Puritan Party Spreads Its Word at Rally : Politics: New conservative group criticizes Clinton, gays, liberals and media during a meeting in Camarillo.

A dozen people showed up in Camarillo on Saturday to rally ‘round the fledgling Puritan Party, a statewide political group whose platform calls for government to be submissive to “the absolute truths contained in Holy Scripture” and to reinstitute penalties for homosexuality and adultery.

Founded in April by John Schwab, a 49-year-old Riverside real estate broker, the party hopes to attract hard-line conservatives angered at the Republicans’ “Big Tent” philosophy that accepts those who hold moderate views toward abortion and homosexuality.

At Saturday’s gathering intended to attract new members for the Corona-based group, Puritans outlined their plans to remake America in their own conservative Christian image and wrest control of the country from “pagans.” They took shots at President Clinton, gays, liberals and the media.

After prayer and pastries, Schwab detailed the party line, calling abortion “the most heinous crime in our country” and blasting the GOP for being open to gays, feminists and abortion rights advocates.

“There is no room at our table for those who blaspheme God,” Schwab said.

Schwab chastised Christians who voted for Bill Clinton in the presidential race.

“Clinton serves as President today by permission of the Christian church,” Schwab said. “Surveys show that between 40% to 50% of those professing to be Christians voted for a pro-abortion candidate. They put economics over values.”

Although the Puritans want the government to enforce their brand of morality, they want only limited involvement in business. “Name one thing the government can do better than the private individual?” said Jim Barros, who describes himself as “a rookie Christian from smog-free, violence-free Simi Valley.”

While the others thought of an answer, Thousand Oaks grandfather Chuck Morsa raised his hand and said, “Elvis Presley stamps,” provoking laughter.

The discussion then turned to the corruption of the language with what they said are “liberal” buzzwords.

“I remember when gay meant little kids,” Barros said.

Morsa said he likes to use “queer” to describe homosexuals because the word is defined as “strange” in the dictionary.

“Why should I say ‘homosexual,’ which has five syllables, when I can use ‘queer,’ which has one?” Morsa asked the others.

At this point, longtime Ventura resident Jolly Griggs pressed Schwab about the party’s political strategy, “the modus operandi, “ Griggs said.

Schwab said the Puritans are looking into getting a 900 number and asking ministers to allow them to speak at their churches. To qualify as a recognized party on next June’s ballot, the Puritans need to sign up 79,000 registered voters in California. Schwab declined to give the party’s current membership figures.

Before breaking for lunch, Morsa asked the group why the party’s platform, which mentions “Judeo-Christian” values, had to include “Judeo.”

“I don’t expect any Jews to join our party,” he said.

“We do,” said Tim Waisanen, a Corona pastor who is a party official. “If they’re interested in family values and as long as they’re pro-life and don’t have a homosexual agenda.”

Morsa was not convinced. “I can’t see a Jew or a Muslim joining our party and coming to our meetings unless they’re spies wanting to see what we’re about.”

A day before the meeting, Bob Larkin, a high-ranking Ventura County Republican, was asked his views of the new Puritan Party. Dismissing them as a threat to the GOP, he took issue with their views.

“The last Puritan Party in this country burned women at the stake in the name of God,” said Larkin, chairman of the county’s Republican Central Committee.

When told of Larkin’s remarks, the Puritans chuckled and shook their heads.

“We haven’t had any barbecues recently,” Waisanen said. “The fact that the Republican Party chairman can make such a comment means we’re apparently something he’s worrying about.”

The meeting took place at the Camarillo ranch home of anti-pornography crusader Clara Jean Davis, the party’s chairwoman in Ventura County. Other party officials in attendance were Schwab, his wife Kathy and party treasurer Rollie Roth of Corona.

Almost everyone sitting around Davis’ living room was either a party official or someone she knew. Only three or four were outsiders, a turnout that disappointed Davis.

“I had expected more people,” Davis said, “but the press wouldn’t publicize the meeting.”

Schwab wasn’t worried about coverage. “The media is not the vehicle God uses to build a party,” he said.

The meeting didn’t produce any new members for the party, “but some are very much interested,” Davis said.

Davis plans to turn up at malls and post offices in the county to introduce voters to the Puritan Party.

“I’m going to hit the streets,” she said.