Freeper-Moonie connection

[Ruffhowse]

I just posted a VERY innocuous message over at Free Republic asking why do conservatives associate with the Unification Church (Moonies). It was a very straightforward question, just showing some curiosity. In less than a minute, I was banned from posting, and the topic was erased from their board. My guess is that the Moonies throw some money at FR to buy that kind of influence. Typical FR reaction, though. They abide absolutely no questioning or dissent in their realm, much like they'd like to apply to the whole country if they could.

[Sapphocrat]

1. Why did you ask that question on FR? n/t

[Ruffhowse]

2. Because of this article I read here on an earlier post

Because of this article I read here on an earlier post:

http://gadflyer.com/articles/?ArticleID=131

Scary stuff, the Moonie church is totally bizarre and to think it has real influence in America is chilling.

[Sapphocrat]

3. Goodness gracious, if you want a straight answer...

...about that stuff, ask on DU. Posting on FR should be saved for those times you WANT a bunch of RWers screaming at you for pointing out their party's highly questionable connections.

I haven't read the article in question, but if it's about Moon, Reagan, & the Bushes, I don't need to.

In short, "Rev." Sun Myung Moon claims that he and his wingnut rag, The Washington Times are solely responsible for putting the RW in power.

He's not just blowing smoke.

If you really want to scare yourself, read this (Mods, copyright owner OKs reproduction w/link):

Five years after the Vietnam War, a conservative, moral, rightwing Reagan could become the President of the United States. Who made that? Reverend Moon. During my time in Danbury jail, in 1984, I helped Reagan too. He was my enemy. Bush, too. I chose those great American leaders, centering on the Unification Church as subject, with the American government as object-connected into one...

(C)entering on Father, the rightwing united into one and digested the leftwing. That is the resurrected Jesus' world foundation.

-- Rev. Sun Myung Moon
referring to himself ("Father") in the third person (as usual)
Washington Times anniversary celebration, June 16, 1997

Now, you may already be saying, "Suuuuuuuuuuure. The Big Moonie himself put Reagan and Bush I in office. Yeah, right! Can't you see that Moon is a victim of his own delusions of grandeur?"

To which I answer: Yeah, I used to think he was, too.

The truth of the matter is that Moon and the Bushies have been in bed together for longer than some of my readers have been alive. Moon was a huge contributor to Poppy Bush's presidential campaign (although Poppy has always declined to say how much he got; the Moonies say it was around $10 million), and has shamelessly promoted the farthest of the far right in this country, espousing their views, promoting their campaigns, and passing off as hard "news" the sort of smug pap that could make Gandhi want to sucker-punch the next whiner who regurgitates the same old lies about the nonexistent "liberal media conspiracy."

Don't believe it? Okay, don't. But first, you might ask former Prez Bush what he was doing on November 23, 1996. Nah, never mind -- I'll tell you: Poppy was in Buenos Aires, speaking at a banquet in honor of Rev. Moon's launch of a new Spanish-language propaganda rag:

I want to salute Reverend Moon, the founder of the Washington Times and of the new paper here. A lot of my friends in South America don't know about the Washington Times but it is an independent voice. The editors of the Washington Times tell me that never once has the man with the vision interfered with the running of the paper, a paper that in my view brings sanity to Washington, D.C.

-- George H. W. Bush
Reuters
November 23, 1996

More:
Dark Side of the Moon
doublethink, March 21, 2003
http://blogs.salon.com/0002551/categories/archivesMarch19May182003/2003/05/24.html#a18

Not scary enough? Try this:

This list is a revision of the front group list made in June 1981 by the Ex-Moon Organization. ...

MOON RELIGIOUS FRONTS
Unification Church of America ... Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Freedom ... American Conference on Religious Movements ... Catholic University of America, Washington, DC ... Assembly of Worlds Religions ... Blessed Family Association ... The Committee to Defend the First Amendment ... First Amendment Institute ... The Holy Spirit Assn for the Unification of World Christianity ... Interdenominational Conference of Clergy ... Jewish Friendship League ... World Youth for God ... Youth Seminar on World Religions ...

MOON POLITICAL FRONTS ... American Bicentennial God Bless America Committee ... American Committee for the Human Rights of Japanese Wives of North Korean Repatriates ... American Constitution Committee ... American Freedom Coalition ... American Parents Association ... Asian Ecumenical Inter-Faith Council ... Committee to Defend the U.S. Constitution ... Communist Research Group ... Freedom Leadership Foundation ... Global Economic Action Institute ...

MOON MEDIA FRONTS ... Atlantic Video, Inc. ... Free Press Int'l ... Global Insight ... Harlem Weekly ... Insight Magazine ... Manhattan Television Center ... New Era Books ... News World Communications ...

Much, much, MUCH more -- including commercial business establishments:
http://www.ex-cult.org/Groups/Unification-Church/moonlist.txt

Try to sleep well tonight, Ruffhowse -- and... Welcome to DU!