(AgapePress) - A pro-family organization is calling Oregon Republican Senator Gordon Smith to task for openly seeking out voters from the homosexual community by embracing their radical agenda.

Recently, The New York Times reported that Smith is promoting his re-election campaign by advertising his support of homosexual issues. In fact, one 30-second commercial features a testimony from the mother of slain homosexual Matthew Shepard, who has become the "poster child" for the radical homosexual agenda.

Ed Vitagliano, director of research for the American Family Association, says Smith's embracing of the agenda is disappointing.

"Smith's stand on homosexual rights would be disappointing to us if it was anybody in Congress, but especially for a Republican," Vitagliano says. "For him to stake part of that stand on the basis of 'hate crimes' is simply an attempt to tug at emotions."

Vitagliano says crimes involving homosexuals amount to a miniscule percentage of the overall crime picture in America -- about .002%, he says.

"Out of 20,000 murders committed every year in this country, .002% is a very small percentage," the researcher says. "We would prefer that Senator Smith stake his claim on preventing the other vast majority of murders and assaults in this country rather than trying to get some freebie, 'feel good' points and trying to get votes out of the homosexual community."

Vitagliano says it is particularly disturbing that a Republican would pander to the homosexual community, as that Party has a platform supporting pro-family issues.

© 2002 AgapePress all rights reserved.

E-mail this page to a friend Printer-Friendly Version