Is Pat Robertson a bad American? The reason I ask is that this week he suggested that the State Department should be blown up with a nuclear weapon.
Two years ago that might have been routine cant from those in the hard-right who claim to be Christians. Surely, after Sept. 11, decent Americans wouldn’t engage in such extreme and violent rhetoric, especially if claiming the moral authority of a religious creed. For Pete’s sake, soldiers were getting shot at and killed fighting for the country in Iraq even as Robertson called for nuking the State Department.
If John Ashcroft thinks that criticizing administration policies “gives aid and comfort to the enemy,” then by his standards, Robertson must have had Osama and Saddam, wherever they are, quivering with joy.
In this case, moreover, Robertson can’t claim his mistake was inadvertent. You may recall that Robertson claimed that “pagans, abortionist, gays and lesbians ” caused Sept. 11 to happen. The outcry over this statement was so great that Robertson was forced to apologize.
Surely, he’d remember that. I can’t speak to his qualifications as a pastor, and although I don’t suspect the Jesus I pray to is too fond of nukes as a form of domestic political opposition, the state of Robertson’s soul is a matter best left to the divinity to assess.
However, I do think it’s OK to call Robertson out on his conduct as a political commentator. It stinks. It’s unpatriotic, and it’s un-American.
Margaret Imber, Turner
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