In videotaped comments on the Iowa Senate floor Wednesday, State Sen. Matt McCoy attacked evangelical Christians in Iowa and singled out The FAMiLY LEADER and Bob Vander Plaats by name.
Objecting to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the Heartbeat bill in particular, McCoy accused Republicans of running the state “like you run your churches” and “polarizing the state” by mixing “religious and theological viewpoints” into their governance. In a speech where he repeatedly scorned Christian values, McCoy eventually stated that what evangelicals really want to see is “white and polite … imposed on the whole state.”
He further named The FAMiLY LEADER, stating TFL has “attacked” marginalized people within the LGBTQ community, and called Bob Vander Plaats “a disaster for the state … the most divisive, polarizing figure I can think of.”
In a Facebook post Wednesday afternoon, Bob Vander Plaats responded.
“I’ve spent a large portion of my life standing up for the weak or marginalized as a teacher, as a principal, and as leader serving people with disabilities,” responded Vander Plaats.
“Standing up for our first liberty isn’t weakness, it’s the fabric of America,” he continued. “Standing up for the sanctity of human life isn’t weak, it’s embracing and treasuring God’s most precious creation … life. Standing up for God-honoring marriage and human sexuality is about what is right, pure, and true.”
On Twitter, Bob also issued McCoy an invitation:
Full video of Sen. McCoy’s remarks can be found at the following state website, beginning at roughly 9:44, then extending in a second part that begins again at 10:02: State Senate Video.
