Generally, when a public figure wants to go the religious-route the stereotype is that it’s a social conservative advocating for life (which, by the way, is awesome).
However, I never pegged Sen. Edd Houck (D-Spotsylvania) as an evangelizer.
I would be wrong.
Today, near the end of session, Senator Houck spoke on a point of personal privilege.
A witness tells me that Houck berated those who voted for the House budget, saying that they ignored Christ’s admonition in Mark’s gospel to “suffer the little children to come unto me” by cutting funding for the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI), public broadcasting, and for supporting school choice, etc. He also questioned whether those who support school choice, but not VPI, really care about education or the best interests of children.
Needless to say, this intentionally antagonistic rhetoric was responded to. In the case, by Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg):
Suffer the little children to… attend state-supported preschool? We see our share of debates on social and moral issues in the Senate, and it’s rare for members to make direct religious appeals on even the most charged of these, so you can imagine my surprise when Senator Edd Houck (D-Spotsylvania) invoked Christ’s words to condemn everyone who voted for the House budget on the grounds that it provides modest school choice support, and it reduces funding for Public Broadcasting and for Governor Tim Kaine’s signature Pre-K program.
My guess is that among those who will share my surprise will be his eight Democratic House colleagues who voted for the House budget – Kenny Alexander, Mamye BaCote, Bob Brink, Rosalyn Dance, Algie Howell, Johnny Joannou, Jim Scott, Lionell Spruill, and Onzlee Ware.
Oh well. We are in the final days of budget negotiations, so the rhetoric will probably continue to soar.
Personally, I love public broadcasting, but I had no idea of the religious connotations!
Less than 48 hours. I pray cooler heads prevail and we have “sine die.”
