The Family: DC’s C Street Group Tied To Proposed Death Penalty for Gays in Uganda

[babylonsister]

The Family: DC’s C Street Group Tied To Proposed Death Penalty for Gays in Uganda
Jon Ponder | November 25, 2009


With their reported $13 billion tax-exempt financial empire, the Mormons may be the wealthiest cult in America — and Scientology may be the big thing among the rich and powerful in Hollywood — but when it comes to political power neither of those sects holds a candle to the Family, the Christian extremist political group that operates the now infamous C Street house on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Members of the Family have occupied seats in both houses of Congress going back to the 1930s, but for all but its most recent history, the hallmark of the Family has been secrecy. In the past year, however, three sex scandals involving highly placed associates — Gov. Mark Sanford, R-S.C.; Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev.; and Rep. Chip Pickering, R-Miss. — have thrust the group and its C Street house into the national spotlight.

And just this month, Family members Rep. Bart Stupak, a Catholic Democrat from Michigan, and Rep. Joe Pitts, an evangelical Republican from Pennsylvania, brought more attention to the secretive group when their Stupak-Pitts Amendment passed as part of the House health-care reform bill, threatening to further restrict abortion funding for the poor, if it remains in the final bill. (Pitts, like all his GOP colleagues, voted against the bill, even though it included his amendment.)

But what many people may find surprising is that the Family has branches around the world. In fact, yesterday, Jeff Sharlet, author of “The Family: Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power,” reported on NPR’s “Fresh Air” that it was a Family member in the Ugandan parliament who introduced a bill that would increase the punishment for homosexuality from life imprisonment, which is the maximum sentence today, to death:

more, including names of Family members we're all familiar with...

http://www.pensitoreview.com/2009/11/25/the-family-c-street-group-tied-to-uganda-death-penalty-for-gays/

[SalviaBlue]

1. The Family = evil nt

[dgibby]

2. These groups scare the crap out of me.

I'm glad the "Family" is finally getting some publicity. I think they are more of a threat to the US than the Taliban or Al Quada.

[FiveGoodMen]

3. Right there with you.

These groups are the real enemy.

[get the red out]

10. Definitely more of a threat

And more of a threat to the entire world because if they get enough power in this country they have all the best bombs!!!!!

This is by far the scariest group I have seen in my life, until the past few years I had no idea such a group existed in the US, I thought the worst we had to worry about, which is bad enough, were guys like Falwell and Robertson, but The Family makes them look small time.

[gateley]

4. So I'm wondering how they would benefit from such a bill? They're into power,

money, so why would they care about this in Uganda? Just to make themselves more persona grata there and be more warmly welcomed when they take over the world? Or are they just so toxically homophobic that they want to get every gay man on earth off the street and to be extra sure, execute them? :shrug:

Really interesting article, babylonsister -- thanks! :hi:

[PatGund]

13. Look where the vast majority of the homophobia ripping apart the Anglican church is coming from...

...Uganda is one location, as are many African churches.

And the Dominionist movement infesting the religious right here has ties to African churches as well.

[peacetalksforall]

5. We should refer to C Streeet as C Street Church.

[Warpy]

6. I still think Moon is behind this bunch

Call me paranoid if you must, but it's his cockeyed theology that permeates the whole thing, along with his particular brand of religious fascism and intolerance of anyone it perceives as being created less than perfect.

This group cries out for a deep and serious investigation.

[athenasatanjesus]

7. wow

Just wow I can't think of anything else to say if this is true.

[AnnieBW]

8. I wouldn't be surprised if they were funding Freaky Freddie Phelps

Misdirection at it's finest. "Here, look at the crazy person over here!" while pushing similar policies in secret.

[Hepburn]

9. OMG...what EVIL people!

:puke:

[annabanana]

11. A very disturbing group.. . kick. . . n/t

[Odin2005]

12. International terrorist group.

[David Zephyr]

14. No surprise to me.

None.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

15. Jeff Sharlet

is a true patriot..he took years to write that book and actually lived in the house. He traces the roots of fundamentalism all the way back to the beginning of our country, but this group is the most insidious. It's all about power, with Jesus as the CEO. They're not even particularly religious in their actions - although they purport to be. They sponsor the annual Prayer Breakfast in D.C., which in my humble opinion, should be discontinued. A helluva read.

K&R

[me b zola]

16. If elected US officials are lobbying for legislation in other nations

~and if itsis not on behalf of the state dept, isn't that illegal?