National Chairman's Letter
On Family
November 2001
Dear Members and Friends of the Independent American Party,
Our IAP National Mission statement includes the phrase "to promote
... strong traditional families" -- which fits into our general theme
of God, Family and Country (in that order). Let's go back in time, a
half-century or so, and look at the traditional common family in America:
We see happy successful marriages -- based on mutual love, devotion, trust
and respect -- bonded against deterioration and divorce. Fathers and husbands
are leaders, providers, defenders -- and have the respect of their families.
Wives and mothers of young children are stay-at-home moms, homemakers, and
oft-times home school teachers -- nurturing their families.
The children are created in the image of God, which gives life its sanctity
-- its sacredness. Parents revere the awesome privilege of molding the lives and
characters of their children. Parents have rights; as government is only in
education. And it takes two responsible parents to raise a child -- not a
village.
As a nation, we discourage all forms of family disruption -- such as
separation, divorce, illegitimacy, homosexuality, and abortion -- by religious,
social and legal sanctions. The righteous recognize that sexual relationships
are given by God: To be part of the marriage covenant; to increase devotion and
happiness between marriage partners; and to propagate the human race.
Even as late as 1960, there are no legalized abortions in America, no X-rated
or R-rated movies, no coed dorms on college campuses, little openness of
homosexuality in public, and no profanity on radio or TV.
We see strong families working together, talking together, playing together,
and worshiping together. Parents, children, spouses, siblings love each other
and are committed to each other. Families are the building blocks of our
society. And they are the strength of our nation. For a nation is only as strong
as the homes within it.
That was a few decades ago. But today, the family is under attack!
There is an all-out assault by pornographers, abortionists, feminists,
homosexuals, pagans, many educators, the entertainment media, and other elements
in our society to weaken or destroy the Christian concept of family.
Friedreich Engels, Karl Marx's co-author, wrote an 8-point plan for
destroying the family, which might be summarized as: (1) Working mothers, (2)
free and easy divorce, (3) elimination of sex roles, (4) housekeeping as a
social industry, (5) communal child care, (6) elimination of the concept of
"illegitimacy," (7) an open definition of "family," and (8)
unrestrained sexual activity.
Whoever "deserves" the credit, there is no doubt that Engels dreams
are being fulfilled. Half of those getting married for the first time are living
together first. Half of all marriages end in divorce (and that doesn't count the
breakups of those who are just living together). Half of all divorces take place
because of adultery. Often the adultery is preceded by pornography.
And the children: The politically correct myth for parents wanting to divorce
is, "Children always bounce back." The truth is, children from
divorced or single-parent homes often suffer serious emotional problems --
guilt, insecurity, anger and depression. Our streets are filled with run-away
and throw-away kids. Suicide is the second leading cause of teenage deaths, next
to auto accidents.
There is a growing movement in our nation that children now belong to the
state rather than the parents. That it is the states prerogative and obligation
to care for them, educate them, and shape them into proper world citizens.
The message of pornography is: All people are sexual objects. The highest
value is immediate pleasure. There are no rules about sex. Sex is trivial. Sex
is for entertainment. ~ What was once X-rated is now rated R. The number one use
of the Internet is pornography. Some call it "virtual infidelity."
Powerful influences in politics, education, and the media promote
homosexuality as good, normal, and natural. According to Dr. Brad Hoyton, The
Homosexual Agenda: Homosexuals account for only a few percent of the
population. Yet, they are responsible for 50% of all acts of child molestation.
Children are often the prime targets of homosexual recruitment because they can
be more easily forced or persuaded.
In the early 1960s, Americans were shocked at a 2% teen pregnancy rate.
According to Ladies Home Journal early this year: Today, one-third of
15-year-old girls have had sex. Nearly two-thirds of those have slept with four
or more partners. ~ Unmarried sex has become a recreational sport. We now have
the highest rate of unwed mothers and an exploding welfare system.
For every three births in the United States there is an abortion. That
equates to 28,000 babies butchered in the womb each week -- equal to half the
number of Americans killed in the entire Viet Nam war. Since Roe vs Wade, 40
million babies have been sacrificed to "the god of choice". And of
those babies permitted to be born, one third are illegitimate.
So what can we do? As individuals, we have the responsibility to call
upon God, and strengthen ourselves and our families both morally and
spiritually. As a political party, we are committed to promoting strong families
and morality in our schools, the media, politics and government; and
strengthening parental influence over the family. Liberals and pagans claim,
"You can't legislate morality." Arguable or not, we aim to stop them
from legislating immorality.
Yours for Freedom!
Bruce Bangerter
IAP National Chairman
