When the Republican Party held their first convention in 1856 the delegates adopted a platform stating “It is the duty of Congress to prohibit in the territories those twin relics of barbarism, polygamy and slavery.”
What I find most amazing about that is how consistent the problems this country faces are. Over 150 years laters we’re facing the same crises now.
Slavery is evil. While the evil of slavery specifically is in the past, the legalized dehumanization of others is quite modern. Legalized abortion, like slavery, codifies that some humans are property to be used, abused and discarded at the whim or choice of others. To be pro-choice today is to make the same assumption as slave traders did two centuries ago – that some humans have dominion over others.
Polygamy in 1856 was, the Republican Party of 1856 believed, a danger because it warped the definition of marriage. They saw it as a threat to families. Oddly enough, we are still fighting that same fight right now but now it’s gay marriage and polygamy advocates who seek to redefine marriage.
The Republican Party was at its best when it believed in the humanity of every individual life and fought for the sanctity of marriage in 1856. The same issues face us now and I pray that the Republican Party will not vacillate all these years later. There have been encouraging signs of late that they may be returning to faithfulness to their founding issues but talks of a “truce” on social issues continue to circulate. Talk of “moderating” the stance of the party are trumpeted constantly, even by supposed presidential candidates.
While there have been outrages and sins by the party there is little doubt that the party is the pro-life pro-traditional marriage party.
If the party adopts an agenda of some kind of truce on social issues it will cease to be a party many feel comfortable standing with. The moment the Republican Party accepts the twin relics of barbarism as negotiable it will be time for a new party and a new convention.
October 8, 2010 at 2:26 pm
there is little doubt that the party is the pro-life pro-traditional marriage party
Do you consider 100 degrees to be cold? It is if you are comparing it to 200 degrees, not if you compare it to 50 degrees.
The only reason the GOP looks like the pro-life pro-traditional marriage party is because you are comparing them to the Dems of today. On its own, there is plenty to doubt about the GOP's creds on those issues.
October 8, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Modern slavery is alive and well, with as many as 27 million victims, arguably a bigger problem than in centuries past. Back in 08 the Huffington Post reported that Obama was the candidate least aware of the problem.
October 8, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Mr. BO is least aware of most things except his next vacation or his golf score.
October 8, 2010 at 6:15 pm
Unfortunately, we have such Republican candidates as Congressman Mark Kirk in Illinois (10th District) running for the US Senate; and who is as committed to abortion rights (sic) as the most rabid of Democrats. Kirk is a fiscal policy conservative and a social policy disaster. Illinois has its share of Republicans with vertical ears that bray a lot.
Let's always remember that the US motto is "In God we trust" not "In the GOP we trust."
October 8, 2010 at 8:18 pm
True Annon, but for the H.P. to acknowledge the fact says something 😉
October 9, 2010 at 8:37 pm
Marriage is the consent of two persons to a covenant witnessed by the church and state in unity and consumation. It defies reason for marriage to mean anything else. Our Creator endowes the newly created single cell with sovereign personhood through an immortal soul. Now, what would anybody do with two souls, when they cannot touch or see or know the soul except through love of God. One person cannot own another person. Abraham Lincoln