Redskins Hire Another Christian Fundamentalist as Head Coach
Press Action
Sunday, February 10, 2008
http://www.pressaction.com/news/weblog/full_article/zorn02102008/
Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has picked another Christian fundamentalist as the team’s head coach. Christian fundamentalist Jim Zorn will replace Christian fundamentalist Joe Gibbs.
Snyder is attracted to religious zealots in his business affairs. He is business partners with Church of Scientology ultra-advocate Tom Cruise.
Snyder’s politics lean to the far right. He is a big donor to the Republican Party, a supporter of President George W. Bush and close friends with George Allen, the former far-right-wing senator from Virginia who lost his Senate re-election bid to Jim Webb in 2006 primarily because he was caught on videotape referring to a Webb campaign volunteer as “macaca.”
Zorn is active with Pro Athletes Outreach, a group that aims “to recruit and equip an army of coaches, professional athletes and their families to make a positive impact in the world for Jesus Christ.”
While Zorn’s religious beliefs are well known, his political leanings are less understood. However, based on his close friendship with Steve Largent, an extreme right-wing former congressman and born again Christian from Oklahoma, it can be safely assumed that Zorn leans to the far right.
Zorn also is close friends with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. Zorn coached Hasselbeck for the past seven years while serving as the Seahawks’ quarterback coach. Like the majority of NFL players and professional athletes, Hasselbeck leans to the right in his politics. Hasselbeck’s brother Tim, a former Redskins quarterback, and sister-in-law Elizabeth Hasselbeck also hold far-right-wing poitical views.