Niece of a saint, promoter of a cult?
Well… “cult” probably isn’t the right word, but it sounded good in the title, huh?
A more accurate title would have been, “Niece of MLK, veritable saint and Civil Rights martyr, promotes pseudo-hate group as uncle turns in grave.”
I don’t know why it took me so long to find this press release on the website of the Concord, N.C.-based Operation Save America (OSA). After all, I almost weekly, if not more, check their website for any news and updates on their anti-LGBT actions in the Carolinas.
According to the release, Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., pictured right, welcomed with open arms OSA’s presence and their “National Event” in Atlanta, July 12-19:
Operation Rescue/Operation Save America will host a week-long event in Atlanta, Georgia, July 12-19. We will be at the Atlanta abortion mills everyday. We will also have other street activities during the week and rallies every evening.
Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Director of African American Outreach for Gospel of Life, will welcome OSA to her city on Saturday, July 12,2008.
“There is no way my uncle would condone the violence of abortion, …which brings painful deaths to babies and can result in torn wombs, serious infections and emotional devastation for their mothers. “Dr. Alveda King.
“The [African-American] cannot win if he is willing to sacrifice the future of his children for personal comfort and safety.” Dr. Martin Luther King
“Martin Luther King did not dedicate his life so that black mothers and fathers would kill their children .” Rev. Flip Benham, Director, Operation Save America.
OSA’s tactics have been more than in-your-face, more than extreme and often threatening and intimidating. Members of their group have, at least once, been accused of making anti-Semitic remarks. In July 2006, the group took on extremist anti-Islamic statements and actions and burned a Quran. They burned a rainbow flag, symbolizing the LGBT community, the same day.
On April 4, 2008, in Greenville, S.C., Operation Save America and its leader, Flip Benham, approached the 2007 Equality Riders falsely telling them they’d been sent by members of the S.C. Equality Coalition and implying they were LGBT allies. Later, they argued with police when told they had to move away from the Riders (video here).
In the late 1980s, Operation Save America, then known as Operation Rescue and under the leadership of Randall Terry, became involved in a lawsuit alleging violation of federal anti-racketeering laws.
OSA and groups allied with them, such as the Concord-based FIRE Church, FIRE School of Ministry and Michael Brown’s Coalition of Conscience, are an ever-present menace in Charlotte never allowing their extreme anti-gay views to go unheard. Benham and his followers constantly use psychological games and mental twisting, at which they’re almost too perfectly skilled, to work their hate-filled messages into the minds of LGBT youth and other people less skilled at debate, or those whose spiritual wounds have not yet healed.
For example, during the 2006 NC Pride Fest and Parade in Durham, N.C., a wheelchair-bound member of UNCG PRIDE!, an LGBT student organization, was harassed by a member of Benham’s organization who positioned herself in front of the youth’s wheelchair preventing her from being able to maneuver around the woman. The OSA member then exclaimed that God had caused the UNCG PRIDE! member to be stricken with a plague due to her “unnatural” and “sinful” lifestyle.
|
|
Needless to say, the UNCG PRIDE! member was horribly upset and shaken. It wasn’t until other members of the LGBT student group noticed what was happening and stepped in to defend the youth that the OSA member retreated.
Alveda King should be ashamed for allying herself with an organization that intimidates and takes advantage of “the least among us.” Her uncle is turning in his grave and wailing from Heaven, “Please, Alveda! Stand up for righteousness! Do not be fooled by evil! Do not follow the self-righteous, who use our Lord’s name in vain for their own insidious purposes!”
I’m not bashing King for standing up for her belief that abortion is murder. In fact, I’d offer her an applause and standing ovation if she stood up for her beliefs in a more dignified and righteous way. Above and beyond all others, she should know better than to align herself with a radical organization filled to the brim with hate and violence, both physical and spiritual alike. Radicalism and the hatred it breeds, of course, is what fueled her uncle’s death.
Still, I’m kept wondering as to when, exactly, the Southern Poverty Law Center will finally give in and name Operation Save America as a hate group. Clearly, they’ve shown their true nature enough times to warrant such an action.
About the Author: Matt
2 Responses to “Niece of a saint, promoter of a cult?”
Have you contacted SPLC to see what their take on OSA is? Would be interested to know if they’ve even looked at the group.
By David R. Gillespie on Aug 6, 2008