are harassed and threatened with arrest."

Law enforcement officials are now responding to events based on the beliefs and political views of demonstrators, rather than their actions. This kind of discrimination is both unconstitutional and dangerous and brings us back to a tragic time when people were arrested simply because of their skin color.

"Is there any person out there who believes, that Christians or conservatives would not have been immediately arrested if they had violently attacked Speaker Pelosi or spray painted the United States Capitol Building? Could you imagine the response of law enforcement officers if pro-life demonstrators had shouted down a news conference by Senator Hillary Clinton?"