CPAC Shows Conservatives Engaged in All Sorts of Issues
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - America’s largest gathering of conservatives continues into the weekend. Since it’s called the Conservative Political Action Conference, you might assume it’s all about politics. But through the halls and in the ballrooms and across the exhibit areas, activists attending CPAC have much more on their minds than just politics and the next election.
Weaponizing Information
They’re involved with every issue across the spectrum. For instance, national security analyst Tony Shaffer of the London Center for Policy Research is concerned with the panic over the Coronavirus, and attempts to politicize it.
He told CBN News, “Let me say this and be very clear about this because I do talk to people involved in the Trump administration on this every day. The Trump administration is doing everything possible to assess, prepare and control the outbreak, so there is no reason to panic. The panic that’s been sown is from the left-wing media all of a sudden waking up and recognizing this is an opportunity to weaponize information against Trump.”
Wanting to Deal a Death Blow to the Death Penalty
Hannah Cox of Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty came to CPAC to spread this message: states should stop executing people because sometimes the innocent get killed.
“We’ve had one person exonerated in the country from death row for every nine executions,” she exclaimed.
Cox said Christians need to remember anyone can be redeemed.
She explained, “I’ve seen real transformations of people, real reformation. And we’ve seen people, even when they’re incarcerated, be able to make a meaningful difference. I saw a man who was on death row in Tennessee lead a Bible study and actually convert some of the prison guards that were there to guard him. I’ve seen people who’ve come out and become pastors after they’ve been released.”
Jewish Publisher Grateful for Non-Jews Backing Israel
Israeli-born David Ben-Hooren, publisher of The Jewish Voice newspaper, appreciates the support conservatives and Christians give Israel.
He can’t understand Americans who’ve soured on the Jewish nation, saying, “Israel is the number one American ally. The relationship between Israel and America is great, strong: financial, cultural, you name it.”
The Jewish publisher also had praise for the Christian news media, saying, “I have to thank the Christian networks for highlighting the truth about Israel and portraying Israel in the right way, and educating America about the true Israel.”
As for America itself, he’s worried about its fate as a majority of its young people are turning on capitalism.
Ben-Hooren said, “American universities are producing students that don’t understand reality. They’re teaching them about socialism.”
‘Can Never Happen to Another American’
And American Conservative Union’s Matt Schlapp - the host of CPAC - is fuming about what he sees as a concerted effort over the last three years against President Trump with the Russia probe and impeachment, often without due process.
Schlapp told CBN News, “This can never happen to another American ever again. Be they rich, be they poor, be they powerful, be they weak. No American should have their rights stripped away from them, especially when they’re just being involved in the political process.”