Brownback: 'All for Jesus'
by Ryan Sager
Mon, 13 Aug 2007 at 7:16 PM
updated Mon, 13 Aug 2007 at 7:20 PM
Byron York writes over at National Review to "correct" the part of my column today where I quote Sam Brownback declaring: "All for Jesus. All for Jesus. All for Jesus. All for Jesus."
York:
In the portion of the speech that Sager cited, Brownback explained that he met Mother Teresa once, when she came to Congress, and he was given the assignment of accompanying her to her car: "As I put her in the car, she grabbed my hand, she looked me in the eyes and said three words four times: 'All for Jesus. All for Jesus. All for Jesus. All for Jesus.' It was her faith that powered her to help millions. Faith is a good thing, not a bad thing."
I suppose I could have added a parenthetical or otherwise clarified that he was quoting Mother Teresa. At the same time, I didn't do so because I think it's utterly irrelevant to the point of what he was doing. Mr. Brownback, more than any other candidate in the race, is making an explicit statement that religion — and, specifically, Christianity — should be at the center of American politics.
Saying "All for Jesus!" four times isn't part of some nuanced debate about faith informing public policy or being a positive force in public life. It's pure and simple tribalism, whipping the crowd up by promising to be on the side of conservative and fundamentalist Christians against the rest of American society.
UPDATE: See update here.
Related Topics: GOP Primary
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