FRC’s Tony Perkins Comments on Shooting, Condemns SPLC

on August 16, 2012
Tony Perkins addresses journalists in today’s press conference. (IRD Photo/Barton Gingerich)

At a press conference today outside his office building, President of the Family Research Council Tony Perkins publicly addressed the recent shooting of FRC employee Leo Johnson.

Herndon Virginia resident Floyd Lee Corkins II entered the FRC’s DC-based office and assaulted Johnson, whom Perkins clarified was the unarmed building operations manager. The FRC head visited the injured manager earlier, telling him “You might not know this, but you are a hero.” Johnson replied, “This hero business is hard work.”

Perkins thanked various organizations for expressing outrage over the incident, noting that even opposing groups condemned yesterday’s proceedings.

However, Perkins also chided the Southern Poverty Law Center for “reckless use of rhetoric for intimidation.” He cited the SPLC’s work to “marginalize” conservative groups defending pro-family policies. The press immediately hopped on this charge, pressing Perkins to divulge the connection between the SPLC and Corkins. The FRC head reported that the gunmen carried 15 Chick-Fil-A sandwiches with him to the Washington office building. Perkins speculated that the shooter intended to leave a message condemning the FRC’s role in voicing pro-traditional marriage support for Chick-Fil-A during the recent LGBT firestorm. Nearly every news outlet that quoted the FRC described the pro-family lobbying organization as a “registered hate group.” The registrar, it turns out, was the otherwise insignificant SPLC.

In closing, Perkins proclaimed, “We’re here to defend faith, family, and freedom for Americans across the country…I’m proud to lead a group of individuals who stand for faith, family, and freedom in the face of strong opposition.”

The threshold of the FRC offices in Gallery Place. (IRD Photo/Barton Gingerich)
  1. Comment by eMatters on August 16, 2012 at 5:18 pm

    The Left and its fake Christian allies love to the SPLC as some sort of infallible arbiter of what a hate organization is. It would be great to line up the groups that SPLC & Co. identify as haters alongside all the pro-LGBTQX groups. Have them speak in their normal tones and perform their typical actions, only without the audio. Then ask independent people which groups act more like haters.

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