In April 2012, Pastor Rafael Cruz, father of Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX),
exclaimed: "we need to send Barack Obama back to Chicago ...
back to Kenya."
Additionally, Pastor Cruz called the president an "outright Marxist" who "seeks to destroy all concept of God."
Sen. Cruz has said this about his father: "My dad is my hero, he has been my entire life.”
Let's see what the senator has to say about his father's birtherism and other, ahem, remarks about President Obama, now that they have finally seen the light of day thanks to David Corn at Mother Jones. From Cruz's spokesman:
"These selective quotes, taken out of context, mischaracterize the substance of Pastor Cruz's message. Like many Americans, he feels America is on the wrong track...Pastor Cruz does not speak for the senator."
Now, I don't believe in guilt by association. But a figure of Sen. Cruz's importance (for good or ill) on the national stage has to take a substantive stand here. These hateful remarks came from his father, his mentor, his idol. He must renounce them, or be held responsible for them. Period.
PS-The article at Mother Jones has a lot more about what Rafael Cruz has said, including his clear embrace of dominionism, and of male supremacy over women, as seen in this quotation:
"As God commands us men to teach your wife, to teach your children—to be the spiritual leader of your family—you're acting as a priest. Now, unfortunately, unfortunately, in too many Christian homes, the role of the priest is assumed by the wife. Why? Because the man had abdicated his responsibility as priest to his family…So the wife has taken up that banner, but that's not her responsibility. And if I'm stepping on toes, just say, 'Ouch.'"