Anti-Gay Manhattan Declaration Author, Watergate Felon, Chuck Colson Dead at 80

I know it's not supposed to be good form to speak ill of the dead, but over his career both in the Nixon White House and later as a leading anti-gay homophobe and self-styled right wing extremist, Chuck Colson - at least in my view - perpetrated much evil.  He certainly did all in his power to denigrate LGBT citizens and to push a theocratic agenda that made a mockery of the U. S. Constitution's promise of religious freedom for all citizens.  The so-called Christianist Manhattan Declaration is but one of many examples of Colson seeking to subvert the Constitution and the nation's civil laws while demanding special rights for Christianists.  Colson had best hope that he isn't judged as he judged others or else his life in the hereafter may be far different that what he expected.  The New Civil Rights Movement looks at Colson's foul legacy.  Here are some highlights:

Chuck Colson, the virulently anti-gay theocrat, Evangelical Christian Prison Fellowship founder, Watergate felon, and Manhattan Declaration co-author, died today at the age of 80, after a brain hemorrhage earlier this month. President Richard M. Nixon’s self-described “hatchet man,” Colson — who turned to religion just before he began serving a prison sentence as one of the Watergate Seven — had the reputation of a “dirty tricks” man, but later became highly-regarded within the ranks of the radical religious right. Colson in recent years was a chief religious flag waver falsely claiming the rights of Christians are being compromised.

 

Colson co-authored the Manhattan Declaration with National Organization For Marriage (NOM) founder Robert P. George, whom Colson routinely praised.

The Los Angeles Times described Colson’s Manhattan Declaration as incautious, “apocalyptic,” “disingenuous,” “irresponsible and dangerous,” and chastised its “Christian religious leaders who, even as they insist on their right to shape the nation’s laws, are reserving the right to violate them.” The Times also labeled the Declaration’s attack on same-sex marriage as a “canard,”.   .   .   .  

Colson repeatedly attacked same-sex marriage and homosexuality. He wrongly stated “homosexual behavior” is more “dangerous than smoking, it lowers the life expectancy dramatically.” Colson also falsely stated that legalizing same-sex marriage was “sanctioning behavior known to be dangerous.” And, again falsely, stated that gays and lesbians “don’t want marriage; they want their sexual choices affirmed as normal and moral.”

And as late as last year, despite years of research to the contrary, Colson was publicly advocating that homosexuality was both a choice and avoidable if parents “properly” raised their children.

Author Jeff Sharlet, who has researched and written extensively on the radical religious right, upon learning of Colson’s passing, today wrote via Twitter: Chuck Colson was a cruel, vain, and arrogant man in all phases of his life, a dissembler & a hater to the end. RIP.

Frankly, I find it difficult not to believe that the world is a better place now that Colson has left it.  From all I have read on Colson, I believe Jeff Sharlet summed it up well.  Yes, that's harsh, but in the end, I believe the truth.  Like so many in the Christian Right, Colson should be best known for the hate, intolerance and bigotry that were his daily stock in trade.