Few expect politics to go without attacks based upon religion
By John Sanko
Rocky Mountain News Capitol Bureau
The so-called Code of Civility pushed by a coalition of religious leaders will do little to untangle politics and religion in Colorado, observers said Wednesday.
Politicians who sign the code promise not to base political attacks on religious beliefs. Of 55 primary candidates in the state, 25 have signed it, 12 have refused and 18 didn't respond -- promise .
Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, the newly formed group that put together the code, makes it clear the aim is to blunt political attacks by candidates from the religious right.
The group's concept drew lots of interest Wednesday, the day after it was announced.
But not many thought it would actually cut down on religion-based politics.
"I think there is a kind of mushy, secularist sentimentality in this code of civility," said University of Denver religious studies professor Carl Raschke.
While its goals may sound noble, they probably aren't realistic, he said.
"My own view is this is a lot of smoke and little fire," he said.
"Religion is about passionate convictions and beliefs, not about political consensus," he said.
"To be religious is to be passionate about something. The alliance is saying we want you to be religious but not passionate. We want you to be political but not attack your opponent. That's silly."
That's not true, says the Rev. Joel Miller, a co-founder of the alliance and a minister at the Columbine Unitarian Universalist Church in Littleton.
Alliance members expect spirited debate, but they want it to be civil, he said.
The organization represents faiths with far different views on abortion, homosexuality, school prayer, public aid to private schools and other issues, he said.
Those appearing at the news conference to announce the list of signers included a Catholic priest, a rabbi and a Muslim. Members include Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists and others of different faiths and races, Miller said.
"We hope it does bring more religion into the election," Miller said. "We have no problem with that. We want religion to have its place in public debate.
"We believe we represent mainstream America. We believe folks in the Christian Coalition are a radical fringe political group. Politics is their end goal, not religion."
Twenty states have similar organizations, which began cropping up about four years ago in response to political involvement by the religious right.
The code begins: "I affirm the positive role that religion plays in the democratic process, acknowledging that religion best contributes to our public life when it works for reconciliation, inspires common effort, promotes community and responsibility and upholds the dignity of all human beings."
Chuck Gosnell of the Christian Coalition of Colorado calls the alliance a "liberal front group" for politicians who support abortion and special rights for gays.
"We challenge them to not use their typical tactics of censoring men and women of faith who actually do believe in the Bible," Gosnell said, indicating the coalition would not be backing down.
Damien Veatch, who is managing the campaign for lieutenant governor for state Sen. Jim Congrove, an Arvada Republican who refused to sign the code, accused the alliance of trying to silence candidates on controversial issues that concern the public.
"There are a whole spectrum of issues that are not going to go away just because some group wants them to," he said.
July 30, 1998
Thursday, July 30, 1998 at 13:36:02 (EDT)
COLORADO RELIGIOUS GROUP SAYS THAT THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT DOES NOT REFLECT THE MAJORITY VIEWPOINT-By The Associated Press
DENVER (AP) -- A religious group has organized in Colorado to counter political messages from the so-called religious right.
The Rev. Michael Carrier, a Presbyterian minister, said the Christian, Jewish and Muslim founders of the state's Interfaith Alliance aim to monitor and counter groups ``who use religion as a weapon to push an extreme partisan agenda.''
The group, patterned after the national Interfaith Alliance, has no money, no office and no staff. But organizers say it will monitor the activities of such organizations as the Christian Coalition and Focus on the Family and will speak out against church roles in politics.
``The religious right groups speak as if they have the only religious point of view,'' Carrier said. ``But they don't speak for the vast majority of Coloradans.''
Rabbi Steven Foster of Temple Emanuel, one of Denver's largest synagogues, says members of the religious right ``have a litmus test for candidates, they ignore the separation of church and state, and I fear we will wind up with a conservative Legislature and governor if there are no checks ... .''
Vera Mae Griffin, a Christian Coalition representative, said the alliance is overreacting, and Paul Jessen of Colorado for Family Values defended the religious right's use of churches to spread its message.
``We want our people to be properly informed,'' he said, ``and the mainstream media doesn't print our point of view.''
He said putting voters' guides in churches helps conservative Christians ``pick candidates with our values. It's not illegal for us to take stands.''
LifeStyle June 14, 1998
Ssezzibwa is a pretty spot, where the river hesitates in a forest pool before taking the plunge. And there are plenty of shaded picnic sites for those who are so inclined
Setama Kamya Salango, medium of the god Kkubo, sits at the top of Ssezzebwa Falls: "He claims his baldness is a sign that he has been chosen by the river god"
I am in Kampala again. I have forgone the voyeuristic pleasures of the Speke Terrace, this time, I am staying off-centre at the Fairway Hotel.
"Oh yes, that's one of really old hotels" my Ugandan friend said. Actually, it first opened its doors in 1973. Back home, in the town of Nottingham where I both studied and taught, I used to drink in a hostelry that served the returning crusaders in 1173, or thereabouts. Which only goes to show how different the historical perspectives can be between the old countries of Europe and the new ones of Africa.
The bedrooms all face out the Kampala Golf Course and towards the wooded gardens of Kololo Hill. There is a swimming pool, a health club, a business centre, and newish conference facilities. The small Garden Cafe provides tasty samosas, sponge cakes, coffee - and a convenient spot for casual meetings.
Set on the lower slopes of Nakasero Hill and close to a roundabout on Kitante Road - which is Kampala's version of Uhuru Highway - the Fairway is only three minutes drive up the Sheraton Centre of expatriate activities, and it has immediate access to the city's escape routes. Last Sunday, I took one of them to Ssezzibwa Falls, which had been described in that morning's edition of the Sunday Vision as "the best tourist site in central Buganda."
The falls are on Ssizzibwa River, which flows out from Lake Victoria and crosses the main Jinja Road near the small Kayanja market centre, which is about 30 miles out from Kampala. The murram track on the falls leads south from the main road dukas and through the forest to Madudu Village.
The actual cascade is only 60 feet high, so it is nothing like as spectacular as Uganda's more famous 400 feet of the Murchison Falls. But Ssezzibwa is a pretty spot, where the river hesitates in a forest pool before taking the plunge. There is a jagged outcrop of white rock, which makes a natural but not too difficult assault course for children. And there are plenty of shaded picnic sites for those who are less energetic.
There is one magnificent gnarled tree that is called Enkalati and that is said to have been planted by the infamous Kabaka Mwanga over 100 years ago ("infamous," because it was Mwanga who, among a number of other sadistic acts, burnt to death 25 Christian boys at the Rubaga court who resisted his sodomistic lusts. "Martyrs Day" that commemorates their deaths is a national holiday, and it was celebrated here on June 3).
Ssezzibwa has long been associated with the Kabakas and it seems that during the time of Mutesa II (who became Uganda's President at Independence alongside Obote as Prime Minister) it was a very popular place for weekend trips from the city. But when Mutesa was forced into exile, the site was left untended and it was soon overgrown.
One person doing his best to revive the Ssezzibwa Falls fortunes (in more than one sense of the word) is Setamu Kamya Salongo, who claims to be the principal medium of the god KKubo - and "the chief adviser to the Minister of Culture in Buganda Government."
When I arrived on the Sunday afternoon, Salongo was sitting under a tree near the bottom of the falls. He was flanked by two female attendants, and his spear was stuck in the ground by his side.
After the greetings, and as soon as he ascertained that I was prepared to pay a little something for a picture and what he called "the tourism", he put on his bark cloth cloak, removed his trousers, and beckoned me to follow him up the rocks to the top of the falls. Once there, he slowly waded out to where the river foams and drops down the cliff. As he went, he suddenly let out a sound that was something between a scream and a grunt. I gathered that this was his way of summoning his grandfather's spirit, Jjajja.
He posed at the top of the falls. He called on Jjajja a number of times. And then he clambered down the craggy side of the falls to where a wet and sacrificial chicken was perched on a rock ledge.
Setamu Kamya Salongo will tell you that the waters of Ssezzibwa Falls have long been renowned for their healing power. People used to go there to bathe, pray to Kkubo, and make sacrifices of cows, goats or chickens. He says that he is now officially in charge of the place. He also claims that his baldness is a sign that he has been chosen by Kkubo. "I have never grown hair since I was born," he says. "I was appointed while still in my mother's womb."
A local pastor I met after the "photo- call" and who showed me Mwanga's Enkalati tree, said that Salongo is just a witchdoctor who is "misleading people." In his turn, Salongo argues that the restored Kabaka, Mutebi II, is not being true to his ancestors and is being misled by his close advisers. Previous Kabakas used to bring cows to the river for sacrifice, he says, and he is angry that this one is not doing so.
"I, Omusambwa, order Kabaka Mutebi to bring my cows here. If he does not do it, his land will surely go."
Land is the number one issue these days in Uganda - following publication of the draft Land Bill. And it is the Buganda landlords who feel most threatened. But it seems that President Museveni is not the only one who is rapping the Kabaka's knuckles.
