ustxtxb_obs_1986_05_02_50_00002-00000_000.pdf

-.-_-_,-.- s FOE …. , . HE L–, E., rim i , ,, Hi I PI = it I i; – nopt ..__ 2 PRIE1V lti _ … ,.._ ,…., ._ , …..-,41 — —: , , . :. ,,,,_..7, -;— ___. _ … __,.. 1 …. 1. ETXDB s . .:., The Texas ERvER Observer Publishing Co.. 1986 Vol. 78, No. 9 pszlft…76 May 2, 1986 Copyright 1986 by Texas Observer Material may not be reproduced ASSOCIATE CALENDAR LAYOUT AND DESIGN: Valerie EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Kathleen WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: EDITORIAL INTERNS: Ron EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: ville; Chandler Davidson, Houston; Farenthold, Houston; Ruperto bridge, Mass.; Lawrence Goodwyn, Ill.; Molly Ivins, Dallas; Larry Jr.. San Antonio; Willie Morris, Presley. Texarkana, Tx.; Susan Fred Schmidt, Tehachapi, Cal., CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Dubose, John Henry Faulk, Ed per, Amy Johnson, Michael King, Schwartz, Michael Ventura, Lawrence CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Osdol, Alicia Daniel. CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS: Jeff Danziger, Beth Epstein, Dan Lowry. Miles Mathis. Joe McDermott, A PUBLISHER Publishing Company. without permission. Ronnie EDITOR Geoffrey EDITOR Dave EDITOR Chula Fowler Fitzgerald Vera Titunik Cesar, Beau Barton, Frances Barton, Bob Eckhardt, Garcia, Austin; John Durham, N.C.; L. King, Washington, Oxford, Miss.; Kaye Reid, Austin; A. R. Robert Sherrill, Tallahassee, Warren Burnett. Jo Garcia, Bill Helmer. Dana Loy, Rick Walsh. Alan Pogue, Mark Antonuccio, Hubig, Pat Johnson. Ben Sargent. of free party but will , hew hard We are dedicated to the rights of humankind from none but our the truth to serve the human spirit. their own work, but publishing them we this is a journal All rights reserved. Dugger Rips Denison Sims Ellen Williams. Austin; Elroy Bode, KerrWashington, D.C.; Sissy Kenneth Galbraith, CamGeorge Hendrick, Urbana, D.C.; Maury Maverick, Northcott. Austin; James Fla. Clifton, Craig Clifford, Louis James Harrington. Jack HopPiltz, Susan Raleigh, John Russell Lee, Scott Van Eric Avery, Tom Ballenger, Kevin Kreneck, Carlos Dan Thibodeau. voices journal We will serve no group or it and the right as we see it. values above all interests, to democracy; we will take orders will we overlook or misrepresent ful or cater to the ignoble in Writers are responsible for not themselves written, and in that we agree with them because to the truth as we find the whole truth, to human as the foundation of own conscience, and never the interests of the power not for anything they have do not necessarily imply of free voices. Managing Publisher Cliff Olofson Subscription Manager Stefan Wanstrom Publishing Consultant Frances Barton Development Consultant Hanno T. Beck Editorial and Business Office The Texas Observer paid at Austin, Texas. Subscription rates, including 5 1/8% sales tax: one year $23, two years $42, three years $59. One year rate for full-time students. $15. Back issues $2 prepaid. Airmail, foreign. group, and bulk rates on request. Microfilm editions available from University Microfilms Intl., 300 N. Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106. Copyright 1986 by Texas Observer Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without permission. POSTMASTER: Send form 3579 to: 600 West 28th Street, #105. Austin, Texas 78705. EDITORIAL New Sect in Town Austin TEXAS AND THE NATION have been blessed with a new organization that wants to get the country right with God. Comes now a group called Americans for Biblical Government. . Barely two months ago, the group held its first public demonstration on the east steps of the U.S. Capitol, and last month it rallied in several cities around the country, including Austin. And what was the first public stand taken by proponents of “biblical government?” Was it for a Bible school for bureaucrats? Was it to support a man of God for President? Was it for a “love thy neighbor” foreign policy? Brothers and sisters, it was to rally in support of military aid to the contras. About 50 righteous citizens lined up on the south steps of the state capitol April 14, united behind the banner, “Aid the Contras. Save our Sons.” Their audience was a nearly equal number of counter-demonstrators, who held such signs as “Stop the U.S. War on Nicaragua.” For the benefit of the television cameras, the rally proceeded with speeches and chants. Burt Hurlbut, the ubiquitous busy bee of the Texas Right, was there, and Eddie Morales, a UT engineering graduate from Nicaragua, denounced the Sandinistas. But the greatest scorn was reserved for Austin’s U.S. Representative Jake Pickle, who voted against aid to the contras in the House on March 21. One biblical protestor carried a sign that read “Pickle Voted Anti-God in Nicaragua.” George Sebek, a local pastor who helped organize the rally, declared, “We’re really convinced that Jake Pickle is supporting communism in Nicaragua.” Sebek said Pickle “bowed to the pressure of liberals” in the 10th Congressional district. “I just challenge Jake Pickle to wake up and smell the coffee,” he said. With that, the Biblicists began chanting “God Hates Oppression,” and “Support Our President.” Jake Pickle was further excoriated, as a man with a bullhorn led the chant, “Fickle Voted No, Communists Said Go!” The demonstrators then gathered their forces and marched down Congress Avenue. Aformed when a group of conservative pastors met in Washington, D.C., and decided to organize a push for contra aid in Congress, according to Jack Stockdale, the executive director of ABG, which is based in Hyattsville, Maryland. Stockdale said he and ABG’s . President, Jim McCotter, have been affiliated with the Great Commission Church, which has 85 congregations nationwide. Stockdale and McCotter recruited George Sebek, pastor of the Austin Great Commission Church, to be the local coordinator of Americans for Biblical Government. Sebek explained to the Observer, “You get God out of the government, and then we’re on a downhill slide. And I think we’re seeing that now we’re seeing more garbage going around now than we ever have, primarily because we’re getting away from the principles of the Bible.” 2 MAY 2, 1986