Bryan Fischer and the AFA: A portrait of hatred

It’s no great surprise that the Tea Party includes Christians possessing extreme right-wing political beliefs. Within the Tea Party, there are “soldiers for God” who are going out and attempting to overthrow government as representatives of God. One such individual is Bryan Jonathan Fischer, the Director of Issues for the American Family Association, regular contributor to their blog, Rightly Concerned, and host on their radio talk program Focal Point.

As a leader and spokesman for the American Family Association (AFA), Fischer is anti-choice, against environmental protections, against gays and gay adoption, strongly opposes national health care, liberals, Obama…… the list goes on and on. Fischer is an avid supporter of the AIDS denial movement, teaching that AIDS is caused by recreational drug use. Fischer has been included in the Top Ten Anti-Mormon Statements in 2011 by MormonVoices, a group associated with Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research. The AFA was cited back in 2005 by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for using hate speech and in 2010 they upgraded that designation, listing the AFA as a hate group, citing in part Fischer’s controversial comments about ethnic and racial minorities as well as his anti-gay comments as examples in support of that new, more serious hate group designation.

Liberal concern with Fischer and the AFA is two-fold. First there is the AFA’s widespread media blitz throughout all forms of media such as their television series, internet series, their daily report, blog, numerous journal publications as well as over 200 radio broadcast stations. Of even greater concern is their obvious influence on conservative politicians.

For instance, The New Yorker magazine reported in their June 18th issue that Fischer’s attack on Mitt Romney’s national security spokesman, Richard Grenell, for being gay let to a public outcry by leading conservatives ultimately leading to Grenell’s resignation in what Fischer described as a “huge win” for conservatives and showing Fischer’s strong influence on Mitt Romney. Other leading Republican candidates have sought Fischer’s support to include Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Tim Pawlenty and Rick Santorum – all of whom have appeared as guests on Fischer’s shows.

Last week Fischer proclaimed that Satan was behind everything from the environment to gay rights to Planned Parenthood and this week took it a step further insisting that “Liberals have been Duped by Satan” and have become completely irrational as a result.

Check it out for yourself:

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