Mero Moment: Both Roy Moore and his Christian defenders should resign

Former Alabama Chief Justice and U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore speaks at a press conference, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson); St. George News

OPINION — The continuing saga of Senate candidate Judge Roy Moore no longer requires a set up to explain the controversy. We do not need anyone to tell us what he allegedly did to a number of young women and girls nearly 40 years ago. Furthermore, a reasonable person does not need to know more than the Washington Post stories to know that, at the very least, Moore should withdraw from his Senate race in Alabama.

Even so, some issues still need explaining. For instance, what is wrong with the Christian right in this country? Why did they ignore or defend Donald Trump’s sins with women and why now do they ignore or defend Moore? On the other hand, is an avowed person of faith, as Moore, allowed to repent? As difficult as it might be to believe, Moore’s failed memory could be the result of his moving past his bad behavior. One sign of this could be how his wife stands foursquare behind him. And, finally, does everyone understand why, regardless of innocence or guilt, Moore should step down?

In response to the allegations against Moore, that he sexually molested a 14-year-old girl and others, Jerry Falwell Jr., president of evangelical Liberty University says in Moore’s defense, “It comes down to a question who is more credible in the eyes of the voters — the candidate or the accuser. The same thing happened to President Trump a few weeks before his election last year. … He denied that any of [the allegations] were true and the American people believed him and elected him the 45th president of the United States.” And Falwell added, “And I believe the judge is telling the truth.”

Yes, Falwell’s defense of Trump and Moore is mindboggling, if for no other reason than his father, Jerry Sr., never showed former President Bill Clinton such trust in a very similar situation. Can anyone imagine Jerry Falwell Sr. saying, “I believe Bill Clinton is telling the truth”? The loss of vision and morality among conservative evangelical leaders in the Trump era is perhaps the biggest political mystery in recent memory. For a constituency that once revered Ronald Reagan for making character king again in politics, to whistle through this graveyard of alleged gross immorality, is more than uncharacteristic. It is evil.

To defend Moore on biblical grounds is beyond reason. To defend Moore on the basis that the mother of Jesus was an unwed teenager at the time of her conception and that her guardian, Joseph, was an adult misses the point of the Lord’s divine parentage and, in doing so, makes a mockery of everything holy. It makes the religious right neither religious nor right.

But is there a religious argument for Moore’s repentance? Isn’t he allowed forgiveness, his misdeeds forgotten and permitted to move on with his life? Isn’t everyone a sinner? Who will cast the first stone against Moore? Again, we might assume that Christian preachers would understand the doctrine of repentance. To repent, a sinner must first acknowledge the sin. Moore denies it ever took place or, in his latest iteration of the narrative, he simply cannot remember something from 40 years ago – except that, on his campaign website, he fully remembers his career from 40 years ago. He remembers legal cases from 40 years ago but not stalking and molesting girls. For his Christian defenders, either Moore has something about which to repent or he does not. Christian forgiveness is not cheap and, if it is, there has been no repentance.

Mitt Romney rightly said about Moore, “Innocent until proven guilty is for criminal convictions, not elections.” In other words, due process is for the courtroom, not politics. Perhaps the most startling aspect in the defense of Moore is how otherwise seemingly intelligent people cannot see how this situation brings disrepute upon the office of a United States Senator. The word used to expel a Member of Congress or to not seat a newly elected member is disrepute. In politics, we do not have to “prove” anything except how the actions of an elected official do or do not bring disrepute upon our governing institutions. Moore has no due process on the campaign stage nor is the vote itself final judgment. Mitch McConnell and his Senate colleagues are Moore’s judges and they have cast their vote against him.

Roy Moore should withdraw from his Senate race and his Christian defenders should be ashamed of themselves.

I’m Paul Mero. Thanks for listening.

Paul Mero is an opinion columnist for St. George News. The opinions stated in this article are his own and may not be representative of St. George News.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

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31 Comments

  • John November 17, 2017 at 10:26 am

    Mero, INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY DUDE !!! You are very wrong on this issue.. You don’t have any clue what the real facts are and if you do know please provide evidence of the incidents. If not, you are just being another sheep led to the slaughter by the MSM..

    • mesaman November 17, 2017 at 8:27 pm

      Well written, John. Even in Mero country a person is innocent until proven guilty. Due process, a speedy trial, the right to face his
      accuser(s), and the obligation of the prosecutor to prove the allegations can be factually represented are guaranteed in our country. The court of public opinion is not enough, even in the democrat party’s agenda, to prove innocence or guilt. Mero should be ashamed for permitting him(her)self to write such a cowardly opinion, even if he quotes Mitt Romney.

  • bikeandfish November 17, 2017 at 10:30 am

    100% agree. Moore should step down and should have done so immediately. These aren’t minor, random allegations but ones that hit at the heart of law and Christian and conservative principles. If family matters as much as christian right voters claim than voting for a known sexual predator who preys on young girls should be enough to force him out. But instead we see rationalization and the abandonment of core values to preserve the petty politics of power.

    I expect a similar response from others. Franken should refuse to run in 2020 and also resign if other women come forward (would be harsher but his victim publicly forgave him yesterday after his public apology). This is a chance for individuals to be held accountable by their parties and voters. A Congressman like Franken who claims to support women’s rights should deal with the reckoning of his behavior. A pedophile like Moore should also have to deal with the reckoning of his Christian base and own values. Convenience and power are not viable reasons to abandon core values and principles.

    America is being forced to wake up to the depth of our sexual harrassment, assault and predation problem and we need to show victims that we can and will do better.

  • John November 17, 2017 at 11:03 am

    If you suddenly realize your’e a victim of sexual assault from 40 years ago while the guy is running for office during a general election, past the statute of limitations and never reported it to the police , you might be a paid liar… just sayin’

    • bikeandfish November 17, 2017 at 1:33 pm

      Actually victims “suddenly realize” such events all the time, its supported by trauma research. But not all of these women just realized this happened. Many are coming forward because this is one of the first times in American history that women are being taken seriously for such allegations. We have a bipartisan history of men not taking victims seriously. Biden refused to present full testimony that supported Anita Hills allegations, hence his own reckoning this past week that hopefully removes any chance of him running in 2020. Cosby is still a free, rich man after decades of dozens of women bravely coming forward. Bill Clinton managed to stay relevant and powerful despite clear testimony of his predation.

      Its a tempting narrative to make men the victims and it worked for centuries but its historically and statistically false.

  • DRT November 17, 2017 at 1:06 pm

    I’m not trying to be judgmental here. I don’t know if these guys are “guilty” or not, and frankly, I don’t give a damn.
    What I do know are two things. (Maybe the only two things I know…)
    First, when a male is accused of any kind of sexual “transgression,” real or imagined, people are all to quick to jump on the band wagon and find him guilty. No trial, nothing but media bull hockey and the word of an individual who may, or may not have an ax to grind. Or may or may not be looking for a big payday.
    Second, if a person is found guilty of felonious behavior, they should immediately be removed from office.
    But we all know this is an imperfect world. The dems are digging for, or manufacturing, dirt on the repubs, and the repubs are repaying the favor in kind.
    I am sick to death of politics, politicians, news media, advertising media…
    So I’m an old curmudgeon, so what? I’ve fully earned the right to be one! 🙂

    • bikeandfish November 17, 2017 at 1:26 pm

      Individuals, multiple with experiences that are consistent with other accussations and events. Non-victims are collaborating with the perspective that he was a known pervert.

      Guilt and assumption of innocence are for the court room, not everyday life.

      I also think folks need to research how difficult it is to prosecute people, nonetheless those in power, for such sexual predation. Our court system has an abysmal record of prosecution and even fails at the low bar of taking victims seriously (remember how fresh the term “legitimate rape” is culturally). Right now the only real mechanism many women have is social platforms because of such realities, which hasn’t accounted for the reality of retribution (Weinstein hired ex-Masad soldiers). Just think about how difficult it would be to go after a government justice figure about their alleged assault in the 70s?

      Plus, the christian conservatives gave up any moral objection when they started justifying his behavior as Christian which, like the article stated, shows an ignorance of basic scripture.

      • John November 17, 2017 at 2:06 pm

        Fortunately our laws don’t work according to your logic bikeandfish.. If it did the whole government should resign ans drop out of whatever race they are in because of UNPROVEN allegations.. INNOCENT UNTIL PROVED GUILTY.IS THE WAY IT WORKS.. NOT GUILTY BECAUSE YOU ARE ACCUSED,, because if it did work that way Al Franken has to immediately resign, Menendez in NJ has to immediately resign, but if you have proof that Roy Moore is guilty of something you should present it. Lynch mobs are illegal in this country or in your extremely disoriented reality lynchings are ok. You couldn’t be more wrong and you couldn’t do a better job of proving your complete liberally distorted view of the Law..Oh and by the way, All the allegations are far beyond any statute of limitations..

        • bikeandfish November 17, 2017 at 5:20 pm

          We can and do judge people outside the court room on a regular basis. This isn’t about a legal trial but about holding people accountable socially. And this is clearly not a “liberal” stance given the Congressional response from Republicans and Mero’s party allegiance.

          Once again, innocent until proven guilty and statute of limitations only matter in the courtroom. Hyperbole about lynch mobs is only coming from you.

          • John November 17, 2017 at 5:49 pm

            Innocent until proven guilty…. you should resign because I accuse you of being illiterate….hahaha! you pompous blowhard !

        • bikeandfish November 17, 2017 at 7:05 pm

          Fun as always, John. When in doubt about your own logic fall back to random nonsensical ad hominem attacks.

          Per…proved vs. proven…both are used regularly.

          Have a Happy Thanksgiving, John. We’ll miss your warm presence around the dinner table this year.

          • John November 17, 2017 at 7:21 pm

            You really can’t handle being wrong can you? Condemning someone with unproven allegations..Hitler did that !! They call it the HOLOCAUST , or do you deny that also ? Your place must be wonderful for the holidays.. with you and your captive audience, afraid to say anything because you always have to correct everybody even when they are saying the same stuff as you. I hate pompous blowhard snowflakes like you.. But I must say , you are quite easy to trigger and you keep coming back for more.. If bikeandfish doesn’t agree, it isn’t so…hahahahahaha! I don’t give a flying frog about your longwinded artificial diatribes, It just gives credibility to your nickname.. pompous blowhard snowflake

          • bikeandfish November 17, 2017 at 8:53 pm

            Another fun logical fallacy, hitler ad nauseum.

          • John November 17, 2017 at 8:59 pm

            Your’e in denial as always bikeandfish..You just can’t handle being WRONG!! hahahahahaha!!

  • ladybugavenger November 17, 2017 at 6:32 pm

    Hillary is a criminal

    • Badshitzoo December 1, 2017 at 9:33 am

      Yeah, she is; but you can’t prove it. Unlike the clown in the white house who proves what a POS he is every time he opens his mouth.

  • ladybugavenger November 17, 2017 at 7:44 pm

    James 1:6: But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

    This scripture reminds me of b&f….hes tossed to and fro. No deep roots to cling on too. So neutral that he is tossed to and fro..

    Mr fact checker himself is now preaching about holding people socially accountable, not based on facts, but based on public uproar.

    Be like a palm tree b&f. The roots are so strong andd deep that when the wind and storn comes they are still standing.

    • bikeandfish November 17, 2017 at 8:51 pm

      The testimony and allegations by the women are considered proof and evidence in society and court. My roots are deep and strong when it comes to supporting victims of sexual assault, which you know from previous interactions.

      • ladybugavenger November 18, 2017 at 8:31 am

        I have no doubt what they say is true. It’s been going on since the beginning of time.

        Cosby is guilty. Moore is guilty. Franken is guilty. Bill Clinton is guilty. And so many more are guilty. It’s about time it’s addressed. Bill Clinton’s accusers were swept under the rug by democrats and the world. Many defended Bill, including hillary. Just think, 30 years ago, if this was taken serious we would have been so much further on getting these scumbags..

      • mesaman November 18, 2017 at 9:52 pm

        Wrong, as usual, b&f, testimonies taken under oath as part of discovery are accepted as testimony, no more, no less, and allegations are like belly buttons, everybody has at least one. Testimonies and allegations are NOT considered proof and are recognized as circumstantial evidence. The judicial system relies on facts, irrefutable facts. After 30 or 40 years allegations or, as you choose, testimonies are virtually worthless and allegations are virtually impossible to stand up to rebuttal. So what’s left? Trial by public opinion. Opinion? Get it?

        • bikeandfish November 19, 2017 at 9:13 am

          Proof: noun: evidence or argument establishing or helping to establish a fact or the truth of a statement.

          Circumstantial evidence = proof (see definition above) in the context of these conversations. Victim testimony in court is admissable evidence, the more precise language in a court setting.

          Clearly this is opinion as its in the comments area of the Opinion section.

        • bikeandfish November 19, 2017 at 12:23 pm

          PS…the justice system doesn’t rely on “facts, irrefutable facts” because if it did we wouldn’t be overturning so many cases decades later. The system is clearly more complex and reliant on the interpretation of jury members/judge, the way in which prosecution presents their case, eyewitness testimony, character witnesses, etc. If it was that simple than men like Brock Turner would still be in jail.

  • eddantes56 November 17, 2017 at 8:27 pm

    Mr. Mero, glad to know that you are the arbiter of what it means to be “reasonable”. Unfortunately for you and the rest of the faux conservatives, your time is past. Pres. Trump would not have been necessary if neo-con sell-outs like you, Bill Kristol, George W. Bush, Mitt Romney, et al had not collaborated with the cultural marxist/post-modernists in running our country into the ground.

    Sorry, but there are a few of us who reject the idea that we should demographically replace the Americans who founded this country and legal immigrants who have assimilated and adopted the the WASP principles upon which this nation was founded with illiterate, low skilled and often culturally incompatible immigrants and illegal aliens.

    We reject your U.S. Chamber of Commerce view that we should have open border which suppress wages.
    We reject your trade view that “it’s not nice” to go into a trade negotiation and leverage U.S. power.
    We reject your constant “compromising” with the so-called Dems who have been working feverishly for decades to “fundamentally transform” all of western civilization to some incoherent and chaotic polyglot world.
    We reject your silence on the murder of millions of our babies, most of whose lives are taken solely because it is inconvenient to the mother.
    We reject your refusal to stand up and fight (figuratively) when attacked by the insane Left and the news media….see Mitt Romney, who is a nice man but is not the kind of man that can stand up and fight for our civilization, founding principles and the culture that made our country great.
    We reject the Bush view that after going to war in two countries, we should stay in both countries (Iraq and Afghanistan) for going on two decades and spend trillions of dollars.
    We reject Bush and all you neo-cons who could have stopped the 2007 meltdown merely by pushing back on the Left’s congressional efforts to force banks to lend mortgage amounts to minorities, most of who did not have the wherewithal to repay the loans.

    I could go on and on and I have not mentioned a couple of dozen items.

    I know you think that you and your fellow faux conservative travelers are the vanguard of conservatism but in fact you guys are all sell outs. I don’t know where your self-loathing comes from but at this point…….you guys had your chance.

    Too late Mr. Mero. You guys will always have a voice but the cat is out of the bag and you guys are not driving the train any more.

    All the best.

  • ladybugavenger November 17, 2017 at 8:54 pm

    Moore and Franken(stein) should both resign

    • bikeandfish November 17, 2017 at 9:43 pm

      It sounds like Franken has a few more skeletons in his closet. Just saw the accusations of stalking and harassment from another woman.

      He should resign.

      These creeps are falling left and right. In Franken’s case liberals are justifying his redemption because of his political platform. No different than those on the right performing mental gymnastics to support Moore.

      We’ll get to see if voters are more accepting of an actual child molester than letting a Democrat could win (they don’t need to vite for the democrat actually).

      • bikeandfish November 17, 2017 at 10:08 pm

        Sorry for poor edit… struggling with some phone problems the last month and have failed to catch all the errors.

        • ladybugavenger November 18, 2017 at 8:34 am

          No worries. I got a new phone and come to find out, it makes errors too. Lol

  • ladybugavenger November 18, 2017 at 8:40 am

    Since the beginning of time, society has taught that if you are rich, powerful and have authority over people you can get away with anything.

    God teaches, he knows all things, sees all things, and no one gets away with anything.

  • ladybugavenger November 18, 2017 at 10:25 am

    How to be an empowered, strong woman

    1. It isn’t about stopping men from being pigs.
    2. It is about not falling into their trap of you do this for me and I’ll do this for you.

    Woman are not innocent. Sex and flirtation is used to get what they want. Woman are manipulation machines. They will have sex with your husband. They will sleep with their boss. They will use their body to get power over a man. They will use sex for drugs.

    If you want to be a strong, empowered woman then you must stop being a manipulative sex machine.

    How can you tell the difference between a victim of sexual assault and a manipulative woman using her body as a stepping stone to empowerment?

    One way to tell the difference is what did the woman get out of it? Was it a role in a movie? Was it a promotion? Was it alcohol and drugs? And so on.

    To be a strong empowered woman is to be conservative and say no to the drink in a motel room. To say no to any gifts, promises, or promotions that come from a “sexual encounter” to speak up to any sexual harassment at the time it’s happening! Do not sleep with another woman’s husband. That is a strong woman.

    A weak woman is a woman in fear of losing something for speaking up. That means she gained something in the beginning.

    I have no doubt these woman put themselves in a bad situation to climb a ladder and now feel so much shame and guilt that they cant hold it in anymore. They weren’t in the comfort of their home and a stranger assaulted them and they are a victim of that assault. They were trying to climb a ladder. They were getting something out of it and now they feel dirty. They are all guilty the men and the woman.

    It’s not courage of why they are speaking up, it’s guilt.

    Courage is speaking up when it happens.

    Be strong, don’t be a victim. Don’t be a whore. Have clean hands.

    • ladybugavenger November 18, 2017 at 11:46 am

      I’m going to title this comment….

      “Redeemed by the blood of Jesus: From one whore to another, I have a dark past so I know what I’m talking about.”

      Followed by the sequel: “A new life with Jesus”

      I’ve been redeemed, praise the Lord.

      • ladybugavenger November 18, 2017 at 11:56 am

        The sequel comment:

        Why are these woman speaking out now? Because they are trying to get something out of it. Because they are trying to right what they did wrong back then. (By not speaking up)

        What they got when it happened left their Soul thirsty for peace. Are they seeking revenge? notoriety? peace? Because their soul is empty?

        Those that spoke up and weren’t beliieved when it happened, those are the victims with courage.

        Those that didn’t speak up are just trying to fix their soul.

        Peace comes from God. Let’s hear those stories.

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