Incredible – Washington Post Gives Space to Bigot and Moron Robert Jeffress – Man Who Attacked Mormonism as a Cult

"Bigot" and "Moron" Being Words of William Bennett and Jon Huntsman, Not The Dismal Political Economist

There is Free Speech and Freedom of the Press in the United States, both of which are guaranteed by the Constitution.  What is not guaranteed is the right of anyone to access in someone else’s newspaper.  If a person wants to make a public speech, they have the right to do so, if that person wants to print that speech in their own newspaper they have every right to do.  But they have no claim to publish in the Washington Post.  If they do so, they do so with the support and approval of the Washington Post (not approval of the speech itself, just approval of their speaking from that venue).

Robert Jeffress is a supporter of Texas Gov. Rick Perry, and during a recent so-called Values Voter meeting he spoke in highly prejudicial terms about Mormonism, the religion of front runner Mitt Romney.  Here is strong Conservative Jonah Goldberg commenting on Mr. Jeffress

The old Moral Majority had its flaws, but its core mission was admirable: to promote moral unity under the banner of theological pluralism. However you worship, if you shared the same "traditional values" you could work together. Jeffress turns all that on its head.

He also plays into the worst stereotypes about the Republicans as a bigoted and theocratic party for evangelical Christians alone.

For some reason the editors of the Washington Post felt they needed to give Mr. Jeffress a platform in their paper.  Mr. Jeffress uses that forum to promote bigotry, and no, there is no other way to say it.  Mr. Jeffress wants voters to select a candidate based on that fact that the candidate is a Christian, and quotes John Jay in support of his position

Jay wrote, “It is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation, to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” According to Jay, preferring a Christian candidate is neither bigoted nor unconstitutional.

which is about half right.  It is not unconstitutional but it is bigoted.  Think of subsituting "white" for "Christian" and see how it reads.  Of course Mr. Jay didn't have to say that because in his day the nation kept African Americans as slaves, and usually slaves did not run for public office.

The best part of Mr. Jeffress’s column is the beginning

Hearing Mitt Romney’s surrogate Bill Bennett refer to me as a bigot and Jon Huntsman call me a “moron” last week after my controversial comments on Mormonism, amid calls for civility and tolerance in public discourse, reminds me of the exclamation: “We will not tolerate intolerance!” But beyond the personal insults, I am concerned that these men are attempting to prematurely marginalize religion as a relevant topic in elections.

in which Mr. Jeffress dons the mantle of victim.  No Mr. Jeffress, they are prematurely trying to marginalize bigotry and hatred as a relevant topic in elections. 

The blame here is not with Mr. Jeffress, he is what he is, and he has the right to be what he is just as the rest of us have the right to dismiss his bigotry and hatred for what it is.  The blame is with the Washington Post.  Mr. Jeffress did not need that platform; his words have already received massive press attention.  For some reason the Washington Post must have felt both the pro bigotry and anti bigotry sides deserve equal attention.  And that is why that newspaper is considered a “former” once great journal.