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 Christian Coalition Head Rolls TV Preacher's Bank of Scotland 'Deal' Riles Patriot Scots Christian Coalition's Randy Tate Gets Surprise Demotion |
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Compiled By GayToday
In a bizarre 700 Club TV outburst, televangelist Pat Robertson demonstrated to the Bank of Scotland the ill effects of its unfortunate decision to do business with a volatile, unpredictable hate-monger. Robertson wasted no time before lashing out at the proud Scottish peoples. The deterioration of Scottish culture, he opined, "is kind of frightening."
Damning Scotland as "a dark land" in decline, Robertson's 700 Club critiqued the country's "glorious" history as being at odds with what he perceives to be its currently vapid spirituality. The Scots have rallied against Robertson's Bank of Scotland deal—struck in March-- with gusto. Robert McNeil, writing in The Scotsman, wagers that Robertson's latest remarks will "cause consternation" in the Bank of Scotland's boardroom.
More than 100,000 trade unionists use the Trade Union Congress credit card. A second major group also critiqued the Bank of Scotland's Pat Robertson connection. Bill Speirs, the general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, said that although his group did not have a bank affinity card, he sympathized, nevertheless, with the outraged position of the Trade Union Congress. "Frankly," he said, " it would be of huge benefit to the trade union movement and to the Bank of Scotland if they withdrew from the deal with Mr. Robertson, which is clearly turning into a total nightmare." In a burst of shameless intolerance, Robertson publicly denounced tolerance for homosexuals in both Scotland and in Europe generally. He said: "In Europe, the big word is tolerance. You tolerate everything. Homosexuals are riding high in the media. And in Scotland you can't believe how strong the homosexuals are." Yesterday, Gay Right Equality Network, represented by spokesperson Tim Hopkins, blasted Robertson's insults as "a huge embarrassment" for the Bank of Scotland and labeled Robertson's homophobic ideas "nonsense". "There are no more gay people in Scotland than there are in any other country. In fact, gay people in Scotland have significantly fewer rights than any other European country at the moment," he said. While patriotic Scots are now reflecting on what Pat Robertson represents, the TV preacher's penchant for shadowy political maneuvers has exploded further with the sudden demotion of the Christian Coalition's Randy Tate. People for the American Way officials believe that Tate's demotion represents Robertson's far right message on gun control to the GOP, namely Stick To Your Guns! Tate's removal, PFAWF warned, is further evidence of Robertson's entanglement with Republican Party politics. According to an Associated Press report, Robertson made the move because of unhappiness with gun control measures passed by the GOP- controlled Senate. Such action was a victory for moderates in the GOP and a defeat for ideological conservatives. PFAWF's Carole Shields notes that Robertson's open assumption of Christian Coalition control also comes after the Christian Coalition's former President, Don Hodel, stepped down in February after a falling-out with Robertson. According to published reports, Robertson wrote Hodel's letter of resignation.
"Republican moderates," she continued, " Beware! Today's announcement is an indication that Pat Robertson will stop at nothing to drive your party over the ideological cliff." |
