George W. Bush ali kunja pa kampeni
njira yake yopita ku likulu la ndale. Pafupifupi tsiku lililonse ali
mwina kusaka mfundo yatsopano yamaphunziro kapena dongosolo lazaumoyo, kutsimikizira Akatolika
kuti zolankhula zake zaku University ya Bob Jones zinali zosamvetsetseka,
ndikutsegula chihema chachikulu cha msonkhano ndi gulu losankhidwa la ma Republican achiwerewere.
Zonsezi zikuchitika kuti atengenso masiku otsiriza a halcyon a Fall
iye anali mfumu ya "conservatism wachifundo." Panthawiyi, atatu
mwa anthu odziwika kwambiri okhudzana ndi Ufulu Wachikhristu ali ndi ena
zolinga za Bwanamkubwa.
M'dzinja lapitali, a Rev. Pat Robertson a Christian Coalition adakhazikitsa Countdown yake
ku kampeni ya Victory. Pakati pa mwezi wa March, mtsogoleri wakale wa Moral Majority Rev. Jerry Falwell
adalengeza za msonkhano wake wa People of Faith 2000. Posachedwapa, Rev. Lou Sheldon watero
adalumphira m'bwalo ndi dongosolo lake la Election 2000 Battle Plan.
Njira zabwino kwambiri zochitira kampeni zomwe ndalama zingagule nthawi zambiri zimasokera. Bush ndi
kukhulupirira ubongo poyamba kunkafuna kum'talikira kutali ndi Mkristu
Atsogoleri olondola monga Robertson, Falwell, ndi Sheldon. Koma Kugwa kotsiriza kunali bata
kuwerengetsa kampeni kunasintha kukhala nthawi yamantha mu February pambuyo pa Sen. John McCain
adapambana mu primary ya New Hampshire. Zinakhala zofunikira kuti
Bush akugonjetsa South Carolina. Kampeni yophatikiza ndalama zandalama,
pamene kupereka squishy "conservatism wachifundo" anakakamizika
kuyang'ana ku Ufulu Wachikhristu kuti atulutsidwe. Ufulu unaperekedwa ndi izi
adasintha chilichonse kwa Bush.
Pamene waku Republican akufunika kupambana pulayimale m'boma lokhazikika, zimatero
kugwirizana kwa ndale ndi kopusa. Kuti atsegule maulumikizidwewo, Bush adayitana
pa Ralph Reed, wamkulu wakale wa Robertson's Christian
Coalition yemwe tsopano akutsogolera Century Strategies, zovala zake zandale.
Reed amawonedwa bwino ndi atolankhani ngati mtundu wa "kinder, gentler".
wa munthu wodziwika bwino kwambiri wachipani cha Republican komanso mtsogoleri wa kampeni
Lee Atwater.
Reed adapeza thandizo la omenyera ufulu wa Christian Right ndi
Chigonjetso cha Bush chinasanduka phwando lalikulu lakale lachikhristu
Kulondola. Tsopano Bush wasoka kusankhidwa akudziwa kuti akuyenera kuthana nazo
kukumana ndi Chikhristu cha Ufulu. Alangizi a Bush amamvetsetsa kuti iye
ziyenera kutsindika za ndale. Komabe, ndi Abusa atatu
Kukonzekera kampeni yayikulu ya Election 2000 m'malo mwa Bush, ndithudi
zidzapangitsa njira yolowera pakati kukhala msewu wokongola wamiyala.Robertson's Christian Coalition pa Campaign Trail
Makumi asanu ndi anayi mphambu asanu ndi anayi mphambu zisanu ndi zinayi sizinali zabwino
Chaka cha Christian Coalition monga Robertson ndi Coalition adakumana nazo
nthawi zina zovuta kwambiri. M'mbuyomu, Robertson adakwiyitsa ambiri a iwo
Atsogoleri ofunikira kwambiri a Ufulu Wachikhristu polengeza kuti kutsutsidwa
ya Purezidenti Clinton inali yotayika ndipo inali nthawi yoti tipite patsogolo.Mkati, bungweli linali losokonezeka. Akuluakulu awiri omwe adatenga udindo
kuyendetsa ntchitoyo atasiya ntchito Ralph Reed adachotsedwa ntchito
ndi Robertson. Onse a Donald Hodel, yemwe anali purezidenti, ndi Randy Tate, wa Coalition
Mtsogoleri wamkulu, adathetsedwa, ndipo Robertson adatenga gululo
utsogoleri.Pambuyo pazaka zambiri ndikukangana ndi Internal Revenue Service, Coalition pamapeto pake
anasiya kumenyera ufulu wakusalipira msonkho.Malinga ndi mtolankhani John C. Henry wa Houston Chronicle, Coalition
kenako anagawanika "m'magulu awiri osiyana ndikudzoza ntchito yake yaku Texas
monga 'galimoto yaikulu' pa ntchito zake zapadziko lonse.”Panali zovuta zingapo zachuma: kuperewera kunayambitsa Mgwirizano
kuyimitsa kusindikiza kwake kowala kawiri pamwezi Christian American magazini - ndi
galimoto yoyamba yolumikizirana ndi madera awo - ndikusintha
ndi nkhani ya sabata iliyonse ya imelo.Ngakhale Robertson ndi munthu wolemera kwambiri, Mpingo & State
m’mwezi wa January, bungwe la Coalition “linali kuzengedwa mlandu kwa pafupifupi
$400,000 yopangidwa ndi kampani yotsatsa mwachindunji yomwe imati sinalipidwe
kuyambira masika apitawa.” Stephen Winchell, wa Winchell and Associates, adatero
kuti Coalition ikhoza kukhala ndi ngongole yokwana $2 miliyoni kwa mavenda osiyanasiyana.Chofunikira kwambiri pazandale chinali chigamulo cha Woweruza Wachigawo cha US Joyce Green
zomwe, linanena za Washington Times, "anataya zambiri za 1996
mlandu wa boma wonena kuti otsogolera ovota a Coalition, amaimba foni
mabanki ndi ntchito zina zinali zochitika zamagulu opangidwa kuti athandize Republican
osankhidwa ndipo akuyenera kuwonedwa ngati zopereka pansi pa malamulo a federal. "
Webusaiti ya bungweli imatcha otsogolera ovota kuti “ndi owoneka kwambiri
komanso ntchito yabwino kwambiri yopangidwa ndi bungwe lathu. ” Nthawi ina Green anamupanga iye
chigamulo chitseko chinatsegulidwa kuti Coalition atengepo mbali mwanzeru
mu zisankho za 2000.Zopempha za Coalition zopezera ndalama zimayang'anira kubwezera White
Nyumba ya Republican Party. Mu Novembala, Robertson adakweza ndalama
anachenjeza anthu ake kuti “tikulimbana ndi mphamvu za mdima
ndipo ine ndikukhulupirira Mulungu akutiuza ife, choyamba, kuti tizipemphera modzipereka—kupemphera kuti tipeze
kupatsidwa mphamvu ndi kuwongolera. Pamenepo tiyenera kuchita zinthu mwachikhulupiriro!”“Kuchita zinthu mwachikhulupiriro” kunaphatikizapo kumaliza “Kuyitana kwa Akristu
2000," mafunso omwe ali ndi "Zifukwa 7" zotengera nawo
mu Chisankho cha 2000 kuphatikiza: kuwuka kwa tsankho lodana ndi Akhristu; media kukondera
motsutsana ndi magulu achikhristu; ndi kufunika kosintha Roe v. Wade.Kalata ya Disembala ya Robertson imayika mtedza ndi ma bolts a Kuwerengera kwake
ku kampeni ya Victory. Dongosolo: “Tsiku lachisankho la 2000 lisanafike, tidzagawira
otsogolera ovota oposa 70 miliyoni akuwonetsa komwe ofuna kuvotera akuyimira pazovuta zazikulu. ”
"Otsogolera ovota," akutero Robertson "ndi njira yofunika kwambiri
chida mu Countdown to Victory Plan yathu. "Izi ndi zomwe Coalition ikufuna kukwaniritsa:
-
yesetsani kuwonetsetsa kuti 85 peresenti ya ovota achikhristu afika msanga
mayiko oyambirira ndi a caucus mu Januwale ndi February - lembetsani mamiliyoni a ovota atsopano achikhristu
-
sonkhanitsani mazana masauzande a madandaulo olimbikitsa atsogoleri a magulu awiriwo
zipani…osati kunyalanyaza nkhawa za ovota achikhristu -
lemberani “mtsogoleri wantchito” m'modzi m'magawo 175,000
America yomwe ikukonzekera Akhristu aku America komweko kuti achite ndale
Ngakhale akatswiri ambiri aufulu amasangalala kulemba pafupipafupi zachipembedzo
kumanja ndi Christian Coalition, izi mwachionekere ndi mbiri ya imfa isanakwane. Bush ndi
kupambana kwakukulu kunali kwakukulu chifukwa cha kuchuluka kwa anthu a Robertson
asitikali.Mbusa Jerry Falwell's People of Faith 2000 Campaign
Ngakhale kuti wakhala a
Munthu wopanda gulu landale—Moral Majority yake inakhazikitsidwa mu 1989—Jerry
Falwell akupitilizabe kukhala pagulu. Nthawi zonse Clinton
Falwell anali mlendo wokondedwa wa pa TV wa Larry King
ndi Geraldo Rivera—nthawi zambiri amakhala ndi adani ake akale komanso “mnzake” wamakono.
Larry Flynt. Chaka chapitacho anakwiyitsa Ayuda polalikira kwa abusa
kuti Wokana Kristu, wamkulu wa Mulungu, akhale Myuda amene
ali moyo lero. Ndani angaiwale pamene Falwell's National Liberty Journal
adatulutsa Tinky-Winky, wosewera pa TV ya "Tele- tubbies".
kuwonetsa kwa ana aang'ono. October watha, pofuna kufewetsa fano lake, adalandira
Mtumiki wa gay Mel White ndi akhristu a gay 200 ku likulu lawo ku Lynchburg, Virginia
ndipo adalonjeza kutsitsa mawu ake odana ndi gay.
M'masabata angapo apitawa Falwell adalumikizana ndi a Christian Right stalwarts
Rev. Lou Sheldon wa Traditional Values Coalition, Rev. D. James Kennedy
a Center for Reclaiming America, ndi Peter LaBarbera waku America
Chowonadi chokhudza kugonana kwa amuna kapena akazi okhaokha, podzudzula omenyera ufulu wa amuna kapena akazi okhaokha komanso atsogoleri
a Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) pa kampeni yawo
za "ziwanda" motsutsana ndi Dr. Laura Schlessinger, pawailesi
"Queen of mean."M'mwezi wa Marichi, Falwell adalengeza kampeni ya miyezi isanu ndi iwiri "yobwezeretsanso America
monga mtundu umodzi pansi pa Mulungu.” M'mawu ake atolankhani, Fal- adagwiritsa ntchito nthawi yolemekezeka
Chida cholankhulira cha Christian Right chonena kuti, "chiwanda cha osunga
anthu achikhulupiriro akufulumizitsidwa mu Congress komanso m'manyuzipepala. "
Falwell, woyambitsa ndi Chancellor wa Liberty University ya ophunzira 10,000,
akunena kuti wawona “makonzedwe olinganizidwa ameneŵa a anthu aufulu ndi a anthu wamba
omasuka ku ziwanda ndi kuchotsera anthu achikhulupiriro” m'mbuyomu.Falwell's Moral Majority adatenga gawo lalikulu posankha Purezidenti Ronald Reagan
ndikumanga ambiri okonda ku Congress. Kuti muchite izi, Falwell
imati, iwo “analembetsa ovota atsopano oposa 8.5 miliyoni kupyolera m’matchalitchi
ndi mabungwe azipembedzo ndikuyambitsanso mamiliyoni ena kubwerera ku ndale
bwalo.”Tsopano, akufuna kukweza chiwerengerocho: “Ndikulengeza miyezi isanu ndi iwiri
kampeni, yomwe idzatha pa November 7—Tsiku Lachisankho—limene ndikuitana People
wa Chikhulupiriro 2000… [pamene ndidzafuna] kulimbikitsa, kudziwitsa ndi kulimbikitsa anthu
osunga zipembedzo 70 miliyoni ku America.” Anthu a Falwell
a Chikhulupiriro 2000 adzati:
-
(1) sonkhanitsa atumiki 200,000, ndi mipingo yawo, kuti abwerere ku America
ku mizu yake yauzimu - (2) lembetsani ndikubweretsa ovota atsopano osachepera mamiliyoni khumi
-
(3) kulimbikitsa ovota onse olembetsa, koma opanda chidwi kuti akwaniritse Chikristu chawo
ntchito povota chaka chino
Malinga ndi Beliefnet, buku la pa intaneti lofotokoza zachipembedzo
Nkhani, anthu a Falwell akukonzekera “kutumiza makhadi olonjeza kwa atsopano
olembetsa ovota kuti asaine, ndikulonjeza kuti adzavotera Purezidenti
chisankho.” Ndiye, masabata angapo chisankho chisanachitike “Anthu Achikhulupiriro
2000 ikhazikitsa kampeni yayikulu yoyimbira mafoni kukumbutsa asitikali atsopanowa
kuvota.”Pa Marichi 23, Falwell adalemba kuti: "Ndikuwona opaleshoni yomwe ikukula mwachangu
za mphamvu pakati pa anthu osunga zipembedzo mu dziko lino. Kutsatira zaka za
kuzunzidwa ndi kunyozedwa ndi atolankhani ndi ndale anasiya, ndikukhulupirira
anthu achikhulupiriro osamala akonzekeranso kuti amveketse mawu awo
zinamveka pa zisankho zovuta zandale za m’chaka cha 2000.”
Falwell akuti cholinga chake ndikusankha Bush, ndi "kuwona Clinton / Gore
ku Washington ndikubwerera ku Timbuktu. " Mutha kubetcherana zimenezo
Falwell adzayimba lipenga kampeni yake yatsopano pamphindi ziwiri zake "Mverani
America” amawulutsa pawailesi, yomwe imapita kumawayilesi opitilira 200
dziko lonse. Akuyamba kumanga maziko atsopano ndipo akuyitanitsa
anzake akale a Moral Majority kuti agwirizane naye.Mapulani a Nkhondo ya Rev. Sheldon
Kwa Achimereka ambiri, Mbusa Sheldon sali
dzina lanyumba. Komabe, zikuwonekeratu kuchokera muzolemba kuti iye ndi mmodzi wa iwo
anthu olimbikira ntchito pa Ufulu Wachikhristu. Wochokera ku Anaheim, California
Traditional Values Coalition (TVC)—yomwe ili ndi maofesi ku Washington, DC—yachita
akhala patsogolo pa kampeni yolimbana ndi amuna kapena akazi okhaokha komanso kukopa anthu opitilira awiri
zaka makumi. Ngakhale alibe makhalidwe apakati a munthu
monga M’busa Fred Phelps wa ku Topeka, Kansas, amene nthawi zambiri amamuona akutola maliro.
mwa anthu otchuka ogonana amuna kapena akazi okhaokha, Sheldon wapeza gawo lake labwino kwambiri
kufalitsa nkhani.Mu 1970s, malinga ndi 1994 New York Times mbiri, Sheldon "anachita kampeni
osachita bwino motsutsana ndi kuchotsedwa kwa malamulo aku California odana ndi sodomy ndi [in
1978] adagwira ntchito ndi Senator wa Boma John V. Briggs pamwambo [omwe adalephera]
zimenezo zikanafuna kuchotsedwa ntchito kwa aphunzitsi omwe anali ogonana amuna kapena akazi okhaokha poyera.”Kwa zaka zambiri Sheldon, woyambitsa ndi mpando wa TVC, wakhala katswiri pa
kuchititsa kampeni za ndale zokhala ndi mikangano. Mu 1993, TVC inali imodzi mwazinthu zazikulu
ogawa vidiyo yoyipa kwambiri Ufulu Wama Gay, Ufulu Wapadera,
zomwe cholinga chake chinali kukopa thandizo kuchokera ku Africa America poyambitsa
kudana ndi gay. Pa nthawiyo Sheldon, yemwe analibe mbiri yothandiza
zomenyera ufulu wachibadwidwe, adapempha anthu aku Africa America ponena kuti "
Sitima yapamtunda yopita ku Selma yabedwa” ndi ma gay.Mu 1994, pamene Gingrich "kusintha" kunabweretsa Nyumbayo pansi
Kulamulira kwa Republican kwa nthawi yoyamba m'zaka, ndi Times ananena kuti
Sheldon tsopano anakhoza kuitana ena a mabwenzi ake pa maudindo apamwamba a boma—kuphatikizapo
Trent Lott, yemwe adawonetsedwa mu Ufulu Wama Gay, Ufulu Wapadera. The Times
adatcha Sheldon "mtanda wosatopa ... [motsutsana] ndi malamulo ndi malamulo
zomwe zimapatsa ogonana amuna kapena akazi okhaokha kukhala ofanana.”Mu 1995, Sheldon, yemwe adadzitamandira m'kalata yosonkhanitsa ndalama yomwe adapeza
kudzipereka kwa Gingrich kuti achite misonkhano ya congressional momwe ndalama za federal
zidagwiritsidwa ntchito pophunzitsa maphunziro a kugonana ndi chidziwitso cha HIV/AIDS m'masukulu aboma,
ali ndi tsiku lake ku Congress.TVC idachita nawo kampeni yosokoneza kusankhidwa kwa
The poyera-gay Jim Hormel monga nthumwi US ku Luxembourg mu 1998. Posachedwapa
kampeni yofuna kukopa akuluakulu osankhidwa a Latino ku Central Valley
ku California kuvota motsutsana ndi AB222, yomwe ikanawonjezera malingaliro ogonana
ku bilu yopereka malo otetezeka kwa ana asukulu, Sheldon kamodzi
adaseweranso ndale zosokoneza. Wotumiza makalata wosonyeza munthu wakuda akupsompsona
mwamuna waku Latino ndi chenjezo "Tetezani ana kuti asagwiridwe ndi amuna kapena akazi okhaokha"
zikuwoneka ngati kuyitanidwa kwapoyera kwa nkhanza zotsutsana ndi amuna kapena akazi okhaokha. M'nyengo yozizira iyi, TVC inagwira ntchito
mosatopa kuwonetsetsa kuti Proposition 22, anti waku California yadutsa
ukwati wa amuna kapena akazi okhaokha.Tsopano, Rev. Sheldon wavumbulutsa dongosolo lake lankhondo la Election 2000—“a.
lingaliro lodzaza maofesi osankhidwa kwambiri ku America mu 2000 ndi atsogoleri
amene ali odzipereka ku makhalidwe abwino ndi makhalidwe abwino a Baibulo omwe anapanga America
chachikulu.” Kuti akwaniritse “chinthu chochepera 100 peresenti yachikhristu
kutenga nawo gawo mu zisankho za 2000,” Sheldon wa mbali zitatu
kampeni ikufuna kupeza ndalama zokwana $12 miliyoni kuti:
-
(1) onetsetsani Mavoti Achikhristu Odziwitsidwa: Otsogolera ovota 50 miliyoni ($750,000);
Zotsatsa za pa TV, pawailesi ndi m’nyuzipepala ($930,000); Intaneti ($450,000) -
(2) zindikirani ovota atsopano achikhristu 15,000,000: Christian Voter ID
Ntchito ($2.5 miliyoni); Malonda a pa TV, pawailesi ndi m’nyuzipepala ($450,000); Limbikitsani
Network ya TVC ya mipingo 43,000 ($660,000) -
(3) yambitsani kuchuluka kwa ovota kwachikhristu: kulumikizana ndi ovota, makalata
& foni ($ 3.3 miliyoni); kumanga zomangamanga zoyendera ($ 1.2
miliyoni); kuvota kunyumba ($ 1.3 miliyoni); kukhala ndi “Zochita Zachikristu”
ndi masukulu a "Candidate Training" ku America ($680,000)
Robertson, Falwell, ndi Sheldon akukweza magareta ndikugwira ntchito
ndalama ndi thandizo pa ntchito zawo m'chaka cha zisankho. Izi
zoyeserera zikuyang'ana pakuyeretsa Washington ku Clinton-Gore
zaka, ndi kusankha “atsogoleri a makhalidwe abwino amene amakhulupirira mfundo za m’Baibulo.”
Iwo asankha kuti Bush ndi mtundu wawo wa "mtsogoleri wamakhalidwe abwino." Pakadali pano,
kampeni ya Bush ipitiliza kudzipatula kwa anthu awa komanso
thamangira pakati pazandale. Z
Bill Berkowitz ndi mkonzi wa Chikhalidwe- Penyani, chofalitsidwa mwezi uliwonse
kutsatira mayendedwe osamala.