By FRC's Dan Hart
"Diversity" and "equality" are two of the Left's favorite catch phrases to throw around in almost any context. But what one quickly discovers with progressives is that when it comes to different viewpoints, strict uniformity must be enforced, and not all views are equal.
Just ask Judge Amy Coney Barrett. She embodies everything that a modern feminist would desire to be: supremely accomplished professionally, highly regarded by her colleagues, a blazing intellect and robust character, and even a mother of seven. But there's just one problem: she isn't a liberal.
"It's really interesting to see how the media ... treats a woman who comes from the center or center right of the political spectrum," said Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) during the fifth episode of FRC's Pray Vote Stand 2020 series. "It's basically if you're pro-life, pro-family, pro-religion, pro-business, pro-military, they do not want your voice to be heard. And for some reason they seem to fear that, and they box you out, and they say, 'Well, you are not someone who agrees with "women's issues"; therefore, you ought not to have a voice.' Now, the Left will tell you they want 'diversity,' that they really treasure diversity. But when it comes to a diverse viewpoint, a diverse voice, they really do not want [it] to be heard."
That's why Blackburn and six other female Republican senators decided to hold a press conference yesterday to express their support for Barrett as a superb jurist and true role model for all women, and to point out "the Left's double standard when it comes to covering women in public service."
"I thought it was really quite striking that there are some in the Senate on the Left who want to investigate the adoptions [of Barrett's children] from Haiti and how those adoptions took place," Blackburn said during the stream. "I think it was also instructive to the mindset of the Left when you had a reporter who is on the Left this week that said, 'with seven children, she had too much on her plate and didn't have time to be a Supreme Court justice.' Now just imagine that. Imagine if you had a conservative saying that about a woman who is on the Left."
As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Blackburn is not naïve as to the kinds of underhanded attacks that will be leveled against Barrett.
"[The Left will say] that women that are on the right side of the political spectrum are 'not fully female,' and they are going to challenge her on why she has chosen to have seven children," Blackburn noted. "As unlikely as this seems, these are the attacks that they are going to come at her with. 'Why did you choose to adopt children?' 'Do you think you have the time to be involved in a career that is strenuous like a seat on the Supreme Court?'"
In addition, Barrett's faith will almost certainly take centerstage: "They will attack her religion. Indeed, in the press conference ... I said 'this is the United States. We have freedom of religion. We have freedom to practice our religion.' Practicing your religion, being a woman of faith ought not to disqualify you for a seat on the Supreme Court or for any federal judgeship. If some on the Left would have their way, you would have to be an atheist or a secularist in order to have a seat on the federal bench."
So how can believers pray for Judge Barrett in the coming weeks? "Pray for this family," Blackburn said. "Judge Barrett's children are going to be in that room and they are going to hear these things that are said about their mother, and this is something that is going to be a part of permanent record. I would just pray that [the Left's] tongues would be tempered, that they would think before they speak, before they make these accusations, that they would realize and appreciate and think about the fact that religious liberty is one of our founding principles."
Blackburn also shared her prayer for our nation: "I would pray that the American people would listen to what is being said and would wake up and realize that there are some who feel like they should be taking away your freedoms [and] giving them to the government and then letting the government give back to you what they think that you deserve. We know that that is not the way we were founded. Let's hope that individuals realize this and realize that those priorities and policies are what they are voting for when they go into the polls November 3rd."
Be sure to watch the entire fifth episode of Pray Vote Stand, which also features Pastor Garrett Booth of Grace Church in Houston, Pastor Garry Leist of Calvary Chapel in Dayton Valley, Nevada, and Dr. Mark Harris, as well as a rundown of FRC Action's election resources.
