Concerned Women for America was founded by Tim LaHaye, one of the founders of the Council for National Policy,[1] and his wife Beverly is CWA’s chairman.[2] CWA currently claims 600,000 members.[3] According to its website mission statement, the CWA seeks to “protect and promote Biblical values among all citizens - first through prayer, then education, and finally by influencing our society - thereby reversing the decline in moral values in our nation.”[4] Its mission is “anti-gay, anti-choice, anti-feminism and anti-sex education.”[5] It actively supports the teaching of creationism and “intelligent design theory” in science classrooms.[6] According to Mrs. LaHaye, “[p]oliticians who do not use the bible to guide their public and private lives do not belong in office."[7]
The CWA has taken a storng interest in Canadian politics, inviting Conservative MP and Justice Critic Vic Toews and Conservative MP and Foreign Affairs Critic Stockwell Day criticize Canadian same sex marriage legislation on CWA’s national radio program “Concerned Women Today” on separate occasions in 2003. During the interview with Mr. Day, Sandy Rios, then President of CWA, exhorted Canadian listeners to get involved in stopping Canada’s recognition of same sex marriage: “I would say the same thing to Canadian listeners that we say to our American listeners that this is no time to be silent, if ever there were a time to redeem your culture and ours it’s now.”[8] Ms. Rios also offered concrete advice for how to shape the political outcome of the same sex marriage debate: “[F]or those of you who are Canadian listeners…we want to give you some practical help, we want to link you with two organizations that are working toward this effort, it will be on our website, it’s [sic] Canada Family Action Coalition and Christian Coalition of Canada.[9]
The CWA has also fiercely criticized Bill C-250 on hate crimes, which provided protection against hateful acts based on sexual orientation. [10] In a CWA radio broadcast of December 29, 2005, guest speaker Reverend Tristan Emannuel, founder of Equipping Canadian Christians for the Public Square, strongly criticized the law and the Canadian courts: “[W]hat’s taking place in Canada is horrendous you know….the courts have stated that when it comes to individual rights, individuals’ rights will trump religious rights, in Canada.” [11]
Emmanuel, whose organization “teaches people of his faith to become political,” has endorsed the candidacies of Andrew House, Conservative Candidate for Halifax,[12] Rakesh Khosla, Conservative Candidate for Halifax West,[13] and Paul Francis, Conservative Candidate for Sackville-Eastern Shore.[14]
[1] Robert Dreyfuss, “Reverend Doomsday,” Rolling Stone, January
28, 2004, available at http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/_/id/5939999
(last visited January 13, 2006).
[2] “Leadership,” Concerned Women for America, available at http://gideon.cwfa.org/leadership.asp (last visited January 13, 2006).
[3] Robert Dreyfuss, “Reverend Doomsday,” Rolling Stone, January 28, 2004, available at http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/_/id/5939999 (last visited January 13, 2006).
[4] “Concerned Women for America: Mission Statement,” Concerned Women for America, available at http://www.cwfa.org/about.asp (last visited January 13, 2006).
[5] “Right Wing Watch: Concerned Women for America,” People for the American Way, available at http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=3151 (last visited January 13, 2006).
[6] “Right Wing Watch: Concerned Women for America,” People for the American Way, available at http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=3151 (last visited January 13, 2006).
[7] “Right Wing Watch: Concerned Women for America,” People for the American Way, available at http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=3151 (last visited January 13, 2006).
[8] “Concerned Women Today Broadcast ‘Canada Battles Gay Agenda, August 7, 2003’,” audio broadcast available at http://gideon.cwfa.org/radioarch.asp?broadcastID=1993 (last visited January 13, 2006).
[9] “Concerned Women Today Broadcast ‘Canada Battles Gay Agenda, August 7, 2003’,” audio broadcast available at http://gideon.cwfa.org/radioarch.asp?broadcastID=1993 (last visited January 13, 2006).
[10] “Multimedia Center: ‘ “Hate Crime” Laws in Canada Stifle Religious Freedom’,” Concerned Women for America, December 29, 2005, available at http://www.cwfa.org/radio.asp (last visited January 13, 2006).
[11] “Multimedia Center: ‘ “Hate Crime” Laws in Canada Stifle Religious Freedom’,” Concerned Women for America, December 29, 2005, available at http://www.cwfa.org/radio.asp (last visited January 13, 2006).
[12] “Candidate: Andrew House,” GlobeandMail.com, available at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/elections/fed2005/candidates/generated/12004_CON.html (last visited January 13, 2006).
[13] “Candidate: Rakesh Khosla,” GlobeandMail.com, available at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/elections/fed2005/candidates/generated/12005_CON.html (last visited January 13, 2006).