Focus On The Family’s James Dobson ain’t feeling the love from the Republican Party these days. In a New York Times op-ed today he confirms he will officially abandon the GOP if they nominate someone who does not represent “traditional family values.” And, he says, he’ll be taking 50-some Christian leaders with him:REPORTS have surfaced in the press about a meeting that occurred last Saturday in Salt Lake City involving more than 50 pro-family leaders. The purpose of the gathering was to discuss our response if both the Democratic and Republican Parties nominate standard-bearers who are supportive of abortion. Although I was neither the convener nor the moderator of the meeting, I’d like to offer several brief clarifications about its outcome and implications.
After two hours of deliberation, we voted on a resolution that can be summarized as follows: If neither of the two major political parties nominates an individual who pledges himself or herself to the sanctity of human life, we will join others in voting for a minor-party candidate. Those agreeing with the proposition were invited to stand. The result was almost unanimous.
The other issue discussed at length concerned the advisability of creating a third party if Democrats and Republicans do indeed abandon the sanctity of human life and other traditional family values. Though there was some support for the proposal, no consensus emerged.
Dobson rightfully observes that “winning the presidential election is vitally important, but not at the expense of what we hold most dear.” Let me be the first to congratulate Mr. Dobson and his fellow “pro-family” folks for standing up for their principles. (Those of you who may find these words self-serving should know my tongue is firmly lodged in my cheek at this moment.)
In fact, if anyone is self-serving, it’s James Dobson. A classic narcissist who can’t abide being ignored, he’s made a habit of threatening the Republican Party with defection if they don’t do his bidding, going back to 1998. Maybe the GOP just got tired of being bullied by this crank. Dobson is such an embrassment to the Christian Right that one of the co-founders of Focus On the Family even apologized to Christians and Americans for the monster he helped create:
When we began Focus, in 1977, the seven founders had only two objectives: (1) To help Americans raise their children and (2) to help us maintain our marriages. Millions of Americans would say that James Dobson has made a tremendous contribution in those two areas. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said regarding his harmful foray into big-time politics. I believe Dobson-style politics have been inept, simplistic, exclusionary, divisive and alarmingly sectarian. Mr. Dobson has shown little respect for our pluralistic system, for differing views or for the core skill of statecraftocompromise [sic] and consensus building. That is un-American.
In today’s op-ed, Dobson couldn’t resist a parting swipe at America, which has increasingly tuned out his nonsense:
The secular news media has been reporting in recent months that the conservative Christian movement is hopelessly fractured and internally antagonistic. The Los Angeles Times reported on Monday, for example, that supporters of traditional family values are rapidly “splintering.” That is not true. The near unanimity in Salt Lake City is evidence of much greater harmony than supposed.
Take that, RNC! That proves it! The fact that 50 pro-family folks agree with each other at a family values conference shows a shocking amount of unanimity among the millions of American Christians! He's got the power!
Wait ... what’s that sound I hear? Is that Republican Party crying into its hanky? Why no, it’s not. I do believe that’s James Dobson being shown the door. See-ya.
