Alex Constantine - May 20, 2010
Kansas Democrats call on the likely Republican candidate for Governor to renounce the actions of a controversial religious leader.
Reporter: From 13 News | May 18, 2010
On Monday the Kansas Democratic Party launched a video petition (“It’s Scary”) calling upon Sam Brownback to denounce the extreme agenda of his controversial recent roommate, Lou Engle.
Controversial evangelical leader Lou Engle is famous for his message of God’s wrath and recently made headlines by traveling to Uganda to speak at a rally in support of a law that would impose life imprisonment and, in some cases, the death penalty for homosexuals. Additionally, Engle recently teamed up with Brownback for a televised 'prayer-cast' seeking divine intervention in federal legislation.
The petition reads:
“The next Governor of Kansas needs a laser-like focus on creating quality jobs. We can't afford to let a strong and lasting economic recovery be jeopardized by divisive and narrow interests. Now, more than ever, Kansans can't afford an out-of-touch Washington politician who will open the doors of the Governor’s Mansion to extremists like Lou Engle."
“In less than twenty-four hours the petition video was viewed more than 2,300 times and Kansans across the state called upon Sam Brownback to renounce Lou Engle and his extreme agenda," said Kenny Johnston, Executive Director of the Kansas Democratic Party, "It's clear that Kansans are deeply concerned about the connections Sam Brownback has to right-wing extremists and what they would mean for Kansas."
"In order to demonstrate that he will focus on policies that unite Kansans to solve the challenges that confront our state Sam Brownback needs to prove his independence from right-wing extremists, and strongly denounce Lou Engle.
http://www.wibw.com/localnews/headlines/94198654.html
Sam Brownback's Pastor Problem: Evangelical Extremist Lou Engle
Huffington Post | May 18, 2010
American Evangelical Extremist Lou Engle is making waves again. Readers may remember Engle as the fringe pastor behind TheCall Rally in California supporting Proposition 8, where he called homosexuality a "spirit of lawlessness" and called for "martyrs" to become "God's Avengers of Blood" to stop the "homosexual agenda" at all cost.
He also recently held another TheCall Prayer Event in Uganda where he praised the country's "courage" and "righteousness" in promoting the horrific Anti-Homosexuality "Kill the Gays" Bill. The bill calls for gays to be executed, says "known Ugandan homosexuals" abroad should be extradited back to Uganda for "punishment", and that people in Uganda must report anybody known to have committed a homosexual act within 24 hours, among other horrific provisions.
Now Lou Engle is back in America and causing a major headache for Republican Senator Sam Brownback in the Kansas gubernatorial race. It seems people aren't taking too kindly to Engle and Brownback being so close, including being former roommates and "soldiers for salvation" together. Brownback even appeared at a TheCall Rally as a special guest of Engle.
Right Wing Watch has a some great video of Lou Engle describing the close relationship between himself and Brownback.
In fact, it was prophesized to me that I would be connected with a man named Senator Sam Brownback from Kansas. But I forgot about the prophecy, so when I rented a condo in DC to mobilize for TheCall, a week later I received a phone call from the owner of the condo and he said "there's a man named Senator Sam Brownback. His condo just burnt down, he wants to know if he could stay in your condo." I became the room mate of Senator Brownback for 7 months. We began to get dreams that he would be the president of the United States and right now, who knows? We are praying.
That close connection is starting to get a closer look after Engle's recent activities in Uganda, where he was universally condemned for inflaming violence against gays and lesbians with overheated, extreme rhetoric against LGBT people in a country where American Evangelicalism has already caused such discord and fear.
The Kansas Democratic Party is jumping in and asking people to sign a petition demanding that Sam Brownback denounce and distance himself from Engle and his extreme and violent views:
"This is the type of behavior one would expect from Fred Phelps - not from someone who has the ear of Kansas' most ambitious politician. We are calling on Senator Brownback to denounce Lou Engle for his hateful rhetoric and extreme agenda," said Kenny Johnston, Executive Director of the Kansas Democratic Party, "If this is the sort of company Brownback keeps, it speaks volumes about the kind of Governor he would be."
They created a video documenting Engle's shockingly extreme views and Brownback's deep connections to him.
It is disturbing to watch Engle calling for people to "worship the God of Blood" and call for violence. More disturbing is that he has such close ties to a man who would be governor and perhaps President.
Brownback isn't the only politician with strong ties to Engle. Lou Engle is deeply immersed in right-wing culture and politics. He travels with familiar figures like Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, and Oliver North. He is the go-to religious leader for many of the "luminaries" of the right.
These connections are important. Brownback and his cohorts don't get a free pass when "palling around" with dangerous men like Engle, whose mission is to sow seeds of hatred, violence, and bloodshed for their own twisted view of Christianity.
Sign the petition to force the issue with Brownback. Let's make him, and others like him, explain how he can support and aid a man like Engle and the message he preaches.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/waymon-hudson/sam-brownbacks-pastor-pro_b_579875.html
