Knowing Your Opponent: the Traditional Values Coalition

Who on the left can name the leading organizations on the religious right? Who knows what issues they're targeting, how they communicate with individuals, what kind of access they have at high levels of the government? I don't think very many of us have paid much attention to the organized religious right since the moral majority lost its heft. And that's a mistake. As a small effort to rectify that, I've embarked on an unscheduled and ad hoc research effort to identify and know these groups and their leaders.

Meet the Traditional Values Coalition (TVC), an inter-denominational public policy group claiming to speak for 43,000 churches with offices in DC and California. TVC is led by Founder and Chairman Rev. Louis P. Sheldon and his daughter, Executive Director Andrea Lafferty, a former Reagan administration official who works out of the TVC DC office as a Capitol Hill lobbyist with a staff of five. Lafferty initially worked for then-rep Rep. John Hiler (R-IN) and is married to a former press secretary for Tom DeLay (R -TX, Majority Leader of the House). Talk about access! And she's talented. In April 2004, she was named by Washingtonian magazine as one of the city's top lobbyists.

TVC came to my attention due to an ABC News story about TVC's efforts  to rewrite history. The good Reverend Lou Sheldon had the opportunity to see a video at the Lincoln Memorial showing footage from events that occurred at the memorial. What protests are included? Well think for a minute about what protests have been large enough to be marked by history. Blacks marching for civil rights, women for equal rights and the right to choose, war protesters trying to end the war in Vietnam, even some homosexuals marching for their rights.

Not surprisingly, Rev. Sheldon found the video appalling. I'm sure the snippet of video showing a man marching with a sign that said "The Lord is my shepherd and He knows I'm gay" is the perfect example of what he found offensive. In his view, the video only showed footage from "liberal, pro-abortion, pro-homosexual marches". He wants it changed.

What do to when your moral sensitivities are offended by the actual record of history? Edit it. ABC reported that the Traditional Values Coalition went to the "top levels of government" to complain so that, as Rev. Sheldon said, "they could reach down and work their system and cleanse in the proper manner and make it fair and balanced." And they likely have access. In 2001, at the invitation of Rep. J.C. Watts (R, OK), Sheldon served on the Republican House Committee panel to help in the implementation of Bush's faith-based initiative.

Rev. Sheldon makes it clear in the news segment that he's plenty thrilled with George Bush in the oval office.

"During the Clinton administration it's like we felt we lived in outer Siberia. In this past adminstration it's like we died and went to heaven."

Well, they should be happy. They certainly worked to get Bush elected by creating voting guides and church inserts that meet the letter of the law by not endorsing a candidate by name, but making it crystal clear who God wants you to vote for by saying "vote for individuals who support traditional values and are willing to defend the family." Gee, who thinks he meant John Kerry? Just in case the congregants were confused, the Coalition's voting guides provided a cheat sheet on these "traditional values" issues and which candidates take the Godly stand.

For example, one church insert is titled "The Wisdom of Mark Twain on the Power of Christians to Elect Godly People to Office." Yes, this was a piece of satire written by Mark Twain. But the Coalition explains it this way

The following essay was written by Mark Twain in 1905 apparently as a satire on Christians. Twain was hostile to Christianity for most of his life but these words ring true even if he meant them to bring harm to Christians. God can use even a skeptic like Mark Twain for His eternal purposes.

Think it doesn't have much of an impact? Think again. The Traditional Values Coalition claims to speak on behalf of over 43,000 churches. And it's not like they're only active during the election season. TVC offers a weekly e-mail service alerting constituents how their congressional representative voted on TVC issues. They do this year in and year out. They currently offer 80 special reports to the public, including my favorite, "Anti-Christian Bigotry Threatens our Republic". It claims that during his confirmation hearings, John Ashcroft was the victim of 'religious profiling', which they decry as "just as evil as" racial profiling.

I was a bit hopeful when I saw that they had a special report on domestic battering. I shouldn't have been surprised to find that it was all about the high incidence of domestic abuse in homosexual relationships. The report uses the power of statistics to make a case that homosexuals are more violent than heterosexuals, all because of past sexual abuse. TVC actually recommends that the report be sent to police departments in cities where gay pride parades are scheduled. Since gay people are so much more violent than straight people, the police should be warned.

Of the 80 special reports put out by TVC, 51 are about homosexuality and gay marriage. Eight are about judicial activism and the need for conservative judges. Only two target ending abortion and two target the dangers of pornography. That should tell you something about this group's agenda. TVC has been virulenty anti-gay for decades. From 1985 when they calling for AIDS vicitms to be sent to "cities of refuge, to their 1991 support for a CA initiative banning a consitutional amendment protecting gays from discrimination, through the 2001 demand that assistance not be provided to partners of gay victims of 9/11, to their recent financial support for the MA initiative to amend the constitution to prevent gay marriage - TVC has been extremely active in fighting the 'destructive force of homosexuality'. They oppose civil unions, support the Defense of Marriage Act statutes, and repeatedly accuse gays and lesbians of "recruiting children". For example, TVC's argument against hate crime legislation is that it will be "used by homosexual activists to punish any person who has the courage to speak out against the recruitment of children by homosexuals." TVC has been active in state anti-gay initiatives in Colorado,  Oregon, California, Arizona, Missouri, and Washington. TVC has pressured state legislatures and Congress for limits on HIV funding, domestic partnership benefits, sodomy laws -- pretty much every issue associated with gay rights. They even donated $100,000 to the MA group trying to get a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

TVC describes itself as an advocate for the "restoration of the values needed to maintain strong, unified families", focusing on "issues such as education, homosexual advocacy, family tax relief, pornography, the right to life and religious freedom". TVC is a lobbying organization but has a sister organization the Traditional Values Education & Legal Institute, a "foundation dedicated to educating and supporting churches in their efforts to restore America’s cultural heritage". To get a taste for how TVC approaches these issues, I offer you two of my favorite quotes.

“Americans should understand that their attitudes about homosexuality have been deliberately and deceitfully changed by a masterful propaganda/marketing campaign that rivals that of Adolph Hitler. In fact, many of the strategies used by homosexuals to bring about cultural change in America are taken from Hitler’s writings and propaganda welfare manuals.” (“Homosexual Propaganda Campaign Based on Hitler’s ‘Big Lie’ Technique,” by Louis Sheldon, special report, Vol. 18, No. 10)

"Give us a few more years under the belt and we will learn how to replace many of the school board members. Give us more time to understand how the system works, and we'll work the system even better than one could ever imagine." (CNN News, 9/2/90)

TVC is clearly an extreme organization. Who supports them? The ACLU doesn't, calling them the "most anti-gay group out there". TVC returns the favor by referringto the ACLU as the "Anti-Christian Liberties Union". But they do have their fans. Liek Bill Bennett who describes TVC as a "selfless organization. It is committed to its member churches and to those values and beliefs that have made America great!" Republican Representative JC Watts (OK) said "They are neither on the right or the left. They are on the Bible."

TVC's influence comes through the lobbying of the well connected Andrea Sheldon Lafferty combined with the regular communication with the congregants of its member churches. It's active year round, in and out of the election season. I'm know we've got lobby groups countering the TVC lobbyists, but I'm not sure how we counter the constant communication with religious individuals. What's really scary to me is they seem truly whacked. They lie, twist information, and say the most outrageous things as though they were common knowledge. There's nothing really rational here, except it appears to be rational. It's like fighting smoke and mirrors. Fighting the radical right influence of groups like this is one of our biggest challenges. And we have to address it now. If we wait until the next election, it's too late. 

For the masochists among you who want still more info on TVC and the good reverend who founded it, here's a timeline for your perusing pleasure.

1934: Sheldon was born to an Orthodox Jewishmother and Protestant father. Converted to Christianity as a teen. He grew up in DC, studied history at Michigan State, got his master of divinity in 1960 at Princeton Theological Seminiary, and served as an ordained minister for 25 years.

1978: Sheldon served as the executive director of the Defend Our Children which sponsored Proposition 6, the Briggs initiative, which would have banned gay and lesbian schoolteachers in California.

1980: Founded the California Educational Institute for Truth and Morality. In 1987 the name was changed to Traditional Values Coalition. The TVC regularly appeared (and continues to appear) at various public hearings at the CA legislature and the state board of education to oppose sex education and any textbook which might in any way present homosexuality in a favorable light.

1985: Proposed that everyone who might contract the AIDS virus be sent to "cities of refuge."

1986: Supported a Lyndon Larouche initiative which would have required registration of AIDS patients.

1987: Aide to Pat Robertson.

1988: Led the opposition to Project 10, a counseling program for gay adolescents in the Los Angeles school system.

1989: USA Today described Sheldon as "one of the most powerful men in California.

1991: Asked the CA attorney general to prepare language for a state constitutional amendment to forbid civil rights protection for gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons. The language was prepared but never submitted to the voters.

1992: The TVC was fined $2000 by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for trying to hide a $6000 contribution to San Franciscans for Common Sense, a group which attempted to repeal the city's domestic partner law

1995: Twice demanded congressional hearings to consider cutting off  federal funds to any school district which might have programs that support gay youth.

1999: Hired American Target Advertising (direct mail company founded by ultraconservative Richard A. Viguerie) under a five year contract to "help build a base of supporters."

2000 and 2001: TVC ran operating deficits exceeding $1 million.

2001: Called for assistance to victims of 9/11 not be granted to "homosexuals who lost partners in the attack." "[Relief organizations] should be first giving priority to those widows who were at home with their babies, and those widowers who lost their wives. It should be given on the basis and priority of one man and one woman in a marital relationship. Claimed that efforts by partners of gay victims to obtain aid was an example of the gay agenda taking advantage of the 9/11 tragedy.

2001: Invited by the US House Republican Conference, chaired by Rep. J.C. Watts (R, OK) to serve on a panel to help implement Bush's faith-based initiative, despite his previous call for the resignation of John Dilulio, head of the White House Office of the initiative.

2001: Claimed the primary goal of the UNICEF summit on children's rights was to redefine the role of the traditional family and to promote the idea that children ages 10-18 have an inalienable right to be sexually active with same-sex partners and to abortion their unwanted babies if they choose opposite sex partners.

2001: Donated $100,000 to the  Massachusetts Citizens for Marriage - the leading group fighting for an amendement to the state constitution to ban gay marriage.

2001: TVC paid Sheldon's daughter $58,933 for working 26 hours a week as the executive director. Sheldon's son and his son-in-law were both paid consulting fees totaling more than $30,000.

2001: Ended the year with almost $2.5 million in liabilities, including over $1.9 million owed to American Target Advertising.

2001: Supported the "Bright-Line Act of 2001" (H.R. 2931), a bill that would allow churches to devote 20% of their gross revenues to lobbying and 5% of that 20% toward endorsements of political candidates. The bill has the support of Majority Leader Dick Armey and Majority Whip Tom DeLay. (Both are Republicans from Texas.)

2002: TVC's independent auditors warned that recurring deficits "raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern."

2003: Launched the Christian Seniors Association as an alternative to AARP. Led by Sheldon's son-in-law, the subsidiary sent fundraising appeals to over 5 million seniors promising AARP level benefits for dues of $12.95/year.

2004: Maintained banner on the TVC web site saying "Homosexual sex = Death from HIV infection" .

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