Quote:
Originally posted by adduncan
This is only half of it. There is also a "Religious Left" that aligns itself with the Democratic Party that gets very little criticism.
Example: Rev Al Sharpton. Now if a Republican "Reverend" were running for any office, he/she would be shredded for mixing religion and politics. But hey, he's a Democrat-- you can practically hear the crickets chirping.
Also, in major elections in my neck of the woods (Governor and higher) you will see Democratic candidates campaigning IN CHURCHES during CHURCH SERVICES, with the pastor of said church campaigning from the pulpit. I'll never forget the film footage of Ann Richards speaking from a Baptist pulpit in Houston, and little girls in their Sunday best dresses holding campaign picket signs in the front row.
Separation of church and state? Not for these folks. But that's OK--they're Democrats.
I'd be more willing to talk any inappropriate church/state mixing on the Republican side if the Democrats fessed up on this little tactic.
--add
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Still, you have to admit there's a difference between reaching out to the religious and reaching out towards the religious right. Both parties have been doing the former for years, and I don't think that there's anything wrong with it. But reaching out to the religious right was a pretty gutsy move on Bush's part and I'm continually surprised that it hasn't backfired on him.
Plus, Democrats are often given the benefit of the doubt when it comes to religion because they aren't a party that is traditionally associated with mixing church and state. But that's the case with a lot of issues across the board for both parties.