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Politicians professed their faith — and vowed to put it to use in public
service, if elected this November — at a rally Saturday at Frank Liske Park in
Cabarrus County.
America Again!, a faith-based
political group, sponsored the Family of Faith Cookout, which co-founder Arne
Fennel hopes will become an annual event.
“We want this to become the
Christian Mallard Creek Barbecue,” Fennel said, referring to the election-year
event in Charlotte that draws thousands.
Under cloudy skies and red, white
and blue banners proclaiming “We Want God in America Again,” people listened
to gospel music and munched on popcorn and sandwiches.
The aim of the event was to energize
Christians to vote for candidates for local, state and national offices who
agree with them on issues from abortion to school vouchers.
Candidates attending Saturday
included Miki Lingafelt, who is running for Register of Deeds, and Bob Carruth,
a Republican running for the Cabarrus Board of Commissioners.
“Everybody has faith; it’s just
a question of what they have faith in,”Carruth said.“I choose to align
myself with the cause of Christ as a Christian.”
That translates, he said, into
fighting crime with family values, endorsing things like school vouchers to give
parents more choice and posting the Ten Commandments publicly.
Lynn Shue, a candidate for the
non-partisan Cabarrus County Board of Education, said he supports posting the
Ten Commandments in schools.
“If we’re ever going to turn
America around again, we’ve got to get back to some traditional values,” he
said.“Instead of building prisons, we ought to build children.”
Other candidates attending included
Republican candidates for the N.C. House of Representatives Jeff Barnhart,
running in the 81st District, and Linda Johnson, running in the 90th District.
Michael Barrick, Republican
candidate for State Superintendent of Public Instruction, attended.
U.S. Rep. Robin Hayes, a Concord
Republican running for re-election to Congress, was at a fundraiser in Blowing
Rock, a representative from his campaign said.
The rally started at 4 p.m. By 5
p.m., around 60 adults were walking around or sitting on bleachers in the park’s
natural amphitheater. Their numbers later swelled to around 150, including
children.
Fennel said he expected only 50 or
so for the inaugural event and was elated by the turnout.
“I feel wonderful. My expectations
were met and exceeded here today,” said Fennel, who founded America Again!
with the Rev. Jeff Smith of Young Memorial Baptist Church on July 4, 1999.
Fennel said the only disappointments
he took away from the rally were that only 10 candidates attended, though 50
were invited, and that no Democrats attended.
“I’ve got to believe there are
some Christian Democrats,” said Fennel, a Republican. “I hope they’re
concerned and interested in our issues and will seek to win our votes along with
the votes of others.”
Wayne and Susan Trexler sat in their
lawn chairs at the top of sharply sloping hillside that forms the natural
amphitheater listening to the music and the politicians they came to support.
“We feel like the folks that are
here, the candidates, are Christians and support Christian values,” Wayne
Trexler said. “And we strongly support them in their efforts to get elected.”
“We want to put God back in
America again,” added Susan Trexler.
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