Michelle Malkin on the "mockery of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith"

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August 1, 2007 12:00 AM

Silently Martyred
Missionary blood spills, the world yawns.

By Michelle Malkin

The blood of innocent Christian missionaries spills on Afghan sands. The world watches and yawns. The United Nations offers nothing more than a formal expression of "concern." Where is the global uproar over the human-rights abuses unfolding before our eyes?

For two weeks, a group of South Korean Christians has been held hostage by Taliban thugs in Afghanistan. This is the largest group of foreign hostages taken in Afghanistan since Operation Enduring Freedom began in 2001. What was their offense? Were they smuggling arms into the country? No. Inciting violence? No. They were peaceful believers in Christ on short-term medical and humanitarian missions. Seventeen of the 23 hostages are females. Most of them are nurses who provide social services and relief.

Over the past few days, the bloodthirsty jihadists have demanded that South Korea immediately withdraw troops from the Middle East, pay ransom and trade the civilian missionaries for imprisoned Taliban fighters. The Taliban leaders have made good on threats to kill the kidnapped Christians while Afghan officials plead fecklessly that their monstrous behavior is "un-Islamic."

Two men, 29-year-old Shim Sung-min and 42-year-old Pastor Bae Hyeong-gyu, have already been shot to death and dumped in the name of Allah. Bae was a married father with a nine-year-old daughter. According to Korean media, he was from a devout Christian family from the island province of Jeju. He helped found the Saemmul Church south of Seoul, which sent the volunteers to Afghanistan.

Across Asia, media coverage is 24/7. Strangers have held nightly prayer vigils. But the human-rights crowd in America has been largely AWOL. And so has most of our mainstream media. Among some of the secular elite, no doubt, is a blame-the-victim apathy: The missionaries deserved what they got. What were they thinking bringing their message of faith to a war zone? Didn't they know they were sitting ducks for Muslim head-choppers whose idea of evangelism is "convert or die"?

I noted the media shoulder-shrugging about jihadist targeting of Christian missionaries five years ago during the kidnapping and murder of American Christian missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham in the Philippines. The silence is rooted in viewing committed Christians as alien others. At best, there is a collective callousness. At worst, there is outright contempt — from Ted Turner's reference to Catholics as "Jesus freaks" to CBS producer Roxanne Russell's casual insult of former GOP presidential candidate Gary Bauer as "the little nut from the Christian group" to the mockery of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney's Mormon faith.

Curiously, those who argue that we need to "understand" Islamic terrorists demonstrate little effort to "understand" the Christian evangelical missionaries who risk their lives to spread the gospel — not by sword, but through acts of compassion, healing and education. An estimated 16,000 Korean mission workers risk their lives across the globe — from Africa to the Middle East, China, and North Korea.

These are true practitioners of a religion of peace, not the hate-mongers with bombs and AK-47s strapped to their chests who slay instead of pray their way to martyrdom.

© 2007 CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.

from: mdroney

I like Mitt Romney more and more each time I hear him speak. Here's an example:

Today, Mitt put forth a great idea. To summarize, he feels it's time for America to put forth a "Surge of Support" to match the troop surge. Great Idea. Here's how you can help: click here.

In addition to the support organizations Romney has posted on his web site, I'd add 2 more that my wife and I have made contributions to:

Wounded Warrior Project

and

Soldier's Angels

These are great ways to make your own surge of support. Every little bit helps.

If I might be so bold as to suggest it, let's all make an effort over the next month to do something individually to create an "Abolition Of Man" Support Surge. We can write and read about this stuff day in and day out. But when we make a contribution to support the hard work our men and women are doing in faraway lands, we can truly make a difference.

Post comments if you have other worthy "Support Surge" causes or if you want to tell the audience how you made your own surge of support. Keep the ideas flowing. I think Mitt is onto something, here.

The Refreshing Strategy of Mitt Romney

The Refreshing Strategy of Mitt Romney

Posted by MatthewLee @ 1:58 pm | Categories: Uncategorized, Politics | `

I haven't decided on a candidate for 08 yet, but if Mitt Romney continues making moves like these, he will quickly win my support.

The candidates for President already have a platform, and as such they already have a position of influence. The way they use that position of influence says a lot about them–will they simply use it as a tool to get into the presidency, or do they care enough about the causes they support to use their platforms to do something for them?
Romney's "surge of support" idea for the troops is a good one, but it doesn't go far enough. While he's devoted some web space to linking to organizations that support the troops, why not actually set up a "one-stop donation page" for those organizations as well? Real-estate on the web is cheap, and I doubt such a move would take dollars from his campaign. If nothing else, it would turn his website into something more than a campaign plank and make it useful for people to get involved in moving forward the platform he is espousing.

This sort of strategy seems risky for a Presidential candidate, as it may be relegated to the dustbin of "good ideas that never caught on." Such a failure could be fodder for opponents.

But in a campaign that is now approaching a year old, I'm a little sick of hearing everyone talk. Seeing a presidential candidate actually try to do something with his influence is, if nothing else, refreshing.

(HT:  Hugh)

Romney Further Reinforces My Support

It's odd, but every once in a while, a politician will say what I'm thinking. And I like that in a politician. Things like that make me want to vote for them.

For instance, Mitt Romney has recently made some statements that I whole-heartedly agree with.

When it comes to immigration, Mitt said "We should put in place an employment verification system…and then, when an employer is thinking of hiring someone, the federal database immediately tells them whether they're available to be working or not. If they're not, you can't hire them."

Either Mitt Romney is stealing my ideas or we're on the same page!

click here for more...

A Surge Of Support

A Surge Of Support

When I was recently in Colorado Springs, I spoke with a man whose son is serving in Iraq. He said the criticism at home of the war effort was demoralizing. He made the point that as our fighting men and women are defending our liberties overseas, we as Americans need to stand by them. Afterwards, my nephew suggested there should be a "surge of support" to go along with the troop surge. I told him that I couldn't agree more. This is why I'm writing on the blog today and sending this message out to all of Team Mitt. 

 With many views being offered for how to handle the war in Iraq, I've been supportive of giving the troop surge on the ground in Iraq a chance to take effect. We owe that to our men and women in the military who are making the sacrifices they are today.

There is no guarantee that the new strategy pursued by General Petraeus will ultimately succeed, but the stakes are too high and the potential fallout too great to deny our military leaders and troops on the ground the resources and the time needed to give them an opportunity to succeed. 

While some Democrats in Congress say they support the troops who are making these sacrifices, many don't support the work they are doing to make the surge a success.

Representative Clyburn, the third-highest ranking House Democrat, said it would be "a real big problem" for Democrats if progress is made in Iraq. That's not a problem but good news for all Americans.

Please take some time today and join a nationwide surge of support for our troops. This is something that all Americans need to come together on. You don't play politics with foreign policy, particularly when men and women are taking bullets in Iraq for America.

There are many ways you can show that you appreciate the surge of sacrifice that so many men and women are making today. Get started and join the surge of support today.

Posted at 2007-08-01 12:29:30 by Mitt Romney

DEL.ICIO.US    FACEBOOK

Comments

 

I like the idea! We give to the "Treats for Troops" program. It is a lot of fun to shop for items at the site and then they ship it all off for you. Thanks for all you are doing. Go Mitt!!

Posted by Amy at 2007-08-01 13:56:16

This would make a good commercial to get out the word to support our troops. We plan on joining the surge of support. Thank you for your efforts.

Posted by Kim at 2007-08-01 13:01:40

Will Thompson Tip His Hand?

Will Thompson Tip His Hand?

He's raising money and he's on the campaign trail, but Fred Thompson's decision to retain his status as a non-candidate is creating a series of interesting disclosure issues. (Reuters).

The argument is on about whether former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson's early fundraising was a solid showing for an undeclared candidate for the presidency or a disappointing performance from someone projected as a top-tier contender. But today, another question looms over the non-candidate: Could it be the last disclosure we see from Thompson until votes have already been cast in critical contests next year?

In a filing to the Internal Revenue Service, Thompson revealed that he had raised $3.4 million during June for his anticipated campaign for the GOP presidential nomination, relying heavily on donors from his home state of Tennessee (As an undeclared contender, Thompson is not yet subject to Federal Election Commission scrutiny of his fundraising and spending). Now, Thompson's decision to remain officially on the sidelines until at least September has kindled speculation that he could march through the Iowa caucuses and primaries in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida without identifying any more of his donors.

Campaign finance experts said yesterday that if Thompson were to wait until Sept. 6 to launch a campaign, he would be legally permitted to delay filing a finance report with the Federal Election Commission until Jan. 31.

"Thompson seems to have found a way to skirt the requirement to disclose whose funding his campaign," said Ellen Miller, executive director of the non-partisan Sunlight Foundation. "It would be hugely disturbing to think he could become a competitive candidate without ever having to disclose the source of his money."

When asked about that potential, Thompson campaign officials stressed his commitment to disclosure. A source close to the campaign acknowledged that Thompson advisers are aware that such a delay might be legal, but said the former senator has no intention of exploiting it.

Thompson's posture -- that he is still "testing the waters" to determine if he should seek the White House -- has not only left him free from the campaign finance disclosure rules faced by declared candidates. He is also able to avoid filing a personal financial disclosure form detailing his personal holdings and assets. Because he has not officially in the race, he can stay out of the crush of debates scattered across the calendar. And as a non-candidate he has not yet run afoul of Federal Communications Commission rules that might prevent him from continuing to collect the income he earns from rebroadcasts of "Law & Order" episiodes in which he appeared.

But every day he remains outside the field of declared candidates, he further tests the limits of FEC rules about what constitutes a candidacy. While some campaigns have grumbled about this for weeks, more legal questions about his non-candidacy surfaced with the release of his June donor list to the IRS yesterday.

The disclosure, for example, included $72,000 in contributions designated for use in the general election. FEC rules say that when candidates "test the waters" they cannot raise more money than they could reasonably be expected to be used for exploratory activities or amass funds intended to be used once they are a candidate.

"General election money is clearly money that would be spent after you become a candidate," said Larry Noble, a former FEC general counsel who is now in general practice. "I think that's problematic. Clearly it's a red flag."

Thompson's camp was also touting it's low "burn rate" yesterday, telling reporters in a press release that the Tennessean has maintained a frugal operation, spending only 18 percent of the funds he has raised. Again, Noble said, it's an unusual message given that FEC regulations prohibit marshaling resources for an eventual campaign.

Linda Rozett, a campaign spokeswoman, said the campaign has not sought general election funds, and some donors simply chose to make those contributions. The purpose of the exploratory effort, she said, is to "assess political support and financial support for a candidacy. If those who give, chose to give above the limit, we follow the rules and hold it aside."

"The testing the waters committee is conducting itself in a completely straightforward manner," Rozett said. "Sen. Thompson and the committee are following all the rules and regulations governing their activities."

-- Matthew Mosk