[KevinTheOmnivore]

This story is creepy and really disturbing. The fact that this nonsense went down in a government building is outrageous.

From politics1.com:

"On Wednesday we reported on a largely ignored story -- investigated in
depth by journalist John Gorenfeld -- about Congressman Danny Davis
(D-IL) having participated recently in a bizarre DC event featuring
purported Korean cult leader Sun Myung Moon. Moon -- the leader of the
Korean-based Unification Church cult, a convicted felon, and owner of
the Washington Times newspaper and the UPI press service -- was
previously involved in the "Koreagate" Congressional scandal in the
late 1970s. We mentioned yesterday how Davis wore white gloves, read
Moon's "Crown of Glory" poem, and carried a golden crown that was
placed on Moon's head after Moon proclaimed himself the "Messiah," the
"King of Peace" and "Returning Lord." The crowning relates to Moon's
push over the past year to urge Christian churches to remove crosses
from their walls and replace them with a crown -- honoring the King of
Kings (which, of course, he says is himself). Now, if you thought that
was bad ... well, keep reading because it gets much worse!

The huge event was held in the Dirksen Senate Office Building -- a US
government building -- on Capitol Hill. Not only were there
Congressional Co-Chairs of the event (Congressmen Danny Davis, Curt
Weldon, Roscoe Bartlett, Sanford Bishop and Chris Cannon), others
played roles that evening. US Senator Lindsey Graham served on the
Host Committee, as did noted GOP political consultant Charlie Black.
Weldon -- who had his staff initially deny he even attended, then
claimed he possibly popped in briefly on his way to a meeting --
actually delivered the official "congratulatory remarks" welcoming the
guests. Weldon, however, seems to have a good reason to fear exposure
of how closely tied he is to Moon. On June 19, 2003, the Congressional
Record shows that Davis introduced remarks on behalf of himself and
Weldon for last year's Amassadors of Peace Award ceremony held in the
Rayburn House Office Building. "Many of my colleagues will join me and
the Gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Weldon], co-chair, in giving
tribute to ... those honored with the Ambassadors for Peace Award ...
We are grateful to the founders of Ambassadors for Peace, the Reverend
and Mrs. Sun Myung [Moon], for promoting the vision of world peace,
and we commend them for their work," said Davis. Weldon has even gone
so far as to apparently organize a Congressional fact-finding mission
to Libya to create an opportunity for him to present dictator Moammar
Khadafy with one of Moon's Ambassadors of Peace pins. Don't believe
me, check out the photo at left (which was also displayed by Weldon at
the Moon event in the Dirksen Building).

So, what else went on at the Dirksen event? Famed civil rights
activist and retired Congressman Walter Fauntroy (D-DC) presided at
the event. A welcoming letter from House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL)
was read. Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD)
praised Moon for "always standing up for what is right." Is Cummings
aware that Moon supports the eradication of homosexuals (who Moon
calls "dirty dung-eating dogs")? Utah State Senator Howard Stephenson
(R) spoke "as an ancestor of the white settlers, the pilgrims, and
those who moved westward ... as a representative of my people in a
spirit of repentance for the 'Trail of Tears' which we imposed upon
the Native Americans." Bartlett next was proclaimed to be one of
Moon's Ambassadors of Peace, and received a medal for this from Moon.
Then came the Davis poem reading and the crowning ceremony. The
narrator of the official Moonie-produced video of the event -- when
showing this part -- stated that "the honorable Roscoe Bartlett [was]
representing the United States" at the crowning and "Senators and
Congressmen and representatives of all the [religious] families of the
world joined in." The Moonie video even claims that "81 US Senators
and Congressmen" attended the event, although nowhere near that number
appear in the video.

In a related development, it seems the Washington Post's "Reliable
Source" column on April 4 unsuccessfully attempted to report on Moon's
remarks at the event. They quoted Moon as proclaiming (and this is the
same quote that appears in Moon's own video): "The five great saints
and many other leaders in the spirit world, including even communist
leaders such as Marx and Lenin, who committed all manner of barbarity
and murders on Earth, and dictators such as Hitler and Stalin, have
found strength in my teachings, mended their ways and been reborn as
new persons. Emperors, kings and presidents who enjoyed opulence and
power on Earth, and even journalists who had worldwide fame, have now
placed themselves at the forefront of the column of the true love
revolution. ... They have declared to all Heaven and Earth that
Reverend Sun Myung Moon is none other than humanity's Savior, Messiah,
Returning Lord and True Parent." However, shortly after it first
appeared on the Post site, it was deleted by the Post and oddly
replaced by a paragraph about Celebrity Jeopardy.

In recent years, former Vice President Dan Quayle and Attorney General
John Ashcroft (in 2001) and former President George H.W. Bush (in
1988) also attended events with Moon. Bush even called him "the man
with the vision." Finally -- as if you aren't sick already -- senior
Congressman Charlie Rangel (D-NY) signed a proclamation on
Congressional letterhead in April 2004 recognizing Moon as the "True
Parent" and "King of Peace."

Bottom line: Why did elected officials actively and tacitly
participate in crowning this ex-felon as the Messiah and King of
Peace? Where is the public outrage demanding that these officials --
both Democrats and Republicans -- answer for their fawning ties to
this cult leader?"