Many of us saw the 2006 movie Amazing Grace starring Ioan Gruffudd as the 18th-19th century British parliamentarian, William Wilberforce who courageously and uncompromisingly took the leadership role and with his supporters was responsible for abolishing the greatest evil of his day in Britain, the horrific institution of slavery. What made his sacrifice even more amazing was that his position in society would have allowed him to go with the flow and enjoy the fruits of his station in life. However, he was not content to enjoy the comforts of this world when others suffered and he could take a stand for justice.

Wilberforce was passionate and focused as he faced a David versus Goliath battle for over 30 years against the moneyed and politically powerful mercantile lobby which made many wealthy or at least prosperous by the slave trade.
But being a committed Christian, he was motivated more by the fear of God than the fear of mere men. He made a lot of enemies because of his uncompromising stand, but in the end his courage lead to the abolition of slavery by passage of the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. Wilberforce did not rationalize that the slave trade put sugar on the table at a reasonable price for English citizens or that it provided reliable jobs or a good retirement account for those who invested in it. He denounced it for the evil it was and used every fiber in his being to defeat it.
Wilberforce was a supporter of missionary societies spreading the Gospel, what we might call evangelism, and also a champion for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals…he was a man of passion for God’s Word and wanted justice for all of God’s creatures.

By contrast, it would take America another 32 years, 700,000 thousand lives lost in battle, an Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution to end the evil slave trade here. It was a terrible price for our nation to pay because we lacked a statesman like Wilberforce to stop the evil of slavery. Could America be on the verge of another cataclysmic culture battle if a modern day Wilberforce does not appear?

If he lived in America in 2008, what cause do you think would arouse his religious and civic passion? Poverty, hunger, racial justice, or global warming? No, I believe that the answer is clear to the socially aware, intellectually honest observer. America is a nation that over 97% of the time for social and economic reasons for 35 years has put to death 1.2-1.6 million unborn babies a year by abortion. Over 50 million unborn children have been slaughtered by abortion. Their innocent blood cries out for justice. Like the blacks of England and pre-civil war US, the unborn have no political voices and no votes to defend themselves. Their dead beat sires engage in irresponsible sex, cast aside the object of their lust, abandon their children and pay to have them ripped apart in abortion mills to cover their sins! Women are lied to and told by Planned Parenthood, the largest killer of babies in America, they must kill their unborn to have equality with their brother. Meanwhile, we’re told it’s impolite to discuss abortion and we should focus on our retirement accounts.

The Republican primary of 2008 is another battle between David versus Goliath. It’s a battle between those on Wall Street and those on Main Street. It’s a struggle between those who would put their stock portfolio and Lexus above the cause of the least of these, on one side; and the selfless, religiously motivated for justice for the unborn grassroots social conservatives on the other. I am among the latter.

I’ve been a born again, evangelical Christian for 27 years and I believe Wilberforce would be in the US Congress or even the White House, but for sure he’d be crusading for justice for the unborn child and their mothers. Wilberforce had character and was a selfless and determined crusader for justice. He was a man’s man and a fighter. Today he would take a stand against the evil of abortion and rally ordinary Americans to the cause. Is there a Wilberforce in America in 2008?

Last week I drove to South Carolina for two days at my own expense to meet Gov Mike Huckabee in person. I met volunteers, mostly Christians but some just plain conservatives, from around the country DE, NJ, MA, IA, FL, GA, LA and NC, who came at their own expense because they believe in Mike Huckabee...money can't buy that kind of grassroots support.

I met a man who was what I expected and more. He's humble, articulate, cares about people and takes a stand for the sanctity of life (pro-life) and traditional
marriage. His message resonates with the common people. While taking a break from campaigning I visited a Taco Bell where a young man in his early 20's smiled at my Huckabee sticker and said "I voted for Mike" and Chick-Fil-A where two youngsters barely 18 also smiled and said they voted for Huckabee. I remember the last communicator to inspire people like this, it was the social conservative Ronald Reagan.

Mike Huckabee has a message that moves and motivates people to come out and vote for him. He inspires evangelicals and other conservatives to rally to his banner because he doesn’t just talk like a social conservative, he’s one of us. He doesn’t apologize for believing in creation, that even the unborn are created in God’s image.

More importantly, as Governor of Arkansas, with a liberal Democrat controlled state legislature he championed passage of the Unborn Child Protection Act and a traditional Marriage Amendment to the state constitution.

He also did a pretty good job of keeping taxes down despite court orders to improve public schools (which were 49th and after Gov. Huckabee are 8th nationally) while inheriting a $200M deficit and leaving a $850M surplus. The median income level in AR increased 50% under Huckabee. The budget only increased 48% in 11 years, while in the other 49 states the budget went up an average of 98%. In Arkansas, the income tax when he took office was 1 percent for the poorest taxpayers and 7 percent for the richest, exactly where it stood when he left the statehouse 11 years later. But, in the interim, he doubled the standard deduction and the child care credit, repealed capital gains taxes for home sales, lowered the capital gains rate, expanded the homestead exemption, and set up tax-free savings accounts for medical care and college tuition. I call that a fiscal conservative!

He also understands the importance of winning the war against the jihadists and controlling our borders. Mike Huckabee was the fist governor to appoint a home-schooler to the state board of education. He is the first presidential candidate ever endorsed the Home School Legal Defense Association. He was the first governor to have a concealed carry permit while in office. As governor he banned alcohol and tobacco from the mansion to protect his family. He’s conservative, an authentic social conservative.

Gov Huckabee got things done in a hostile legislature and he beat the Clinton
machine twice to get elected and re-elected governor. He even got 45% of the black vote. The Huckabee haters do not want you to know any of that.

Most Americans have been subjected to a jihad against the evangelical Huckabee from Wall Street sources like the Club for Greed (sic) which is funded by his political opponents, or the elitists Washington insiders with their well paid radio talk show hosts with rival campaign talking points and with books to hawk.

The elitists and Wall Street crowd are embarrassed by socially conservative Christians. But, they need us just as much as we need the hawks and fiscal conservatives to win elections. Huckabee is our chosen conservative, a social conservative. "Populist" they call him deridingly. Popularity wins elections!
Read or watch the videos of Huckabee for yourself, check out the Truth Squad at www.mikehuckabee.com

Many of us in the evangelical movement came to the GOP under Reagan because he was a man who promised to fight for a Human Life Amendment to the US Constitution. Gov Huckabee is the only consistently pro-life social conservative candidate who supports the Human Life Amendment which Reagan championed.


But, where are the so-called leaders of the values voters, or pro-life, pro-family conservatives when brother Mike is attacked? Today in America, social conservatives seem to have a shortage of what C.S. Lewis called “men with chests” in leadership. Too many pastors and leaders of evangelicals and conservative Christians, including Catholics, seem to be sitting on the fence awaiting the outcome of a battle for the heart and soul of the conservative movement. Perhaps they’re afraid of losing their tax exemption or even their popularity with nominal Christians for engaging in politics. Well, I am a bold evangelical. They should not fear man who can kill, but fear the one who is able to destroy their soul after death. It’s not about politics, it’s about morality and restraining evil. There’s a culture war. Which side are you on?

I have earned the six figures incomes and drive a late model Mercedes Benz. I have voted for the Republican nominee my entire life, but lately in light of the rhetoric and politics of personal attacks aimed at Governor Mike Huckabee, a Southern Baptist minister and fellow evangelical Christian, a man who turns the other cheek when politically attacked; I am questioning the value of supporting a party that puts money ahead of the sanctity of life when it lists the qualifications of a conservative. Do I wear my religion on my sleeve? No, I wear it on my chest! For us, it’s not the economy, it’s the right to life.

The Huckabee haters are much the same as the Bush bashers spewing out poison about him not being conservative enough on taxes. They would inflict the death of a thousand cuts by their lies. Well their candidates are not conservative enough for values voters on life and family values!

It is time for social conservatives to stop equivocating about our commitment to end the slaughter of the innocents of Roe versus Wade and protect the traditional definition of marriage. The pilgrims came here for religious freedom not to build Wall Street. No man can serve both money and God.

Don’t be fooled, money can buy access and the ability to deliver your message to an audience, but it’s grassroots activism, conversations over coffee and votes that win elections. Prayer is a good place to start, but calling or emailing ten family or friends or telling your Sunday School class is a great way to counter the propaganda of the elitists against our brother Mike Huckabee.

What would Wilberforce do in a fight like this? Stopping the killing after 50 million unborn slaughtered and marching to victory with the social conservatives is what William Wilberforce would do in 2008. How about you?

Chuck Campbell
Raleigh, NC
Host, Take A Stand TV
News from a Biblical worldview
aka Bold Evangelical
Watch my TV Show at www.takeastand.tv
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