"AKINS REFUSES TO QUIT" appears immediately below yesterday’s masthead. The story is about Todd Akins, the Republican Missouri member of the US House of Representatives running for the US Senate. He made a verbal gaff relating to abortion and rape on a St. Louis TV program which was ill advised at best.
The firestorm that follows is at the same time comical and lamentable. Representative Akins’ party is wooing conservative, "right to life" voters, but is found in the awkward position of asking one of their own to quit his candidacy. On one hand the party says, "We are protecting the rights of the unborn," but at the same time is saying, "We can’t have someone so committed to the cause that we lose votes!" Even former senators of his party from Missouri have added their two-cent worth of wisdom asking Akins to resign.
It is refreshing to have a relatively unknown person call for an all-important question. "How important is human life?" Like a refreshing ocean breeze, Akins seems to be saying, "No, let’s talk about the issue, and when I make a mistake, please hear my apology."
I am apolitical. As a citizen in heaven, I carry a green card here in the USA and do my best to influence culture with prayer, personal behavior, dialogue, and my vote. I will not be distributing leaflets, interrupting my neighbors’ dinners with nuisance phone calls, or registering as a member of a political party. If you do, God bless you! It is none of my business.
But at this unique moment, with a man of principle being pressured on all sides under the banner of political expediency, I offer the following material for dialogue.
- Why is the American public having such a hard time allowing a man to apologize? An abortion has become a cultural "oops!" in comparison to a poorly chosen sentence from a man passionately committed to protecting human life. And, haven’t we allowed several womanizers to rehabilitate themselves in the public arena?
- I smiled broadly as a "liberal" TV talking head, an archenemy of conservative church attenders, pointed out that Representative Akins would not quit because, "He is being consistent with who he is!" In other words, don’t expect him to appease the party because he wants to call for the question. Consistency is a Biblical value. Convictions are worthy of sacrifice. Martyrs speak loudly from their graves. Even if the politician is errant and defeated, he has brought the conversation to the public arena and forced the establishment members to shift uneasily from one foot to another, like whooping cranes standing on hot sand.
- What has happened to loyalty, charity and camaraderie in our culture? Defiance to moral injustice ought to be a banner under which true right to life politicians rush to affirm, not to criticize and abandon. "‘When the future of our country is at stake, sorry is not sufficient. To continue serving his country in the honorable way he has served throughout his career, it is time for Congressman Akin to step aside,’" said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel." "Honorable" and "step aside" are so dissonant that they struggle to appear in the same sentence.
I am sad that Mr. Akins was so clumsy on the TV show. I am delighted that a character issue can now be discussed.
In the Bible, Daniel and his three friends wouldn’t bend, bow or burn. David wouldn’t quit dancing. Stephen’s voice was only silenced when a well-aimed stone squeezed the remaining air from a damaged lung. The writer of the Hebrews documented that "the world was not worthy" of those who persisted in their faith.
Political professionals are laughing at my naivete. Religious operatives will continue in their attempts to enlist me to their causes. I will plod forward with dogged determination toward developing mature perseverance. I am under a Biblical imperative, " . . . you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:3-4)
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