Truth Wins Out’s acclaimed Center Against Religious Extremism (TWOCARE), offers original, in-depth, and on-site reporting.

“Please, come join us,” insisted an attractive college student flashing her bright Aquafresh smile.

Before I was able to decline her friendly invitation I was gently pulled into a large prayer circle of thirty or so Charismatic Christians. “I’m sorry my hand is sweaty,” the girl said with a sheepish grin.

Those were the last words she spoke that I understood. We quickly surrounded a handful of young preachers who whooped and hollered before surrendering English for the unintelligible language of tongues.  The manic participants sounded like a cross between a prayer service and a Native American tribe preparing for battle.

Eventually, they raised their hands toward the sky pointing to God, which allowed me to escape and enter the seating area at Ford Field, where Lou Engle, founder of The Call, had gathered 27,000 fundamentalist Christians from across the nation on 11.11.11, a date that came to him in what he believes to be a divinely inspired vision. The majority of the crowd was Caucasian, however a significant number were African American. There was a large youth component, but the age of participants reached across the spectrum.

While I can’t speak for the entire conference, which was a 24-hour call to fast and prayer, I did spend 14 hours at Ford Field watching sermons, surveying sideshows, videotaping the gathering, and interacting with the hyped-up crowd. So, my observations, while not complete, do offer a significant snapshot of the 11.11.11 Detroit rally.

In a press release prior to the event I wrote that I expected 11.11.11 Detroit to be a “gay bashing” and “Muslim trashing” extravaganza. After all, The Call had chosen Detroit as its rally site in an effort to convert the region’s estimated 150,000 to 200,000 Muslims.

The Associated Press reported that Apostle Ellis Smith, Engle’s local “point person” for The Call, referred to Islam in a sermon leading up to the revival as a “false,” “lame” and “perverse” religion.

Engle had previously held an infamous event in Uganda that whipped up anti-gay hysteria. In 2008, the electrifying preacher organized a rally at San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium in support of Proposition 8, a successful measure to prohibit marriage equality in California.

To my surprise, the festivities, which were aired on God TV, were appreciably toned down. Sure, there was red meat on the menu, but it was not the all-you-can-eat buffet that I had come to expect from Engle and other leaders of the 7 Mountains Movement (aka The New Apostolic Reformation) that he is a key part of.

Indeed, most of the aspersions on Friday evening and Saturday were deliberately cast though euphemism. Homosexuality was never explicitly mentioned, but was instead lumped together with other “sins” under the umbrella of “sexual immorality.” Other times, speakers camouflaged their anti-gay agenda by simply saying they supported “traditional marriage.” During the entire time I observed the event there was not one reference to healing homosexuality and no “ex-gays” were trotted up on the stage to tell tales of how they “prayed away the gay.”

However, the Detroit Free Press reported that Apostle Smith claimed that at the event, “a lesbian came from the homosexual community and said she has never experienced such love. And she is now working to change her lifestyle.”

(I’m sure this alleged lesbian was very stable and well adjusted because it is common for healthy and secure LGBT people to spend weekends attending revivals that consider them demonic.)

The conversion of Muslims was also downplayed and “Dearborn,” referring to the Detroit suburb with perhaps the nation’s largest Muslim population, euphemistically replaced the word “Islam.”

It took several hours to figure out what was really going on – but I gasped when the disturbing pattern finally revealed itself. This elaborate show had all the trappings of a modern religious revival – from the thumping music to the two gargantuan video screens suspended above the enraptured audience. But this ostensibly religious event was little more than a political front.

Its real aim was to peel African American support away from the Democratic Party in a swing state during a critical election year. Not only is President Barack Obama’s reelection at stake, Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow is locked in a tight race that includes social conservative and former GOP Rep. Peter Hoekstra. This cynical revival was not about “values” — it was about votes. It was not about worship, but winning office for Republicans by promoting what writer Ed Kilgore called in The New Republic, a “big-God, small-government creed.”

The amazing part was that the audience seemed totally unaware of the underlying motives and machinations. After all, the words “Democrat” and “Republican” were never spoken and there was only one local politician identified on-stage. It seemed that even some of the minor speakers might not have been privy to the overarching strategy. Nonetheless, a brilliant display of political subterfuge was unfolding as the oblivious crowd bopped to Christian rock with their hands swaying above their heads.

This is not the first attempt of white fundamentalists to lure black voters away from the Democratic Party. Immediately following the 2004 presidential election, social conservatives made a strong push to lure African-Americans. Rev. Lou Sheldon, founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center hate group, The Traditional Values Coalition, hosted a right wing meeting of 70 black religious leaders in Los Angeles.

“In 2004, the religious right was concerned about re-electing George W. Bush,” said Al Sharpton at First Iconium Baptist Church. “They couldn’t come to black churches to talk about the war, about health care, about poverty. So they did what they always do and reached for the bigotry against gay and lesbian people.”

Unbelievably, at the Los Angeles meeting Sheldon played an anti-gay video featuring disgraced Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss. Remember, Lott had to step down as Senate Majority Leader after he publicly pined over Strom Thurmond not winning the presidency as a Dixiecrat. African-American columnist Leonard Pitts put Sheldon’s power grab in perspective:

“Whether the issue was slavery, segregation, lynching, voting rights or housing discrimination, social conservatives have always taken a position that history later judged to be ignorant and flat-out wrong….which leaves me at a loss to understand why any African American possessed of a functioning brain would give this atavistic bunch the time of day.”

Still, the attempt was gaining some momentum until Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, which badly frayed the burgeoning unholy alliance. The effort was further hampered by the emergence of Barack Obama as the Democratic standard bearer.

In this renewed effort in Detroit, Lou Engle and his minions were smart. They wisely figured out that direct attacks on the Democratic Party would not fly, nor would all-out verbal barrages against President Barack Obama, who still has strong African American support. They also understood that the baggage surrounding white Evangelical racism would have to be addressed and surmounted before real progress was made.

To overcome these obstacles and recruit African Americans to vote for the GOP they devised what seems like a five-part strategy.

1) Pick a key swing state with a beleaguered city that had an economically disadvantaged African American population

2) Create an emotional spectacle where tearful white people pleaded for forgiveness and repented onstage for past racism

3) Sharply define new wedge issue(s) and create a racially-based conspiracy theory that could ultimately be used against the Democratic Party

4) Exploit these emerging wedge issue(s) to the point they become more important than fixing the economy

5) Redefine voting criteria so candidates are primarily judged by where they stand on these wedge issue(s) – with the ultimate goal of leading many African Americans to conclude that they are best represented by the conservative GOP.

Lou Engle understands that much of Michigan is conservative. If he were able to peel off fifteen or twenty percent of Detroit’s black Democratic vote, he might be able to turn the state solidly red. The main wedge issue he selected to accomplish his plan is abortion. For good measure, he helped weave a conspiracy theory: Sinister white bigots who run programs like Planned Parenthood were using abortion to reduce African American birthrates.

“What Birmingham is to the civil rights movement, Detroit is to abortion,” bellowed Engle at the event. “Detroit has a calling…blacks and Latinos could lead the parade of history.”

Engle’s message was aided by a parade of socially conservative African American ministers.  One preached that black people must choose “BC (Biblical Correctness) over PC (Political Correctness).” The subtext was that the pro-life GOP is on the side of the Bible and thus should be the party of African Americans. Another pastor was even more explicit when he declared that African Americans had a choice: “God’s way or a political party’s way.” (Read More)

For all the talk of a conservative resurgence prior to mid-term elections, there is mounting evidence that the movement is losing steam.

The Virginian-Pilot reports that a major event for social conservatives, Freedom Fest 2010, was held on Sunday evening in Old Dominion University’ Ted Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk. Despite much-ballyhooed speaking appearances by right wing rock stars, Oliver North, former Sen. George “macacca” Allen and Sarah Palin, attendance was a great disappointment.

The audience filled less than one-third of the arena, but many who showed up said they were looking for something to cheer.

The news report does say that the crowd was “boisterous” and spent most of its time attacking Barack Obama. This is important, because all too often the media confuses rowdy Tea Bagger crowds with genuine popular support. But, if the religious right (with the star power of Palin and North) can’t even fill an arena in Old Dominion — then they are not as strong as they would have us believe. In fact, the evidence suggests a force in decline – albeit one that is still extremely strong and volatile.

Indeed, Truth Wins Out has attended several right wing rallies in the past few months that were complete busts. Here is my observation from a recent event I attended:

Early this morning, I went to the heavily promoted, “May Day 2010: A Cry To God For A Nation In Distress.” It was organized by Janet Porter (formerly Folger in red jacket) who is best known for running the failed “ex-gay” Truth in Love ad campaign in 1998.

The event was a bust. Less than 300 (not official count, but my own estimate) people turned out in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington today to hear a star-studded line-up of evangelists and right wing political leaders. Organizers claimed from the stage that the event cost $70,000, so they had clearly expected an impressive turnout.

Another conference, “The Awakening” at the late Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University in April also failed to attract a sizable audience, even though it was packed with notable anti-gay activists.

Anyway, back to the Old Dominion wing nut wingding. Here is a quote from a couple who are allegedly Democrats who must be moonlighting at the GOP. Check out this quote:

“We’ve been registered Democrats for 30 years,” said Ronnie Cooper, who drove up with his wife from Currituck County, N.C. “The party has lost its way. It’ been taken over by a bunch of left-leaning, socialist ideologues. Sarah Palin and the tea party look like the answer.”

Yeah, right. These were Democrats who were so disillusioned that Sarah Palin sounded like she was the answer. Are we supposed to believe this?

At the rally, Palin repeated her usual militaristic drivel.

“Don’t retreat. Don’t retreat,” she said. “Just reload. That’ what we’ve got to do.”

And there were the predictable attacks on Obama:

“He sees a country that has to be apologized for around the world, especially to dictators,” the former Alaska governor said. “We want to be a dominant superpower. It’ in America’ best interest and the world’ that we are.”

Disgraced former Sen. George Allen threw out some red meat, since there must have not been any minorities to insult:

“We’re sick and tired of being jerked around ” by foreign dictators in order to get their oil, Allen said.

Oliver North continued the nationalistic chest-thumping:

“America has nothing to apologize for,” North said.

The newspaper brings up a good point when it discusses the fact that Right Wing political stars have essentially privatized politics and charge a pretty penny:

Audience members paid between $33 and $133 for seats in the arena; a few ponied up $1,000 to $1,200 for VIP tickets that allowed them to pose for photos with Palin and North.

Palin’ Norfolk appearance, her first since a 2008 Virginia Beach campaign swing, was one of three paid appearances in a few days. On Saturday, she spoke at The Oil Palace arena in Tyler, Texas, and is scheduled to appear Tuesday in the Gwinnett Center arena in suburban Atlanta.

Despite the public’ willingness to compensate Palin and other political figures to hear their thoughts, Quentin Kidd, a political science professor at Christopher Newport University, said he’ not enthused about the practice.

“In the old days, when a political cause or a campaign held a rally, the attendees could feel pretty confident that they were all motivated by the same cause,” he said.

But when the political faithful are buying tickets to hear speakers at a for-profit event, it can be hard to tell “if the organization or speaker was motivated by the same cause or if they’re simply motivated by a paycheck,” Kidd said. “It’ a pretty important and significant shift away from the normal political event.”

This garbage – coming from North, Allen and Palin – is what one of our major parties has been reduced to. Quite tragic…and dangerous. A nation that elevates such small minds simply can’t remain a successful and powerful country.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Religious Right Leader Admits That Anti-Gay War Is Lost Without a Miracle

TWO Special Report: Inside “The Awakening’ Conference In Lynchburg

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Truth Wins Out’ founder and Executive Director Wayne Besen spent two days in Lynchburg, Va., to observe a major Religious Right conference, “The Awakening”, which featured many of the religious right’ biggest stars. TWO released a full report on the event, which can be viewed at www.TruthWinsOut.org. The symposium revealed that anti-gay rhetoric was on the decline and no longer the far right’ number one priority.

“While the sheer number of anti-gay attacks had decreased from past conferences, the remaining rhetoric was vicious and vile, as our desperate opponents see they are losing the battle of public opinion,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out.

The sullen mood over losing ground was best summarized by Lou Engle of “The Call”. During a breakout session on the “LGBT Agenda”, he acknowledged that when he preaches against LGBT issues, Christian youth often “rage against him.” Engle said that the far right has lost on this issue barring a miracle. One idea floated by Engle to turn the tide was creating an intercession by holding a 500,000 strong youth rally.

“If Lou Engle is wondering how his movement lost the current generation of youth, it is because the hatred and hyperbole spewed by anti-gay activists is incongruous with reality,” said TWO’ Wayne Besen in the report. “Many teenagers, including evangelicals, have friends who come out of the closet at early ages. They listen to the slurs and the slander at such conferences and know, based on real life experience, that they are hearing lies. Such cognitive dissonance is costing evangelical leaders enormous credibility”.

At the same breakout session, Rena Lindevaldsen, a law school professor at Liberty University, revealed that the anti-gay lobby’ strategy to defeat the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is, “letting people see how the kids are affected…it’ an unhealthy lifestyle.” ENDA is a federal bill that would prohibit job discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Another breakout session, “Pastors and Political Activity”, urged fundamentalist Christians to use stealth tactics to infiltrate public schools. A man in his 20′ spoke up during the Q&A period and claimed that the panelists were not trying hard enough to get into classrooms. He alleged that through his youth ministry, “we’ve been to 330 schools and only two asked us to leave.”

Upon hearing this, Dr. Rick Scarborough, Vision America, cheered these youth and said, “We need more special forces like yourself”, and then spoke of the importance of engaging in “guerilla warfare”. Rev. Rick Joyner, Morningstar Ministries, chimed in that fundamentalists should “come in undercover.” For example, a fundamentalist could go in to speak “as an athlete”, but really be in the schools to push a sectarian message.

“It is disgraceful that these supposed moral leaders would use chicanery to promote Christianity,” said TWO’ Besen. “It seems that the ends justify the means and these zealots will do almost anything, no matter how dishonest, to proselytize to captive audiences at public schools.”

Energized by the Tea Party, many people in Lynchburg pledged not to automatically give their votes to Republican candidates without assurances that they would champion rigid conservative positions on social issues.

“Our loyalty belongs to Jesus Christ, not to any party,” said Dr. Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention. He added in a breakout session that, “The black community has been used and exploited by the Democratic Party. The goal is to make sure Christians are not exploited by the Republican Party.”

“While conventional wisdom has the energy on the far right helping Republicans, it could easily backfire and split the GOP,” said TWO’ Besen. “Republicans are playing with fire by thinking they can control the combustible right wing activists that I observed.”

Truth Wins Out is a non-profit organization that defends the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community against anti-gay misinformation campaigns, counters the so-called “ex-gay” industry and educates about the lives of LGBT people. Our goal is to help individuals be true to themselves and lead genuine lives of honesty and integrity.

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(The Awakening Conference was sponsored by the Freedom Federation and held April 15-16 at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, VA. Truth Wins Out’s founder Wayne Besen reports live from the event )

If the Religious Right fringe one day establishes a theocracy in America, no one will be able to credibly claim that they did not explicitly broadcast their dubious intentions. Having just spent two days at “The Awakening” conference at the late Rev. Jerry Falwell’ Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia, one message was unmistakable: Many key Religious Right figures vehemently reject separation of church and state and believe America is a fundamentalist Christian nation.

“The Bible is the government of the people, by the people and for the people,” thundered Cindy Jacobs of General’ International from the stage. “I believe there is an awakening to do just that.”

What’ frightening is that many leaders on the Religious Right hold a basic belief system that is seemingly incompatible with democratic forms of government. Their central tautological argument is that liberty originated from God and so the only way to be truly free is through a theocratic system that honors the creator of freedom.

Huh? Exactly.

According to this mindset, God has ordained the faithful to be in positions of leadership, rendering any form of government that does not elevate these “chosen ones” or reflect their extreme views as illegitimate.

The Saturday night rally began with a surprising controversy. Lou Engle (pictured), the constantly rocking, intense, mustachioed cleric of The Call with the booming voice of a professional wrestler declared, “We are here to honor all denominations. There will be no tongues tonight.”

This left many in the audience offended, and well, tongue-tied. In a huff, several people stormed out of the main chapel. Sensing a gaffe, Engle soon reappeared on-stage and happily declared, “I apologize, we can speak in tongues!”

At this heavily advertised event, there was no shortage of the paranoid and prejudiced. But, one pleasant surprise was that attacks on LGBT people were on the decline. The crowd was more riled about President Barack Obama’ healthcare plan, which the Family Research Council’ Tony Perkins referred to onstage as “a socialistic time bomb.”

The big news at the conference came from Engle. While sitting in the audience during the “LGBT Agenda” breakout session, he spoke up and conceded that the next generation of evangelical Christians is largely supportive of LGBT rights (but not abortion). Engle said that when he preaches against gay people, the Christian youth often “rage against him.” Engle, a giant in right wing circles, said that the far right has lost on this issue barring a miracle, such as an intercession at a 500,000 strong youth rally. When he floated this idea to the activists on-stage, The Liberty Counsel’ Matt Barber said they should privately discuss such a rally after the forum.

Good luck with that idea, considering the breakout session at Falwell U. drew only 15 people. Virtually everyone in the small crowd was a hardcore anti-gay activist from groups such as Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays (PFOX). Clearly, gay bashing was an issue that was not motivating many young people, as it has been in the past. (Although, it seems Engle’ group, The Call, may already be testing his intercession plan in Uganda) (Read More)

As Wayne reported below, he went to Liberty U in Lynchburg, VA (emphasis on the “lynch”) this week to a gathering of Religious Right crazies called “The Awakening.” He’ll have more to report in the coming days, but here’s what he’s said so far:

The big news here is that radical cleric Lou Engle of The Call conceded, at a the LGBT Agenda breakout session, that the next generation is largely supportive of LGBT rights. (but not on abortion) He claims that the far right has lost on this issue barring a miracle, such as an intercession at a 500,000 youth rally that Engle floated to the activists on-stage and in the audience. Matt Barber said they should privately discuss such a rally after the forum.

Good luck with that idea, considering the breakout session at the late Jerry Falwell’ university drew only fifteen people — two of whom were observers from progressive organizations. The rest of the crowd were hard core anti-gay activists from groups like PFOX.

Unfortunately, I was “outed” at the session by Lafferty which made me about as comfortable as a fly landing on a porcupine. She asked me if I had any questions. I looked around the room and saw no movable middle in this bunch, so I declined. I preferred to plead the 5th, to ensure I could attend the big rally that was planned for the evening.

Anyway, apparently Peter LaBarbera knows about it now, and he would like to share some of his thoughts on Wayne’s trip. Exciting, right? Don your hazmat suit, it’s Peter time:

Wayne Besen, extremist homosexual blogger and “ex-gay denier” (as Matt Barber calls those who shun the existence of the untold thousands of former homosexuals)

Emphasis on the “untold.” Also: unverifiable, invisible, imaginary.

has pulled off the granddaddy of all homosexualist spy missions.

As opposed to the leatherdaddy of homosexualist spy missions. That’s Peter’s territory.

Having apparently died [sic] his hair, growing several days worth of scruff

You dyed your hair, Wayne? Because, I mean…okay, yeah you look like a redneck in the picture, and I understand why you did that, but your hair looks like…your hair.

dawning [sic] shabby clothing

As opposed to evening shabby clothing. That came out later.

and sporting a backpack to appear as a Liberty University Student, Besen infiltrated the Awakening 2010 conference at Liberty University held this past Thursday and Friday [April 15-16].

By “infiltrated,” Peter means “registered for the conference, which was open to the public.”

With incredible stealth and skill

Ninja Wayne.

Besen was able to slip past the Awakening’ extremely tight security and blend in among the gathering of right-wing extremist homophobes.

Haha, pretty much, except that in the next line, Peter admits:

(The event was free of charge and open to the public.)

So which is it, Peter? How was this the “granddaddy” of all homosexualist spy missions, then?

Matt Barber has provided Americans for Truth with an exclusive account of the intense confrontation which followed (some of which will soon be available on archived video):

Exclusive right hook from the Bam Bam!

A few minutes after we began our breakout session on “LGBT’ issues, Wayne slipped in the back of the room, sat down, put his head down and began gazing side-to-side as if expecting to be knocked from his chair and dragged away at any moment. I immediately recognized him.

“As we were wrapping-up and preparing for questions, I “called Wayne out,’ announced that we had a homosexual activist guest with us and asked Wayne if he’d like to give out his Web site which he did. I told him “welcome’ and Andrea Lafferty then asked if he had any questions. He stuttered, stammered and in a nearly inaudible voice said, “uh, no.’ Poor guy looked as if he’d seen a ghost.

“Afterward I approached Wayne, shook his hand and told him we were very glad to have him. A few other people visited with him as well. He was clearly confused and taken-aback by the kindness he received. The cognitive dissonance on his face was evident to all as he’ apparently bought-in to his own hyperbolic rhetoric which demonizes Christians as “hateful, bigoted homophobes.’

See how nice Bam Bam and the bigots are? They didn’t even fire one shot. By the way, what cognitive dissonance are you talking about, Bam Bam? Because here is video from that same break-out session, where Andrea Lafferty and Bam Bam lied through their teeth, saying that ENDA would protect thirty sexual orientations including people who want to do it with amputees and animals. They may be so stupid that they don’t understand the difference between “sexual orientation” and “paraphilias,” but I doubt it. I actually spoke to a Liberty student who, having seen this video, found it to be grotesque:

(via Right Wing Watch)

So, I guess we’re supposed to be impressed that Bam Bam didn’t let his rage get the best of him when confronted by Wayne.

Whatever.

“Wayne asked for a picture, and I joked, “sure, as long as you promise not to Photoshop horns on my head.’ We visited a bit more and I told Wayne “God bless you’ and wished him safe travels on his way home to New York and on his upcoming trip to Ireland which he shared about. I have to say, although Wayne puts on an awfully tough front for his fellow homosexual activists, the guy was a real kitten in person and even seemed like he might be a genuinely nice fellow when you get him away from the safety and security of his computer.

Actually, we’re all really nice. But we also don’t shy away from defending millions of gay people, many of them still trapped in the closet of the Religious Right, from the bigotry of people like Matt Barber.

But you hear that, Wayne? Bam Bam says you are a kitten. Purrrrrrrr.

Anyway, Bam Bam talks a bit about how he used to be a skirt chaser, and then he starts making up stuff to fit his narrative:

Meeting Wayne in person, it was clear to me that he is searching. It is my hope and prayer that he and all who struggle with same-sex attraction, live a life of heterosexual or homosexual promiscuity or adultery, or anyone else for that matter, can come to know the life-changing, life-saving, life-making grace and redemption that can only come through surrender, belief and acceptance of Christ Jesus.

Uh. Wayne, did you know that you are “searching”? Or that you’re “struggling with same-sex attraction”?

What is it with fundamentalists that they all arrogantly think that people accept their absurd framework on issues of sexual orientation? Sorry, we’ll go with the real, grown-up scientists on this one.

“I pledge to pray for Wayne and would ask everyone reading this to do the same. The Lord could use mightily, this talented, passionate young man whom He knows and loves.”

Pray for me too, Bam Bam! I would like a pony. You’ve got a direct line to the big guy, so I’ll expect to hear whinnying in the front yard in about three prayers or so?

Thanks.

XOXO

For the past two days I observed The Awakening, a two day extremist conference that took place at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. In-depth commentary and analysis will be provided later when I return to New York City.

For now, here are a few pictures from the event. Yes, that is me posing with Liberty Counsel’s Matt “Bam Bam” Barber. In the other picture, Matt is with Andrea Lafferty of the Traditional Values Coalition and Rena Lindevaldsen, Esq.

The big news here is that radical cleric Lou Engle of The Call conceded, at a the LGBT Agenda breakout session, that the next generation is largely supportive of LGBT rights. (but not on abortion) He claims that the far right has lost on this issue barring a miracle, such as an intercession at a 500,000 youth rally that Engle floated to the activists on-stage and in the audience. Matt Barber said they should privately discuss such a rally after the forum.

Good luck with that idea, considering the breakout session at the late Jerry Falwell’s university drew only fifteen people – two of whom were observers from progressive organizations. The rest of the crowd were hard core anti-gay activists from groups like PFOX.

Unfortunately, I was “outed” at the session by Lafferty which made me about as comfortable as a fly landing on a porcupine. She asked me if I had any questions. I looked around the room and saw no movable middle in this bunch, so I declined. I preferred to plead the 5th, to ensure I could attend the big rally that was planned for the evening.

Check in later for more observations on the conference and rally.

Interesting – they have breakout sessions for dreaded “community organizers”. Didn’t Sarah Palin make fun of community organizers during her VP nomination acceptance speech?

From World Net Daily:

A new generation of Christian and conservative leaders will assemble for a key conference called The Awakening 2010 at Liberty University next week with the aim of taking their campaign far beyond the special documentaries created by D. James Kennedy, the campus outreach of Bill Bright and the church organization built by Jerry Falwell.

Mathew Staver, chairman of Liberty Counsel and event organizer, told WND that unless those who care about the traditional God-fearing United States start working now, it will go away.

“If we don’t stand for our core values, we’re going to lose them,” he said. “We’ll have an America we don’t recognize.”

Staver said this isn’t just a warning about the impact on the next generation or their children.

“This will be a different America … in our lifetimes,” he said. “Much has changed since the [2008] election, and we still have two and a half more years of this administration which is bent on reshaping America.”

He said Washington’s vision for the nation now is far afield from that of the Founding Fathers.

He cited a quotation from Benjamin Franklin at the signing of the Declaration of Independence: “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

The conference brings together some of the top leaders of a long list of groups that have supported Christian and traditional values.