A Tolerant Bigotry

On December 7, 2007 Mitt Romney gave a speech he called "Faith in America". Romney said he felt he had to answer the attacks that have been leveled at him regarding his religion of choice, Mormonism.

The newspapers, radio talk show jocks, television reporters and political pundits have all attributed Mike Huckabee's rise in the polls to his popularity among Evangelical Christians. The media and the left also advance the consensus that Romney will be rejected simply because he is Mormon. Unfortunately, there are a few cases where that may be true.

Today, I am waiting for further divisiveness among Christians of all faiths to become evident. For a few weeks I was an activist for Huckabee, a position I am renouncing as foolhardy. I have found that indeed, many of the former governor's avid supporters are Evangelical Christians. I have also encountered other people who hold other religious beliefs working in his campaign.

In a chat room for his supporters I recently announced I am of the Catholic faith. To my dismay I was "attacked" with a crude joke about St Mary, comments on idol worship, cannibalism and other Catholic perceptions. I also encountered a young Huckabee supporter who said she is an atheist but still supported his positions on the issues. Fortunately nothing was said until she left the room. Several members denounced her, with some cruelty, when she signed out. Shrouding this religious bigotry in biblical quotes did nothing to sooth my wounds.

This is a symptom of serious problems laying in wait for Huckabee fans. In his camp there are people of many faiths, as well as people who have none. I have heard a Muslim supporter and a Jewish rabbi on the Michael Medved talk radio show call in on Huckabee's behalf.

Religious bigotry has no place in a campaign, be it for a Mormon, a Baptist, a Catholic, a Jew, an agnostic or any other faith. Those who denounce Huckabee supporters for intolerance toward Romney's faith will soon notice the creeping conflicts from within if it not put to a full stop right now. Their observations will clarify as truth.

Evangelical Christians are in the public spotlight. There are people of other faiths who are just as curious about their religious tenets as they are about Mormonism. The media scrutiny about the political impact of the Evangelical movement drives many to ask, "Who are these people?" There are also many who simply dismiss them as the far right Republican base.

A poll from Rassmussen taken on December 7, 2007, shows they are 22% of Huckabee's base. The majority of people with Huckabee leanings have different beliefs. If these people wander into a chat room, read a blog, or visit a website that support him only to find religious bigotry, how will they react?

His supporters share one common goal, to see Mike Huckabee in the White House. Fortunately, for the other Republican candidates, internal religious resentments are endangering that goal. The slippery slope awaits.