Megyn Kelly left out some key details about David and Jason Benham’s right-wing extremism when they appeared as guests on The Kelly File tonight. It’s too bad because when she wasn’t busy painting the brothers as Christian martyrs for their “traditional” beliefs, some of her interview was actually pretty decent. She even managed to diplomatically present the case for gay marriage. But the devil is in the details, as the Benhams might say, and you have to ask why those details were not provided.
As you may know, the Benhams are the twin brothers whose HGTV reality show was canceled when their radical activism came to light. Right Wing Watch’s extensive review of their history includes:
David Benham, led a prayer rally — Charlotte 7:14 — outside of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2012, which he told conservative radio host Janet Mefferd was needed to stop “homosexuality and its agenda that is attacking the nation” and “demonic ideologies tak[ing] our universities and our public school systems”
He told Mefferd that his brother Jason joined him in organizing the DNC prayer protest.
… David also leads protests outside of abortion clinics where he praises demonstrators for taking a stand at “the gates of hell” and confronting the “altars of Moloch.”
Furthermore, according to the Anti-Defamation League, David Benham is a spokesman for Operation Save America (OSA), headed by the twins’ father, and which the ADL describes as “an organization with a three-pronged mission to demonize abortion, homosexuality and Islam, declaring that “all three have entered into a pact with death.” The ADL also says:
David Benham …called the (Ground Zero) Islamic center a “den of iniquity,” and referred to Muslims as “the enemy attacking” America.
…OSA has been protesting at mosques and harassing Muslim worshippers since 2001, when the group described Islam on its Web site as a “false religion, birthed from the very pit of hell [that] has led to the eternal damnation of billions of precious people.”
Yet Kelly either did no research into the Benhams’ background (most unlikely) or else deliberately concealed the details from the “we report, you decide” network’s viewers.
Kelly made it clear we should sympathize with the brothers right in her introduction. She said in an unmistakable tone of disapproval that HGTV canceled the show “before it even started to air.” She went on to sneer that Sun Trust Bank “appeared to cut ties to the Benham brothers’ business due to their conservative beliefs” until they decided “it was all a big understanding.”
“It’s incredible the backlash against you for your conservative – or more traditional views!” Kelly exclaimed. She glossed over their father’s extremist record by saying he “has said some controversial things,” and then said, "Let's talk about you.".
“Our views are Biblical views,” David Benham said. He likened sex outside of marriage to a fireplace. “A fire inside of a fireplace is romantic, it warms your home, it heats your food, but once it gets out of the fireplace, it’s dangerous. And that’s the same thing for any type of sex.” He also said he believes marriage is between a man and a woman – which means he thinks gay sex is dangerous – and that “little babies in a mother’s womb are human beings.” He never said and Kelly never asked what lengths he thinks is appropriate to express those beliefs. She never brought up anything about Muslims, either.
Kelly did say, “We’re just not at a point yet where folks who believe as you do have a meeting of the minds or have come to a resolution with people who are in loving, supportive gay or lesbian relationships and want to express that love in the same way as a man and a woman do, by getting married and so on.”
But she also asked Jason Benham to explain why he thinks there is an “agenda to silence in this nation based on one’s beliefs.”
“They just don’t want us to be vocal about our faith,” Jason said. He added, “My brother and I love all people.”
Kelly asked if he believes in “taking away a platform” of people who support gay rights.
“Absolutely not,” David Benham said. “They have the right as Americans in this nation to speak. That’s the beauty of America.”
Kelly never pointed out that their actions – which speak louder than words – indicate otherwise.
So if the Benhams are so devout and sincere in their beliefs, and if Kelly sincerely believes they have been penalized for their "traditional" views, why wasn't everyone more candid about the brothers' behavior?
@tess: What you posted could conceivably be construed to be a threat of physical violence. Methinks, Jesus would not approve of anybody taking any unloving action in his name.
They fit right in with these cafeteria Catholics.