Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 19, 1980)
Vol. 82, No. 55 Eugene, Oregon 97403 Wednesday, November 19, 1980 Moral Majority stirs up protestors Protest group says MM kills moral freedom By GABRIEL BOEHMER Of th« Emerald More than 500 protestors rallied in downtown Eugene Tuesday afternoon to protest a Moral Majority meeting in Springfield. Rally organizer Doug Anderson said responsible demonstration is the best way to protest the threat the Moral Majority’s poses — eliminating every one’s freedom of choice. The loosely knit organization of pro testors, Citizens United for Future Freedoms, isn’t affiliated with any par ticular political or religious group. CUFF was conceived "two beers and three Fridays ago,” Anderson said Many protestors carried signs that read: “Keep the church out of my bed,” “Stop Christian fascism,” "Gay rights are human rights’’ and "Christ was crucified by a moral majority." In opening the rally — dubbed "The First Annual Post-Election Blues Party” — organizer Bob Durnell said the Moral Majority has a foothold in Oregon. "Pull their (Moral Majority members) boots off and make them walk in the mud a little bit,” Durnell urged the crowd. Some local religious leaders joined the noontime assembly. Rev. Pete Peterson of Eugene’s Uni tarian Church told the crowd religious groups have tried to write their beliefs into law. "Creeds are tombstones that mark the place where people stop think ing," Peterson shouted. “McCarthyism taught us a lesson in the 1950s. We’ll never be silent again.” Although Peterson said he is fright ened by Reagan’s future choices of Su preme Court justices, he said the court can’t end discussion on any issue that already has been debated. “They could never close the door on abortion.” Resistance against groups like Moral Majority will swell in the future because "once you try and take freedom away people will respond," he said. University veteran Dave Eisenberg told the crowd his big concern is the Moral Majority’s support of increased defense spending. "I don’t think these people would know what national defense was if it hit them in the head,” Eisenberg said. “The Moral Majority is simplistic, uninformed and basically ignorant.” Eisenberg also questioned Reagan's ability to set American military policies. "Reagan’s entire military experience was making training movies." He also said the government spends more on military research than re searching alternative energy resources, and that the 1981 defense budget will cost each person $465. The Soviet Union is spending $1 billion a day to upgrade their nuclear arsenal, Eisenberg added. We should uphold the seperation of church and state because imposing religious beliefs on military policies is dangerous, he said. "Anytime you let religion mix with the military sector you get fanaticism — and fanaticism kills people "I'd prefer to call them the moral min ority.” Photo by David W Zahn More than 500 gathered in Eugene on Tuesday to protest a Moral Majority meeting being held in Springfield. The two sides traded barbs but not blows during the peaceful demonstration. Fishpac disputes narrow view Fishpac, a local "Christian political action committee," doesn't want to be confused with the Moral Majority. "We are absolutely not affiliated with Moral Majority in any way — nor do we wish to be," says Fishpac Director John Hubbird. "We don’t want to take the Moral Majority to task, although it's a temptation." Hubbird says he doesn't agree with the Moral Majority’s narrow Christian stands on political issues. “I question the wisdom of a hard and fast assumption that ali evangelical Christians should be pro-defense, pro nuclear arms buildup, against the Pan ama Canai Treaty and against recog nizing China." Fishpac supports candidates, not issues, Hubbird says. During Fishpac’s endorsement process for the 1980 election, candidates were asked ques tions about issues ranging from abor tion to gay rights “Our style is a little less antagonistic. The Moral Majority is more visible." At Fishpac’s October meeting, Sen Mark Hatfield, R-Ore., warned against Chrtistian political groups such as the Moral Majority that "baptize political issues with religion "The Christian community is not a monolith," Hatfield said MM organizer sets plans for statewide blitz By JEFF BAKER Of Hm Emerald The Moral Majority is on a mission from God, and Oregon is the next target in their nationwide crusade. State organizer Mike Gass of Medford met with a group of Lane County minis ters in Springfield Tuesday to "set up our statewide game plan.” Gass was reluctant to mention specifics, but he did say the Moral Majority has hired a lobbyist to work full time when the Oregon Legislature con venes in January. Legislative priorities for the group in clude voluntary prayer in public schools, opposition to gay rights, "pro-life” laws and the teaching of creationism along with evolution in the schools. "We re moving fast because we start ed late,” Gass said. Gass was less reticent in discussing exactly what the Moral Majority does stand for. “We believe in authoritative morality as set forth in the Bible. If you leave this meeting in your car and run a stop sign, you’ll have broken the traffic laws of this state. "We are simply moral people who want to get the country believing the moral laws of God." Gass denied that Moral Majority want ed to be the nation's moral traffic cop, saying members want to be considered "just another political force with a right to fight for what we believe.” The 1980 presidential election was a “referendum of moral people,” Gass said Spouting statistics that say 53 per cent of Americans have had a born-again experience and 90 percent believe the Ten Commandments supercede the law, Gass said the United States is on the way to becoming a moral nation again. “People in this country have gone down the trodden path of immorality too long.” The world is being turned around through the efforts of Moral Majority leader Jerry Falwell, Gass believes “He’s turning it around like the com munists are trying to do — by changing people’s beliefs." Gass traced America's moral decline to humanist, self-centered philosophies taught in public schools. “This country is listening to pseudo intellectuals, and someday they’ll be dead, thank God.” Sen. Mark Hatfield, R-Ore., who has criticized the Moral Majority for mixing religion and politics, also caught his share of Gass’ wrath. “I’m sure Sen. Hatfield believes he’s been born again, but when you look at the things he stands for, he’s a hypocrite." The Moral Majority is just beginning to tap their power in Oregon, Gass believes. With more than 3,000 churches in Oregon, each averaging 100 members, 300,000 voters can be influenced, he said As Gass left the Springfield restaurant, several people were picketing, one with a sign that read "Fascism is not moral." “You know,” Gass said, “I’d die for the right to keep doing this."
