By Hunter Hines
Christian Action League
February 6, 2020
This week prominent North Carolina religious and political figures spoke out against U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tearing her copy of President Trump’s State of the Union address.
Despite the long-standing tradition of House Speakers remaining stoic and neutral in listening to a SOTU address, Speaker Pelosi sought to steal the scene by openly ripping up her copy of Trump’s speech at its conclusion. When later asked by the press about her actions, Pelosi said she tore the address apart “because it was the courteous thing to do considering the alternatives.” She further referred to it as “a manifesto of mistruths.”
N.C. Congressman Dan Bishop (R), however, said Pelosi broke the law. In a Facebook post, Rep. Bishop argued:
“The signed address delivered into Pelosi’s custody wasn’t hers to destroy. Behold the consequence:
“18 U.S.C. § 2071(b) — specifically directed at custodians of public records. Any custodian of a public record who “willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, falsifies, or destroys (any record) shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than three years, or both; and shall forfeit his office and be disqualified from holding any office under the United States.” While the range of acts proscribed by this subsection is somewhat narrower than subsection (a), it does provide the additional penalty of forfeiture of position with the United States.
Let justice be done.”
N.C. Congressman and House Freedom Caucus member, Mark Meadows (R), on the Fox News program, “Hannity,” said: “We saw Nancy Pelosi ripping up a speech just like Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi and others have been trying to rip America apart for the last three years.”
North Carolina’s U.S. Senator Thom Tillis responded by releasing a video on social media the day of President Trump’s acquittal. The video shows Tillis tearing up the articles of impeachment against the President with balky sounding music in the background.
World-renowned evangelist, head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and native North Carolinian, Franklin Graham, wrote a Facebook post which expressed his dismay at Speaker Pelosi and other Democrats’ reaction to the SOTU speech. Graham said:
“What we saw from President Donald J. Trump’s opposition last night during the State of the Union address felt like a personal resentment and hatred for the successes of America that had just been spoken of. How could leaders in Congress be so indignant about good news for the people of this country? Why would they not celebrate people seeing increases in their wages, our military being strengthened, a young girl receiving a scholarship, victories in the fight against ISIS, a military hero united with his family, a 100-year-old three-war veteran being honored, and other great news? It reveals contempt for the heart of America. What’s wrong with these people? As one senator said, ‘You can tear up the speech, but you can’t tear up the accomplishments.”
Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, said that Pelosi’s tearing of the President’s speech was beneath the dignity of her office. Creech said:
“I would prefer to think that if Speaker Pelosi has any semblance of grace and civility as a professing Christian that she will own her animus and ask for the forgiveness of God and the American people. As the Speaker, she represents the entire United States House of Representatives. Civility is a unique Christian virtue where true tolerance, which is kindly agreeing to disagree, and showing grace toward those with whom you find yourself in opposition, is something necessary for productive dialogue and any possible resolution of differences. Civility is something desperately missing in today’s political process, and the Speaker’s action of tearing up the President’s speech gives an excuse to every American with bitterness of heart to go on despising their neighbor. That’ll take you nowhere but down. I’ll be frank about it, even if it gets me in trouble with some of my friends. The truth is the President could use a dose of civility, Pelosi could use a dose of civility, and so could Republicans, Democrats, and even some of us who mount pulpits. Our differences in the country are of fundamental import and restraint can be remarkably difficult. But if we would be Christian, civility, and grace must characteristically mark our response to foes.”