Support Dr. Laura

Long-time WORLD readers know that I advocate political alliances between religious conservatives and libertarians, and social-issue alliances between biblical Christians and theologically conservatives Jews and Muslims. We need such alliances, I believe, because God has not placed us in the ancient land of Canaan, the theme park that Israelites were told to make their own. Instead, Christians are called to live amid sin in a modern Babylon. That means we should offer compassionate challenge to those addicted to sinful practices such as homosexuality or heterosexual adultery, and we should come to the support of those under attack for holding up a biblical standard of morality. Christians have a specific opportunity to support an ally and build bridges over the next several months. Dr. Laura Schlessinger has reportedly surpassed Howard Stern and even Rush Limbaugh as the most-listened-to radio person. She regularly reaches over 20 million radio listeners on 450 stations in the United States and Canada with a message that emphasizes biblical morality. More Americans may soon hear that message: Paramount recently signed up 85 percent of U.S. television markets to air her hour-long, talk-format television show. But homosexual activists are now campaigning to stop her influence from expanding further. As our cover story reports, Dr. Laura (now 53 years old) has become an Orthodox Jew-and that means she has increasingly presented an Old Testament-based critique of homosexuality. To those who disagree she says, rightly, "I am reiterating what God said. To them, that makes me 'hateful.' I'm sorry-talk to God about it." Since groups like GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, don't want to talk to God about it, they have instead put pressure on Paramount to stop the Dr. Laura television show before it starts. GLAAD's posture is ironic in one respect; as Dr. Laura told our reporter Lynn Vincent earlier this year, "I think it's quite fascinating that a group that's talking about civil rights wants to curtail my right to make a living, speak my point of view, and to have my religious convictions." Www.stopdrlaura.com, one of the new attack websites, bills itself as "a coalition against hate." The Stop Dr. Laura movement lists e-mail addresses and phone and fax numbers for the Paramount offices, giving homosexuals and their apologists an easy way to maximize harassment of Paramount executives. One of the dot-com brains behind the attack, John Aravosis, said, "The show's going to be canceled. This is going to be living hell for Paramount for the next year at least. E-mails will keep flying and flying and flying. Everyone online who's progressive is going to know that Paramount is a bigot." For progressives, of course, "bigotry" only goes one way. Former Member of Congress Pat Schroeder attacked Dr. Laura by saying, "The pledge of allegiance says, 'with liberty and justice for all.' What part of 'all' is unclear?" That question should be turned back to Mrs. Schroeder: What about liberty for Dr. Laura? If the attack just came on the Web, it would not be so serious-but leading liberal publications have become lapdogs of the homosexual lobby. GLAAD in 1998 met with editors of Time magazine to tutor them on the politically correct way to cover homosexuals in their publication. Time editors followed up obligingly with a flurry of pro-gay coverage, prompting GLAAD to trumpet the magazine's "truly remarkable turnaround." On March 20 Time had the predictable story, "Dr. Laura, Heal Thyself." So, for that matter, did Newsweek, with its standard hit-piece use of adjectives ("harsh-tongued") and out-of-context references (Dr. Laura suggesting that one caller, an eighth-grade girl, be "sacrificed," Inca-style.) Dr. Laura issued an irenic statement: "We are all made in G-d's image, and therefore, we should treat one another with love and kindness." But for activists, sincere overtures of peace will not suffice, and only Dr. Laura's unconditional surrender is acceptable. The theological differences between biblical Christians and Orthodox Jews are obvious, but on this and other social issues the need to work together should also be obvious, both for the sake of Dr. Laura and for the sake of Christian radio spokesmen. If a person of Dr. Laura's prominence and proven appeal can be kept off television, tyrants have seized control of the airwaves and no one who doesn't bow to political correctness is safe. Newsweek ended its article, "Stay tuned." Christians especially need to stay tuned, both to help Dr. Laura's message be communicated and to show a willingness to reach out beyond the Christian domain. The best way to ask Paramount executives not to be swayed by the GLAAD offensive is to send a letter to Mr. Frank Kelly, Paramount Television, 5555 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA 90038, or an e-mail to television@pde.paramount.com.