Did you know that in Mobile, Ala., there were nine Republicans running in a special election last week to represent Alabama’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House.
And you’re probably are wondering why you should care about this if you don’t live in the State of Alabama.
You should care because one of these victorious candidates – Dean Young – challenged the other eight to sign a pledge saying that, if they get elected, they will take any and all active steps to oppose same-sex marriage.
“I’m against homosexuals pretending like they’re married,” Young told a local TV station back in August. “If you want to have homosexuals pretending like they’re married, then go to the Democrat party.”
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So here is Young’s pledge – in all its Alabama glory:
Pledge to Oppose Gay Marriage
By Dean Young, pledged to Traditional MarriageOur faith teaches us that marriage is defined as one man and one woman joining together in holy matrimony. The Defense of Marriage Act passed Congress and became law in hopes of protecting traditional marriage and against an activist homosexual marriage agenda. In June of this year the U.S Supreme Court declared the protections of DOMA unconstitutional.
The national Republican Party platform has a clear plank opposing gay marriage. The Alabama State Republican Executive Committee has on its agenda for its August 24 meeting a by-law change to expel any member who supports gay marriage, thereby contradicting the Republican position.
It is time for men and women of faith to stand for the founding Christian values and morals that made our nation great, to defend our families and the sacred holiness of marriage.
NOW THEREFORE THESE FOR CONGRESS IN
ALABAMA’S FIRST DISTRICT PLEDGE AS FOLLOWS:
- I believe that the only marriage is between one man and one woman.
- I believe the Biblical condemnation of homosexuality and thereby gay marriage.
- The tenants of my church oppose gay marriage.
- I oppose gay marriage.
- As a member of Congress, I shall take active steps to oppose gay marriage.
- I support the by-law change to expel any member of the Republican Executive Committee who opposes the party position by supporting gay marriage.
Although four of the candidates said they believe that marriage should be defined as between one man and one woman, they stopped short of signing this pledge. The remainder of the candidates did not responded to Mr. Young and his “pledge” and deck declining to comment.
Mr. Young has had his feet planted firmly in the religious rights camp for some time now. As the head of the Christian Family Association he advocated posting the Ten Commandments in public schoolrooms, and once called a rabbi “a leader of the forces of darkness” because the rabbi opposed an attempt to place a marble statue of the Ten Commandments in front of a Wisconsin courthouse.
Yes, times are changing, laws are changing — but the hearts and minds of some people might never change.
As hard as we’re fighting to make change, there are people fighting just as hard to keep things in their little world the same.
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The results of this special election held on September 25 had our Mr. Young finish in the top two with 25 percent of the vote.
He will now face Bradley Byrne in a runoff election on November 5. Byrne was one of the candidates who refused to comment on Young’s pledge.
Regardless, whichever of these Republican men win will be regarded as a shoe-in in the general election, as this Alabama district tends to vote Republican – Mitt Romney won this district in 2012 by a 25 percent margin.
Stupid is as Stupid does…
From Alabama with love: One congressional candidate’s pledge of hate