December (Web-only) 2005

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In a brilliant commentary for National Public Radio's All Things Considered, the Heritage Foundation's Joe Loconte has drawn attention to one of the strangest developments to hit Washington, D.C., in a long time. Despite all the disagreements that have split (generally) conservative Christians from those at the other end of the political-cultural spectrum, in one cause they have been united—and effective.

Loconte notes that Christians have not always been at the forefront of the cause of "human rights" (of course, "human rights" has sometimes been used as a euphemism for everything from abortion to same-sex marriage). But Christians have lately been front and center in a unique push that has had a major impact on administration policy—and brought them hand in hand with such unlikely allies as the Congressional Black Caucus. Loconte says,

They agreed, for example, on the need to create a U.S. commission to promote religious liberty; on measures to crack down on sexual trafficking; and on a law threatening sanctions against North Korea for its arbitrary arrests and labor camps. Evangelical groups such as the Salvation Army have actually found common cause with feminist organizations such as the National Organization for Women.

Weeks back, USA Today reported on evangelicals working together with political progressives on issues from prison reform to sex trafficking:

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act, passed in 2000, aims to dismantle the international crime syndicates that send women and children from the developing world into prostitution and sweatshops. Its supporters ranged from feminist Gloria Steinem to Chuck Colson, a former Nixon aide and founder of Prison Fellowship ministries.

Yet potentially the most significant ...