OT A Dreher Congressman: GOP Congressman Calls Democrats Anti-Christian

Gun-Toting Representative Blasts the Evil Democrats

Remarks in Floor Debate Stir Protest, Congressman Forced To Withdraw
Statement

By Mike Allen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 21, 2005; Page A04

Business on the floor of the House was halted for 45 minutes yesterday
after Rep. John N. Hostettler (R-Ind.) accused Democrats of
"denigrating and demonizing Christians," prompting a furious protest
from across the aisle.

The House was debating a Democratic amendment to the annual defense
appropriations bill that would have required the Air Force Academy to
develop a plan for preventing "coercive and abusive religious
proselytizing."

Hostettler, speaking against the amendment, asserted that "the long war
on Christianity in America continues today on the floor of the House of
Representatives" and "continues unabated with aid and comfort to those
who would eradicate any vestige of our Christian heritage being
supplied by the usual suspects, the Democrats."

"Like a moth to a flame, Democrats can't help themselves when it comes
to denigrating and demonizing Christians," he said.

Rep. David R. Obey (Wis.), ranking Democrat on the Appropriations
Committee, protested the statement, saying: "I move that the
gentleman's words be taken down."

The incident followed dust-ups between the two parties over the conduct
of the war on terrorism. Over the weekend, Senate Majority Leader Bill
Frist (R-Tenn.) called on Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) to apologize
and withdraw his comments made on the Senate floor comparing U.S.
soldiers' handling of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the actions
taken years ago by "Nazis and Soviets in their gulags."

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) repeated an assertion
yesterday that had drawn heavy Republican criticism, calling the war in
Iraq "a grotesque mistake."

Yesterday, Hostettler had a choice: to agree to withdraw his words, or
to stick by them and face a ruling from the chair that he had violated
rules against disparaging another member on the floor. If the member's
words are taken down, it is considered a serious offense and the
lawmaker would not be able to speak for the rest of the day.

Eventually, Hostettler rose and read a sentence that had been written
out for him in large block letters by a young Republican floor aide:
"Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the last sentence I
spoke."

Later, the Democratic amendment was defeated, 210 to 198, and on a
voice vote the Air Force was required to say how it is promoting
religious tolerance before the overall appropriations bill passed, 398
to 19.

Hostettler was in the news last year when he took a registered Glock
9mm semiautomatic handgun to Louisville International Airport as he was
preparing to board a flight to Washington. The congressman, who said he
had forgotten he had placed the gun in the briefcase, pleaded guilty to
a misdemeanor and received a suspended sentence.
[Washington Post, Tuesday, June 21, 2005; Page A04]