"A Christian Looks
At the Religious Right"
God and Guns ... Larry Pratt
Up until the 1996 election, Larry Pratt was a relatively unknown gun lobbyist. He suddenly plummeted to the national spotlight when Pat Buchannan became a front runner in the Republican Party’s Presidential bid. It was during this national campaign that Larry Pratt’s name surfaced as an extremist on the board of directors of Buchannan’s campaign. "Rolling Stone" had written about extremist ties Pratt had way before the national press caught the vision of suspicious ties to right wing elements. William Bennett claimed that Pat Buchannan flirted with facism. It is note-worthy that Pratt was dropped off Buchannan’s board for fear his right wing baggage would make their candidate appear too far to the right.
Up until this time, Larry Pratt was only known in circles that monitor right wing elements. Pratt had been an elected government official in Virginia as well as appearing on numerous talk shows. Pratt is head of Gun Owners of America and was considered an effective person to lobby gun owner’s concerns. Larry writes quite often on the subject as well as debating his libertarian views on gun ownership with opponents.
What makes Larry’s story interesting is his link between the idea of God and guns. Pratt is an active participant in the Religious Right movement and carries great influence as a speaker and expert on both Bible and guns. The linking of God and guns is an interesting story because most believers would consider Christians somewhat pacifists on the arms issue.
What makes Larry scary to some folks is the way in which he is able to casually walk amidst some of the most violent right wing elements of society and fit in among them as a featured speaker. Larry is not only a gun lobbyist, he works for English First and Border Patrol which are groups who demand English be the official language of the nation and that something be done about the influx of Mexican immigrants. The official complaint against Larry’s liaisons was his addressing a meeting where there were Christian Identity and Aryan Nation people working to promote armed militia."1" Larry has written a manual promoting the militia movement and is considered an expert on militia mobilizations. Christian Identity and Aryan Nations groups are rabid White Supremacy fanatics who have a sideline of hating Jews.
Pastor Pete Peters of Colorado once invited Pratt to speak at a meeting."2" Peters is an anti-semitic preacher who is a White Supremist and advocates the killing of homosexuals as a splendid Biblical mandate for modern America.
Larry Pratt’s web page is www.gunowners.org and features many interesting points of information. One part of the page warns about the U.S. government declaring martial law from the Y2K crisis. Right wing groups suspect a secret U.N. plot to take away Americans’ weapons. Listed in Pratt’s link are some patriot/militia groups with scary positions. The sight sells several tapes on the Waco Branch Davidian event. Right wing types like Timothy McVeigh are still infuriated over government intervention in taking away the weapons of Davidian cult members. Another tape sold claims the Oklahoma City Federal Building actually exploded from an insider conspiracy. Many right wing groups claim the government actually planted the bomb in Oklahoma City. This is a common tale among the militia people who still smart from government accusations about their propaganda. Another tape has Pratt defending Militia organizations. A book is featured about Michael New who refused to serve under the U.N. banner and faced a court martial for his actions. He is a cult hero among these mindsets. Dr. Rushdoony’s books are promoted. Rushdoony is a theocracy advocate who believes the Constitution should be abandoned for what he considers Biblical Law. Rushdoony advocates the modern use of the Old Testament Law for modern governments as the only official law. Under op ed pieces, Larry blames the Colombine school massacre on the fact that God was taken out of the schools. Pratt likes to blend the idea of gun ownership with his faith in God’s law."3"
Larry, who is an active Presbyterian, responds on his web sight to charges of racism. He refutes the Christian Identity theology and takes a stand against racism. He says that his Biblical faith would not allow him to be a racist.
Pratt definitely doesn’t pay attention to whom he allows his name to be associated with. He was shown on the A&E TV network speaking at a White Supremists’ rally. He openly endorses the most right wing of politicians like Ron Paul and Steve Stockman of Texas. Pratt also has close ties with would be Congressman Randall Terry. Terry borders on the terrorists fringe with some of the things he advocates in his positions.
Pratt spoke at the 1996 National Affairs Briefing in Memphis and his taped message was advertised through the Southern Baptist Convention Christian Life Commission magazine. Pratt seems to move quite freely between the extreme Right and the more respectable Right.
It has been suggested that Pratt needs to be given credit for helping to organize the Religious Right in the early eighties."4" He has traveled overseas advocating positions with foreign governments that Religious Right advocates have sought to address in distant continents."5" If Larry is so middle America one wonders at some of the statements and associations he is identified with. He once said we need a militia because "Anti-Christian governments such as we have in the United States cannot be counted on to keep the peace"6". It is no secret that Pratt holds great disdain for the idea of separation of church and state."7"
Pratt’s Biblical rantings ask for people to pray for Gun Owners of America because he needs God’s wisdom to continue his Godly call to keep the guns flowing."8"
Pratt has been a featured writer in the hard right "Chalcedon Report" which once ran on its cover the title "The God Blessedness of Gun Control". Larry wrote in one of these articles what is a common theme in Chalcedon circles...the idea that the only basis of civil law is found in the Old Testament. In one article, Pratt chided Religious Right marchers for supporting someone like Bob Dole who was a compromise candidate. To Pratt, compromise is sin and it is better to sit out an election than support someone like Dole. In so doing, Pratt is claiming people like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson are moving too far to the left."9"
Pratt’s curious link with God and Militia is found in his book advertised in "Chalcedon" titled, SAFEGUARDING LIBERTY: THE CONSTITUTION AND CITIZEN MILITIA.
ENDNOTES
1. http://www.gunowners.org/
2. Frederick Clarkston, ETERNAL HOSTILITY, Common Courage Press, Monroe, Maine, 1997, pg. 21.
3. Sara Diamond, SPIRITUAL WARFARE, Southend Press, Boston, Maine, 1989, pg. 183.
4. Clarkston, pg. 103.
5. Militia Catalogue located in my file.
6. Larry Pratt, "The Compromise of the Religious Right", CHALECEDON, July, 1999, pg. 14.
The John Birch Society magazine the "New American", contains in it an endorsement from Pratt."10" Again, one notes how freely Pratt is able to flow between these right wing groups and find the welcome mat thrown out for him. Larry has an interesting gift of installing Biblical thought into the right wing groups around the nation. The Presbyterian church member has a definite following. He has found a home in America in mixing God with guns and making a living.
Larry Pratt said "In times of national rebellion against the Lord God, rulers of the nation will reflect the spiritual degradation of the people. The result is a denial of God’s commandments, an arrogance of officialdom, disarmament, and oppression."11"
pg. 76.
7 .Ibid. pg. 120.
8. Forty Years of Freedom", NEW AMERICAN, pg. 8.
9. Forty Years of Freedom", NEW AMERICAN, pg. 8.