Robert H. Knight
Encyclopedia
Robert H. Knight is an American
conservative activist and writer. He was a draftsman of the federal Defense of Marriage Act
, the law that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman for all federal purposes and allows states to resist demands to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. He is senior writer/correspondent for Coral Ridge Ministries and executive director of the American Civil Rights Union
. He was director of the Culture and Media Institute
, a project founded in 2006 by the Media Research Center
in Alexandria, Virginia. Also, Knight has served as director of the Culture & Family Institute, an affiliate of Concerned Women for America
.
, a copy editor for the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, a news editor and writer for the Los Angeles Times, and a Media Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution
(1989-1990). In 1992, he joined the Family Research Council
; during his ten years working in that organization as director of the Cultural Studies program, its budget and staff greatly increased. Knight left the FRC in March 2001.
.
In his arguments about homosexuality, Knight has occasionally used the studies of researcher Paul Cameron. Following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale
, Knight was interviewed by anchor Bryant Gumbel
on the CBS
morning program The Early Show
. Following the interview, Gumbel was heard muttering that Knight was "a fucking idiot." ABC
television cancelled a scheduled appearance of Knight's for Good Morning America
a few days later.
and The Washington Post
.
from American University
. In 1981, he married his wife Barbara, with whom he now lives with his children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
conservative activist and writer. He was a draftsman of the federal Defense of Marriage Act
Defense of Marriage Act
The Defense of Marriage Act is a United States federal law whereby the federal government defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman. Under the law, no U.S. state may be required to recognize as a marriage a same-sex relationship considered a marriage in another state...
, the law that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman for all federal purposes and allows states to resist demands to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. He is senior writer/correspondent for Coral Ridge Ministries and executive director of the American Civil Rights Union
American Civil Rights Union
The American Civil Rights Union is a civil liberties organization founded by former Reagan Administration official Robert B. Carleson in 1998. It was founded in response to views that the most prominent civil liberties organization, the American Civil Liberties Union, was too leftward leaning; ACRU...
. He was director of the Culture and Media Institute
Culture and Media Institute
The Culture and Media Institute is an American non-profit organization focusing on promoting what it believes to be traditional values in American culture and beliefs and fair treatment of conservatives in the news media...
, a project founded in 2006 by the Media Research Center
Media Research Center
The Media Research Center is a content analysis organization based in Alexandria, Virginia, founded in 1987 by conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III...
in Alexandria, Virginia. Also, Knight has served as director of the Culture & Family Institute, an affiliate of Concerned Women for America
Concerned Women for America
Concerned Women for America is a conservative Christian public policy group active in the United States best known for its stance against abortion...
.
Career
His career has included working 15 years in journalism, in which he had been a reporter and editor for the Maryland Coast Press, Maryland Gazette, and a reporter for the Annapolis Evening Capital after graduating from American UniversityAmerican University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
, a copy editor for the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, a news editor and writer for the Los Angeles Times, and a Media Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution
Hoover Institution
The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace is a public policy think tank and library founded in 1919 by then future U.S. president, Herbert Hoover, an early alumnus of Stanford....
(1989-1990). In 1992, he joined the Family Research Council
Family Research Council
The Family Research Council is a conservative or right-wing Christian group and lobbying organization formed in the United States in 1981 by James Dobson. It was fully incorporated in 1983...
; during his ten years working in that organization as director of the Cultural Studies program, its budget and staff greatly increased. Knight left the FRC in March 2001.
Viewpoints
Knight is an ardent opponent of same-sex marriageSame-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
.
In his arguments about homosexuality, Knight has occasionally used the studies of researcher Paul Cameron. Following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale
Boy Scouts of America v. Dale
Boy Scouts of America et al. v. Dale, , was a case of the Supreme Court of the United States overturning the New Jersey Supreme Court's application of the New Jersey public accommodations law, which had forced the Boy Scouts of America to readmit assistant Scoutmaster James Dale...
, Knight was interviewed by anchor Bryant Gumbel
Bryant Gumbel
Bryant Charles Gumbel is an American television journalist and sportscaster. He is best known for his 15 years as co-host of NBC's The Today Show. He is the younger brother of sportscaster Greg Gumbel.-Early life:...
on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
morning program The Early Show
The Early Show
The Early Show is an American television morning news talk show broadcast by CBS from New York City. The program airs live from 7 to 9 a.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday; most affiliates in the Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones air the show on tape-delay from 7 to 9 a.m. local time. ...
. Following the interview, Gumbel was heard muttering that Knight was "a fucking idiot." ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television cancelled a scheduled appearance of Knight's for Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
a few days later.
Written works
Knight is the author of Fighting for America's Soul: How Sweeping Change Threatens Our Nation and What We Must Do, published in June 2009, updated in September, 2010, by Coral Ridge Ministries at coralridge.org, "Radical Rulers: The White House Elites Who Are Pushing America Toward Socialism" (2010, Coral Ridge Ministries at www.radicalrulers.com), "The Silencers: How Liberals Are Trying to Shut Down Media Freedom in the U.S." (2010, Coral Ridge Ministries),co-author of "Ten Truths About Socialism" (2010, Coral Ridge Ministries at www.dangersofsocialism.com) and The Age of Consent: The Rise of Relativism and the Corruption of Popular Culture, published in 1998 and 2000 by Spence Publishing. Additionally, he writes a weekly column for The Washington Times, and frequently for Townhall.com, HumanEvents.com, OneNewsNow.com, WorldNetDaily.com, AmericanThinker.com and other Web public affairs sites. He has written articles and columns for numerous publications, including The Washington Times, The Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
and The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
.
Personal
He has a B.S. (1973) and M.S. (1975) in political sciencePolitical science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
. In 1981, he married his wife Barbara, with whom he now lives with his children.