Pro-family leaders publicly defended an avowed white nationalist congressman.

Evidence

The specter of racism surfaces at times in unexpected ways. In February 2019, a group of self-described “pro-family leaders,” including James Dobson, sent a letter to the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives in defense of Steve King, representative from Iowa with a long history of racist and white supremacist rhetoric, including a declaration that “We can’t restore our civilization with somebody else’s babies.” In an interview with the New York Times, King asked, “White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization—how did that language become offensive?” The letter from Religious Right leaders called King, who routinely disparaged immigrants and minorities, “an outstanding member of Congress” who has “served honorably and faithfully for 16 years.” — Randall Balmer, Bad Faith, 169

Categorization

• SHARE: Dobson’s group defending Steve King despite his ‘somebody else’s babies’ rhetoric is a jolting concrete for someone tracking Religious Right figures.