Truthdig / By Chris Hedges
comments_imageCOMMENTS: 578

The Rise of Christian Fascism and Its Threat to American Democracy

We must attend to growing social and economic inequities in order to stop the most dangerous mass movement in American history -- or face a future of fascism under the guise of Christian values.
February 8, 2007  |  
 
 
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Dr. James Luther Adams, my ethics professor at Harvard Divinity School, told his students that when we were his age -- he was then close to 80 -- we would all be fighting the "Christian fascists."

The warning, given 25 years ago, came at the moment Pat Robertson and other radio and television evangelists began speaking about a new political religion that would direct its efforts toward taking control of all institutions, including mainstream denominations and the government. Its stated goal was to use the United States to create a global Christian empire. This call for fundamentalists and evangelicals to take political power was a radical and ominous mutation of traditional Christianity. It was hard, at the time, to take such fantastic rhetoric seriously, especially given the buffoonish quality of those who expounded it. But Adams warned us against the blindness caused by intellectual snobbery. The Nazis, he said, were not going to return with swastikas and brown shirts. Their ideological inheritors had found a mask for fascism in the pages of the Bible.

He was not a man to use the word fascist lightly. He had been in Germany in 1935 and 1936 and worked with the underground anti-Nazi church, known as the Confessing Church, led by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Adams was eventually detained and interrogated by the Gestapo, who suggested he might want to consider returning to the United States. It was a suggestion he followed. He left on a night train with framed portraits of Adolf Hitler placed over the contents of his suitcases to hide the rolls of home-movie film he had taken of the so-called German Christian Church, which was pro-Nazi, and the few individuals who defied the Nazis, including the theologians Karl Barth and Albert Schweitzer. The ruse worked when the border police lifted the tops of the suitcases, saw the portraits of the Führer and closed them up again. I watched hours of the grainy black-and-white films as he narrated in his apartment in Cambridge.

Adams understood that totalitarian movements are built out of deep personal and economic despair. He warned that the flight of manufacturing jobs, the impoverishment of the American working class, the physical obliteration of communities in the vast, soulless exurbs and decaying Rust Belt, were swiftly deforming our society. The current assault on the middle class, which now lives in a world in which anything that can be put on software can be outsourced, would have terrified him. The stories that many in this movement told me over the past two years as I worked on "American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America" were stories of this failure -- personal, communal and often economic. This despair, Adams said, would empower dangerous dreamers -- those who today bombard the airwaves with an idealistic and religious utopianism that promises, through violent apocalyptic purification, to eradicate the old, sinful world that has failed many Americans.

These Christian utopians promise to replace this internal and external emptiness with a mythical world where time stops and all problems are solved. The mounting despair rippling across the United States, one I witnessed repeatedly as I traveled the country, remains unaddressed by the Democratic Party, which has abandoned the working class, like its Republican counterpart, for massive corporate funding.

The Christian right has lured tens of millions of Americans, who rightly feel abandoned and betrayed by the political system, from the reality-based world to one of magic -- to fantastic visions of angels and miracles, to a childlike belief that God has a plan for them and Jesus will guide and protect them. This mythological worldview, one that has no use for science or dispassionate, honest intellectual inquiry, one that promises that the loss of jobs and health insurance does not matter, as long as you are right with Jesus, offers a lying world of consistency that addresses the emotional yearnings of desperate followers at the expense of reality. It creates a world where facts become interchangeable with opinions, where lies become true -- the very essence of the totalitarian state. It includes a dark license to kill, to obliterate all those who do not conform to this vision, from Muslims in the Middle East to those at home who refuse to submit to the movement. And it conveniently empowers a rapacious oligarchy whose god is maximum profit at the expense of citizens.

We now live in a nation where the top 1 percent control more wealth than the bottom 90 percent combined, where we have legalized torture and can lock up citizens without trial. Arthur Schlesinger, in "The Cycles of American History," wrote that "the great religious ages were notable for their indifference to human rights in the contemporary sense -- not only for their acquiescence in poverty, inequality and oppression, but for their enthusiastic justification of slavery, persecution, torture and genocide."

Adams saw in the Christian right, long before we did, disturbing similarities with the German Christian Church and the Nazi Party, similarities that he said would, in the event of prolonged social instability or a national crisis, see American fascists rise under the guise of religion to dismantle the open society. He despaired of U.S. liberals, who, he said, as in Nazi Germany, mouthed silly platitudes about dialogue and inclusiveness that made them ineffectual and impotent. Liberals, he said, did not understand the power and allure of evil or the cold reality of how the world worked. The current hand-wringing by Democrats, with many asking how they can reach out to a movement whose leaders brand them "demonic" and "satanic," would not have surprised Adams. Like Bonhoeffer, he did not believe that those who would fight effectively in coming times of turmoil, a fight that for him was an integral part of the biblical message, would come from the church or the liberal, secular elite.

His critique of the prominent research universities, along with the media, was no less withering. These institutions, self-absorbed, compromised by their close relationship with government and corporations, given enough of the pie to be complacent, were unwilling to deal with the fundamental moral questions and inequities of the age. They had no stomach for a battle that might cost them their prestige and comfort. He told me, I suspect half in jest, that if the Nazis took over America "60 percent of the Harvard faculty would begin their lectures with the Nazi salute." But this too was not an abstraction. He had watched academics at the University of Heidelberg, including the philosopher Martin Heidegger, raise their arms stiffly to students before class.

Two decades later, even in the face of the growing reach of the Christian right, his prediction seems apocalyptic. And yet the powerbrokers in the Christian right have moved from the fringes of society to the floor of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Forty-five senators and 186 members of the House before the last elections earned approval ratings of 80 to100 percent from the three most influential Christian right advocacy groups -- the Christian Coalition, Eagle Forum, and Family Resource Council. President Bush has handed hundreds of millions of dollars in federal aid to these groups and dismantled federal programs in science, reproductive rights and AIDS research to pay homage to the pseudo-science and quackery of the Christian right.

Bush will, I suspect, turn out to be no more than a weak transition figure, our version of Otto von Bismarck -- who also used "values" to energize his base at the end of the 19th century and launched "Kulturkampf," the word from which we get culture wars, against Catholics and Jews. Bismarck's attacks, which split Germany and made the discrediting of whole segments of the society an acceptable part of the civil discourse, paved the way for the Nazis' more virulent racism and repression.

The radical Christian right, calling for a "Christian state" -- where whole segments of American society, from gays and lesbians to liberals to immigrants to artists to intellectuals, will have no legitimacy and be reduced, at best, to second-class citizens -- awaits a crisis, an economic meltdown, another catastrophic terrorist strike or a series of environmental disasters. A period of instability will permit them to push through their radical agenda, one that will be sold to a frightened American public as a return to security and law and order, as well as moral purity and prosperity. This movement -- the most dangerous mass movement in American history -- will not be blunted until the growing social and economic inequities that blight this nation are addressed, until tens of millions of Americans, now locked in hermetic systems of indoctrination through Christian television and radio, as well as Christian schools, are reincorporated into American society and given a future, one with hope, adequate wages, job security and generous federal and state assistance.

The unchecked rape of America, which continues with the blessing of both political parties, heralds not only the empowerment of this American oligarchy but the eventual death of the democratic state and birth of American fascism.
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Chris Hedges is the former Middle East bureau chief for The New York Times and the author of "War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning."
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"...those who would fight effectively in coming times of turmoil..."
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Posted by: kwalla on Feb 8, 2007 2:00 AM   
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I'm ready to enlist; where's the recruitment office?

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» RE: next door Posted by: ScottP
» Gog / Magog Posted by: ScoobyDoobyDoo

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Adams
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Posted by: kepstein7777 on Feb 8, 2007 3:01 AM   
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Sounds like an interesting dude...one of those wacky-cool professors with a cult following.

I don't know that it necessarily comes from poverty and despair, though. Many educated, middle class and wealthy people are drawn to extreme religion and politics, as many were drawn to the Nazi party.

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» Chris Posted by: derfb1
» RE: Chris Posted by: Grampop
» RE: Adams Posted by: gregii
» RE: Adams Posted by: Robba29
» RE: Adams Posted by: scourge
» RE: Adams Posted by: bettyn

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You lefties are so funny
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Posted by: punkbuster on Feb 8, 2007 3:14 AM   
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Hmmm lets see- porn on demand 24/7, crack can be had almost anytime anywhere and "middle America" is over run with it, street gangs are pervasive in our cities, women are (willingly) portrayed as a "ho to be had" in music videos 24/7, 50% divorce rate, looks like we are going to get a moderate- left leaning president to go with a newly minted left of center "make us all like Europeans" congress- I guess I am not seeing the Pat Robertson wing taking over much. I also like how those who write about the "church" never really go to see what it is all about. You know that stuff that those of us "Nazis' do on a regular basis. The church I go to (and countless others) Feed the hungry ( I personally have bought thousands of $ of food over the years) and fed homeless people under the I-10 bridge in San Antonio, fixed single mothers cars for free once a month, cloth for free ANYONE who wants to get on our bus on our "support Saturdays" i could go on and on- Oh and yes GOD FORBID we may preach about the healing power and forgiveness of Christ RUN LEFTIES! RUN AND TELL THE OTHERS NOW BEFORE ITS TOO LATE! The Christian Nazi fascists are BAD for society and are taking over!!! Humanism and science have all the right answers for all of our personal (300 million doses of anti depressants in America per year) and societal ills.
Its just funny watching the collective paranoia take hold.

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» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: punkbuster
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: TagsNOLA
» Do you love me, Pip? Posted by: James T. Swaggart
» RE: Do you love me, Pip? Posted by: TagsNOLA
» Why did god create evil? Posted by: crashgrab
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: jmooney
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: TerranceDC
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: Revolutionary
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: Devout-Atheist
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: MrAllen
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: TagsNOLA
» just face it Posted by: ailiergauche
» RE: just face it Posted by: TerranceDC
» RE: just face it Posted by: TagsNOLA
» Serious scholars DO doubt. Posted by: moflard
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: earnric
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: stumpsforhands
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: chirho33
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: gilliani
» I commend your good deeds Posted by: Sparks56
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: miliTerry
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: punkbuster
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: wally_world
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: ekwhite
» Punkbuster is a great example... Posted by: Suburban Dad
» Excellent writing! Thank you. Posted by: johngary66
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: patszar
» RE: Hint: just ignore these people Posted by: oregoncharles
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: Grampop
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: WadeZim
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: dgmglsblr
» RE: You lefty homeless are so funny Posted by: edgar_michel
» YOU are a liberal Posted by: Sushi
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: jmooney
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: SolemSimon
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: insulaparadigm
» Punkbuster needs a good hug Posted by: shhazam4
» punkbuster FTW! Posted by: chomsky

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I say
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Posted by: gjames on Feb 8, 2007 3:19 AM   
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Keep in mind that often what you see in your adversary is a disavowed part of yourself. It's important to understand the political dynamic when you decide to become an activist; remain aware that the goal is to positively influence all those around you, and is absolutely not to attack an enemy. It might seem maddening to call for compassion for someone like Pat Robertson, but there's not going to be a better world without us all recognizing that.

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» RE: I say Posted by: philame
» RE: I say Posted by: Llama11
» RE: I say Posted by: miggy

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Whence comes this paranoia?
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Posted by: ISlamIslam on Feb 8, 2007 4:07 AM   
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An answer is suggested by Lawrence Auster’s First Law of Majority-Minority Relations in Liberal Society.

"The First Law states that because of the modern liberal belief in the moral and substantive equality of all peoples and cultures, the worse any minority or non-Western group really is, the worse the West must be made to appear, as the guilty cause of the non-Western group’s bad or dysfunctional behavior, or as simply bad in itself. If the worse is made to look better, and the better made to look worse, an apparent rough equality is maintained between them, and the liberal view survives. In the case of Islam, if it is true that Islam seeks to impose an Islamic theocracy over the world, liberals cannot acknowledge this fact, because Islam would then cease being the morally equal and culturally rich Other whom we must tolerate and embrace, and become a morally inferior and hostile destructive adversary whom we must resist and exclude. Therefore, in a massive act of denial, liberals displace the danger Islam poses to the West onto the West itself, especially onto American conservative Christians. Instead of the threat being the historically and actually existing Islamic agenda to establish an Islamic world theocracy, the threat becomes a non-existent American Christian agenda to establish an American or even a world Christian theocracy, a threat that must be met by radically weakening Christianity or even eliminating it altogether.

Thus, having discovered that a non-Western religion is waging war on the West, the left responds by waging war against the West’s own religion."

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» RE: Whence comes this paranoia? Posted by: ISlamIslam
» RE: Whence comes this paranoia? Posted by: ISlamIslam
» You know nothing about Islam Posted by: ISlamIslam
» RE: You know nothing about Islam Posted by: ISlamIslam
» RE: Whence comes this paranoia? Posted by: ISlamIslam

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Christ vs. Conservatism
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Posted by: Tom Degan on Feb 8, 2007 4:21 AM   
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Please, when you're finished checking out all of the great comments on this piece on AlterNet (and ONLY then, Buttercups!) Please check out my piece on "The Rant" by Tom Degan called, Christ vs. Conservatism: A Serious Conflict

Cheers!
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY

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» RE: Christ vs. Conservatism Posted by: aonghus36
» RE: Christ vs. Conservatism Posted by: oregoncharles
» RE: Christ vs. Conservatism Posted by: schister

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Kulturkampf
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Posted by: PatriciaZ on Feb 8, 2007 4:28 AM   
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The author of this article made a little but maybe significant mistake by including Jews into the context of "Kulturkampf". It was a (politically ignited) conflict between Bismarck and the Catholic Church and the Catholic Zentrumspartei, and so it was not a predecessor of the the antisemitic progroms, that took place 60 years later as readers of that article might imply.

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» RE: Kulturkampf Posted by: LeeAnnG
» RE: Kulturkampf Posted by: PatriciaZ
» RE: Kulturkampf Posted by: LeeAnnG
» RE: Kulturkampf Posted by: PatriciaZ
» RE: Kulturkampf Posted by: babs
» RE: Kulturkampf Posted by: PatriciaZ

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Hedges: a man to be trusted
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Posted by: Dee1276 on Feb 8, 2007 5:15 AM   
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Chris Hedges ALWAYS writes intelligent, truthful pieces. His book is perceptive and eye opening for anyone trying to understand how our country gets itself into one immoral venture after another. This article makes sense to me. When I read responses that rant or foolishly confront fact and logic with sniggers and namecalling, I am astounded that such people even bother reading Alternet.
I hope Hedges will not be discouraged by such witless responses...readers who see through the lies and distortions being heaped on us by the Bush Administration and Foxy media loudmouths and evangelistic preachers without morals or compassion...these readers appreciate and welcome writers like Hedges. Articles like his are life preservers thrown out to swimmers drowning in a swamp.

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» RE: Hedges: a man to be trusted Posted by: David Wick

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Liberal and Christian
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Posted by: sclly21 on Feb 8, 2007 5:19 AM   
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I'm a liberal. But I'm also a Christian and more than slightly offended by the article's suggestion that believing in saints and angels means that you're dumb or living in an alternative reality.

Yes, Dems need to reach out to the working class. But people can be Christian and believe in life after death without being, wacko, an idiot or be living in an alternative reality.

I personally believe that Jesus' message was meant to be liberating and a lot of evangelical churches with their emphasis on living by a strict set of rules get that message wrong. But I think Christianity does appeal to people because the message of the Bible and even the most misunderstood books, Revelation, is about liberation from oppressive forces, which is a historically good thing.

Liberals and atheists who ignore Christianity's appeal or dismiss it as a crazy alternative reality do so at their own peril because the bleak alternative offered by a purely rationalist worldview is a depressing indeed.

You can believe in social justice, love, peace and Jesus Christ. If only Chistians and non didn't have to participate in such an either/or worldview.

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» RE: Liberal and Christian Posted by: Sparks56
» RE: Liberal and Christian Posted by: krystal
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» RE: Liberal and Christian Posted by: aislinnluv
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» RE: Liberal and Christian Posted by: NoPCZone
» RE: Liberal and Christian Posted by: prairiedog
» RE: Liberal and Christian Posted by: NoPCZone
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» RE: Liberal and Christian Posted by: MartianBachelor
» Amen Posted by: kepstein7777
» Independent & Christian Posted by: KACalder
» I did not see that Posted by: chief of okeefe
» RE: Liberal and Christian Posted by: FreakyBeaky
» Depressing? Bah! Posted by: Lord Ichmael
» RE: Liberal and Christian Posted by: leafsong1
» The True Christians Posted by: paulaH

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Symbiosis
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Posted by: shangrilalad on Feb 8, 2007 5:27 AM   
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The economic interactions that exist between the U.S. and the foreign governments financing our debt is commonly called Symbiosis. Symbiosis can be benign or malignant depending on the situation. The dominant party in the symbiosis can be called the host and the weaker party the parasite. If both parties benefit equally from the symbiosis then it can be called a mutually beneficial association. If however, one party grows stronger at the expense of the other, then the association can eventually be fatal.

China for instance is using the symbiosis to develop its industry, technology and military capabilities. The United States is using the symbiosis to feed the Military Industrial Complex while outsourcing our industry and technology. China is increasing its economic and military power, while the United States is entirely focused on increasing its military power. Our leaders apparently believe we can continue our world dominance with military might alone, and they might be right, but only if we win the perpetual wars of conquest they have planned. That’s why the Bush Regime is so adamant about victory in the middle-east.

The rabid right recklessly bet the farm on the outcome of this little war, with the prospect of more and bigger wars just over the horizon. Perhaps we now have no choice but to “Go for Broke,” but the consequences for America and the entire world could be Armageddon. Since our ability to wage war is now dependent on the kindness of strangers, we could find ourselves between a rock (China) and hard place (Russia) if our benefactors decide to pull the plug on our wars of aggression to prevent Armageddon. Though many Americans are obsessed with the notion of hastening Jesus’ return, the rest of the world may not be so inclined.

We might be heading for the ultimate economic “Slap Down.”

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» Armageddon Posted by: Patuxet
» RE: Armageddon Posted by: vangogh69

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Christofacsists are neo-christians and "Anti-Semitic"
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Posted by: wawa on Feb 8, 2007 5:38 AM   
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As Semite's are also Arabs, and as neo-cons are not true Christians, these Christofacists and NOT true Christians, but neo-Christians.

The fastest growing cult in the USA is the cult of neo-Christain Zionism which is inherently anti-Semitic for they care nothing at all about Palestinians not the Jews they believe will be 'left behind' in a nuclear holocaust.

Not only are these corruptors of the good news that JC taught: THE PEACEMAKERS ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD and GOD loves sinners and outcasts-

They are politically driven racists.

"No issue however has generated more anti-Arab racism than Israel's occupation of Palestine. Popular governmental support for Israel has amplified the importance of Arabs to American foreign policy. More important, Israel's well accepted rationalizations for occupying and settling the territories-security, terrorism, divine mandate, and so forth-necessarily subordinate Palestinians to an inferior position vis-à-vis Israeli Jews-and by extension, Americans. Because Israel is a staunch ally of the USA and is the subject of much media coverage, the Palestinians are represented overwhelmingly in America media. These representations, which often marginalize Palestinians by privileging Israeli narratives of suffering, produce a rhetorical framework in which anti-Arab racism flourishes. In fact, I would argue that Zionists [Christian and Jewish] in the USA are the biggest progenitors of Anti-Arab racism today." [ Steven Salita, Arab Christian, Professor of English at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, author "Anti-Arab Racism in the USA"]


This is NOT saying Zionism is racist, but Zionists have been most successful in selling their story.

Suicide/homicide bombers are invoked ad-nauseum, by the USA media, but the brutal 40 year occupation to which the suicide/homicide bombings are the direct result of, is never even mentioned by the MSM.

It is always the Palestinians who are the perpetrators of violence and never a word in the media about how Zionists groups, such as AIPAC, Jewish Defense League, Americans for a Safe Israel, Friends of Israel, Christian Coalition, and Christians for Israel, in the USA openly work to rationalize Israeli violence.

Not a word is mentioned by the neo-Christians about the fact that USA sanctions against Iraq during the 1990's resulted in the deaths of one half million innocent Iraqi children.

Not a word is mentioned by the neo-Christians that the current death toll from USA actions in Iraq have resulted in the deaths of more innocent people than Saddam ever killed.

Not a word is mentioned by neo Christians that Ben Gurion openly claimed, "We must expel Arabs and take their places" and "I favor compulsory transfer-I see nothing unethical about it."

Not a word is mentioned by neo-Christians that in 1973 Ariel Sharon told Winston Churchill III, "We'll make a pastrami sandwich of them. We'll insert a strip of Jewish settlement in between the Palestinians, and then another strip of Jewish settlement, right across the West Bank, so that in 25 years time, neither the United Nations, nor the United States, nobody, will be able to tear it apart."

Only the august "Washington Report On Middle East Affairs" has reported that nine out of the top ten career recipients of pro-Israel PAC funds in the House were Democrats and eight out of ten in the Senate and that during the 2004 contribution cycle the top ten recipients were Democrats in both House and Senate.

TBC

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Part 2: Christofacists are neo-Christians
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Posted by: wawa on Feb 8, 2007 5:39 AM   
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USA blind support of Israel and silence regarding Israel's blatant defiance of International Law testifies to the pervasiveness of anti-Arab racism in America.

Israel is NOT a democracy, but an ethnocracy: full right to Jews but none for the indigenous 3.5 million Palestinians in the territories and the 1.2 million in Israel.

Only the ignorant do not comprehend that it is apartheid when Jewish only by-pass roads that cut through Palestinian farmlands are for illegal settlers; squatters only.


Only those in deep denial refuse to believe that 90% of West Bank water is used by illegal colonists who make up 10% of the West Bank population.

Only the blind fail to see the injustice when illegal settlers who murder a Palestinian will –if even tried-only receive community service as a punishment, while any Palestinian even suspected of murdering an Israeli will reap the destruction of their entire neighborhood by the Israeli Occupying Forces.

3.5 million Palestinians in the OPT have no right to purchase property, no freedom of movement, no reliable legal recourse when their homes are demolished, or if they are arrested, have their land confiscated.

The facts on the ground are that Palestinians have no civil rights and no human rights.

These are but a few examples of the irrefutable evidence that apartheid and ethnic cleansing is Israeli governmental policy.

In WWII, six million Jews were exterminated by a people who regarded them as racially and ethnically inferior. After WWII, a Jewish only state centered on Jewish only history, values and traditions was established in the Arab world. The historical fact is that the Garden of Eden was in the area we now know as Iraq, so why were the Palestinians chosen to atone for the sins of the Holocaust in which they played absolutely no part?

On November 10, 1975, UN resolution 3379 compared Israel to apartheid South Africa and called Zionism "a form of racism and racial discrimination."

After much lobbying, the UN passed Resolution 46/86 in 1991 which rescinded 3379, as a precondition for Israel attending the Madrid Peace Conference organized by President Bush, Sr.

How is it, that an occupation founded by illegal colonization with laws based on racial discrimination with the continuing domination of military blockades, curfews, an illegal wall that grabs Palestinian resources and divides families and blatantly defies the principals of the Charter of the UN and International Law upon which it's very founding was contingent, is not apartheid?

How can it be that these crimes against humanity are never mentioned by the USA MSM and neo-Chistians?

A media that belabors the ludicrous fringe minority of Palestinians who call for the destruction of Israel, but ignore the many members of the Knesset that openly call for the deportation of all Arabs from the Holy Land is a media that has failed miserably at its commission to seek and report the truth.

"We have seen the enemy and he is US."-Pogo

Unless USA foreign policy changes soon, it is far more likely that the indigenous people of Palestine will be destroyed than the hypocrisy of the democracy known as Israel.



eileen fleming,
reporter and editor
http://www.wearewideawake.org/
author MEMOIRS of a Nice Irish-American 'Girl's' Life in Occupied Territory-to be released 2/14/07

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» Palestinians Posted by: vangogh69

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Christians my ass
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Posted by: edsmith on Feb 8, 2007 5:46 AM   
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I can't wait for that dickhead Jesus to return to take his demented followers away with him to wherever it is they think they're going.

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» Thundering Applause Posted by: Nez46
» ditto!! when the rapture comes... Posted by: veggiegrrrl
» RE: Christians my ass Posted by: schnoggi
» RE: Christians my ass Posted by: edsmith
» RE: Christians my ass Posted by: Jbuuty
» RE: Christians my ass Posted by: edsmith
» RE: Christians my ass Posted by: aonghus36
» RE: Christians my ass Posted by: edsmith
» RE: Christians my ass Posted by: aonghus36
» It ends in a bizarre allegory... Posted by: doctorsquared
» RE: Christians my ass Posted by: UncleBuck

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kaneh bosm
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Posted by: garry minor on Feb 8, 2007 6:19 AM   
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No need to worry. The Word of God, "kaneh bosm" will smother them. They will be exposed as liars by the very Book in which they have used to manipulate their prey. Nothing will remain hidden. By their own freegin words they will be known............Thank God!

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Decent but MANY holes.
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Posted by: albrechtkrausse on Feb 8, 2007 6:45 AM   
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1) Bismarck a "weak figure"?
2) Immigrants to the USA "aren't" religious (statistically they are more "religious" than the average American"
3) Not enough mention about the powerful corporate and banking interests (in Germany, USA, France, Switzerland, and UK) that helped the German Nationalist Socialist Party into power and made A LOT of money off it and the subsquent wars.
4) The NAZIs didn't use 'Christianity' as much as Il Duce certainly and were suspicious of it. Furthermore the scholars Heidegger, Nietzche, etc were against Christian principles (oddly Heidegger became a darling of the American left philosophers to this day.) Christian churches didn't start Nazism. Where people supported it went to church you could argue that since they also drank milk or smoked it was the cow or cigarettes that caused it. They aren't necessarily related. The economics and nationalist aspect was more important. As was the very effective technique of the 'communist threat' which wasn't all faked (which was worse Stalin or Hitler?)
5) You don't mention anything about the harsh treaties and currency manipulation that led to the economic depression and massive inflation.

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» RE: Decent but MANY holes. Posted by: gmknobl
» RE: Decent but MANY holes. Posted by: Scientz
» RE: Decent but MANY holes. Posted by: insulaparadigm

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Thank GAWD I'm 45 and my life is half over
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Posted by: veggiegrrrl on Feb 8, 2007 7:01 AM   
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Thank GAWD I'm 45 and my life is half over...
Why anyone would want to live into the next century is beyond me...

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What about the CNP??
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Posted by: Fingersfly on Feb 8, 2007 7:10 AM   
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How could someone write an article about Christian fascism without a mention of the Council on National Policy which Time Magazine called "the most powerful organization you never heard of?" This organization is the religious arm of the neofascists and virtually every mega church leader is a member including Robertson, Fallwell, Haggard, and Dobson. Their membership rolls are a Who's Who of frightwing politics. When they "invite" a speaker none dare refuse and their speeches are never made public. Check them out and pay attention.

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» FRIGHTWING Posted by: schnoggi

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Give Me a Break
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Posted by: rileycase on Feb 8, 2007 7:16 AM   
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I'm not sure what kind of lunie world Chris Hedges is living in but it has little to do with reality. To say that Christian facists wish to take over the country is on the same level as saying little green men from Mars are overrunning New York as we speak. This guy is three bubbles off. He has a non-existent understanding of Christianity, a poor reading of history, and twisted sense of logic.

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» RE: Give Me a Break Posted by: patszar
» RE: Give Me a Break Posted by: Ahimsa

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Time for lefties to abort the culture war.
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Posted by: brad on Feb 8, 2007 7:21 AM   
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He is right about a few things and wrong about some others. He is correct to point out how the rightwing movements are a combination of economic problems and culrual blame, much like the rise of Nazism. The right blames everything wrong with contemporary life on the culture.

The problem is that lefties help to perpetuate this notion by continuing to push the culture war in a time when it is not the main problem. Thereby, allowing the right to place the ills of a market fundamentalist society on the leftwing cultural movements.

The first thing leftists should due is admit that there are real cultural problems in contemporary society. Namely, gun violence, obesity, teenage pregnancy, drug problems, crime etc... The next step is to rightly point out that this is the result of a society completely ruled by the market place. That the individualistic, competitive drive of the market has produced products and social relationships that are unhealthy. That it is the fault of giant corporations, not liberal academics, that the plant in rural america has relocated outside of the US.

This can only happen if leftists abort the culture war and replace it with an economic and social critique of market fundamentalist society. Placeing the blame for the concern of the christian fundamentalists where they rightly belong, with the society that has formed to the demands of the market.

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dick
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Posted by: rtmyth on Feb 8, 2007 7:24 AM   
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Religion is mainly superstition, and organized religion is misrepresentation of myths, and unfortunately, harm done by organized religion is enormous. Many fundamentalists, in particular, seem to have a death wish, and are eager for Armageddon, thus favoring world war. Americans are more superstitious than most other folks, in my experience, certainly much moreso than the British or Scandanavians.

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» RE: dick Posted by: Benjaminsjw

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Video shows Pat Robertson calling the faithful to murder.
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Posted by: flashfast on Feb 8, 2007 7:24 AM   
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Pat Robertson is evil. A good example is this video showing conclusively that Robertson doesn't mind calling on the faithful to murder. Of course he denied ever expressing such comments, so the video exposes him as a liar as well. Ironically, he had to apologize profusely because Chavez threatened to take him to court under Bush The Dumb's new anti-terror laws (talk about backfiring).

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Priced Right or Dead Wrong
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Posted by: friggazoa on Feb 8, 2007 7:25 AM   
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A brilliant summary of the ominous wave of American hipocracy & injustice that's been picking up momentum even as us "liberals" have our armchairs swept out from under us. Granted, it is often difficult for "good-hearted," well-meaning people to confront "evil" (which is greed) when it is so thoroughly soaked in goodness, rightness, true-ness but, JezSuds(!), now it permeates every institution, media outlet, public place, etc., for Christ's sakes!

A few years ago, my atheist Dad died and, before he went, he really ranted about how certain Christian "Religians" (people who have a religion) where trying to take over the country. It angered him more than it frightened him, and the family thought that being faced with death was shortcircuiting his brain. He said, "When I get over there, you know, I'm gonna stand up to Him, gonna say 'Fine, very impressive, really, that you were able to figure out how to craft all those wonderful things. But, you screwed up real bad, letting your raving Religians put a price tag on everything... really profane.'"

I give a mention of evangelists in early-Am colonization on my spoken arts history site SpokenOak, balanced by the more constructive genres of wordsmithing, too. Time for people to deal with realities & speak up!

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Professor
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Posted by: veronis on Feb 8, 2007 7:27 AM   
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If anyone wonders what a Christian fascist looks like, he or she need look no further than the man who occupies the Oval Office. Bush wears Christianity on his sleeve yet knows not what the word "love" means. His actions are guided by hate of anyone who does not agree with his fascist views.

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» RE: Professor Posted by: eric555
» RE: Professor Posted by: Animal

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Threat to Democracy?
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Posted by: rwmk12 on Feb 8, 2007 7:43 AM   
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America has never been a democracy! So what is everyone so concerned about? Democracy is the rule of the common people. When have you ever voted on a proposal? Representative "democracy", cough... cough... plutocracy..., which is composed of the blue and red parties is a choice not to be involved. The old good cop bad cop routine... hint: they are working together. In fairness to the corporate Facists though, that may be a good thing because the majority of the majority continually prove that they aren't capable (in the broadest sense of the term). There is nothing wrong with Jesus. The message is positive, whatever you might think of the metaphysics. The problem is people leading their lives in autopilot, waiting for someone else to show them, lead them, or save them... Whether its Opera, Jesus, CNN, the President, or Michael Moore.... WWJD? He'd do it himself... outside the bubble.

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» RE: Threat to Democracy? Posted by: oregoncharles
» RE: Threat to Democracy? Posted by: garyjminter
» RE: Threat to Democracy? Posted by: Grampop

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Native American Perspective
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Posted by: farmrted on Feb 8, 2007 7:46 AM   
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I, of course, cannot speak for all Native Americans but I can speak to my teaching and my understanding. I can also approach the topic with due humility. My path has led to me to search many different theologies despite being raised in a very fundamental Christian church. In our culture, we say Mitakeye Oyasin which means everyone (everything) is related. What this tells me is that I cannot judge others even though the fundamental Christian message tends to stir some intense feelings of anger based on the judgmental nature of their message. As a pipe carrier for my tribe, I have certain duties which require me to act without judgment. The only time that I am moved to judge is when another's action is hurting someone else. There is no greater or no lesser theology. We draw great distinctions between Jesus, Buddha, Ghandi, Mohammed, Chief Seattle etc. assuming that one's message is greater than anothers. What if they were all equal? What if they each had a message that was equal in value? Too often we allow the written word to supersede the inner message of what we know is right. Is the pagan moral of honesty different than the Christian moral of honesty? Is the Christian ideal of acceptance different than the atheist ideal of acceptance? What if the holy books that we rely on to structure our judgements and reactions had a typo? If Jesus meant, much like Buddha, that he was "a" Son of God instead of "the" Son of God, wouldn't that mean that the way to "Heaven" was through each individual as an equal to Jesus? Too much time is spent on the written word and the spoken word which distracts us from our inner word which is the "right" word. It would seem to me that we seek the end result, focus on the goal and ignore the journey. The journey, it would seem, is the important aspect of this life not the end. We spend to much time isolated, believing that we are separate when, in truth, we are all very much connected on a global basis. My journey will not include damaging others. Of course, it is very unrealistic to believe that this will ever happen but the very essential solution is for individuals to allow the inner message (to know thyself) to override the negative exterior barrage of isolation and anger. This is only my opinion based on teachings from those much wiser than myself.

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» Yes !! Posted by: StoneRiley
» RE: Native American Perspective Posted by: aonghus36
» RE: Native American Perspective Posted by: UncleBuck

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A LITTLE OVER THE TOP
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Posted by: garyoke on Feb 8, 2007 7:47 AM   
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Methinks you're a wee bit over the top of this. Yet, I admit to my own concerns about the country undergoing a sixth "Great Awakening".

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A story in The Des Moines Register by Shirley Ragsdale
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Posted by: sausage on Feb 8, 2007 7:54 AM   
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In a story in The Des Moines Register, Religion Editor Shirley Ragsdale writes:The conflicts between religious time and other youth activities is growing, league officials, pastors and parents agree.

Dean Cozad of Des Moines, an official with the Beaverdale U.S. Specialty Sports Association competitive and recreational softball leagues, said the new league does its best to avoid playing on Wednesday nights, "because it's youth church night."

Scheduling around major religious holidays isn't rocket science, according to Hibben, Oakwood United Methodist's pastor.

Hibben and other pastors are in conversation about forming faith-based youth leagues to accommodate families of faith.

The First Admendment to our United States Constitution says, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof[.] However, the establishment clause means, as I understand it, that the federal government is prohibited from recognizing any, and all, religions, religious denominations, or sects, as the official state religion of the United States of America. Yet religiously orthodox conservatives, of all strips, are attempting to bend the collective will of all American citizens to conform to their strictures on human behavior, from sexual orientation to how children spend their leisure time.

Religious conservatives do this, as illustrated in the Ragsdale article, by making a claim of minority discrimination. Elsewhere in the article Ragsdale writes that youth from small Christian congregations are often conflicted by participation in sports on Sunday and religious services, since their church has only one worship period per week. It is, pardon the pun, a weak excuse at best.

In fact, Des Moines, Iowa's small Jewish community, in 2006, bent the area's high school football schedule to its will, so the few "observant" Jewish players in the conference would not have to play on Rosh Hashana.

It is my opinion that religious conservatives are abusing the "establishment" clause of the First Amendment to establish a de facto national religion based on fundamentalist orthodoxy be it Old Testement, New Testement or Qur'an.

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Quite simply nuts
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Posted by: jesme on Feb 8, 2007 8:02 AM   
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No offense, guys, but Chris Hedges et al need to sit down, take deep breaths, and then go worry about something really dangerous. Nobody with any knowledge of the real world can possibly believe that America faces a Christian Fascist takeover. Where are the stormtroopers? Darned if I can see any. Last election I noticed, the Democrats picked up control of both houses of Congress. The leader of the biggest evangelical organization in America is teaming up with Al Gore to demand action on climate change. The most influential megachurch leader in America, Rick Warren, invites people like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama to address his congregation.

In short, what planet are you guys living on? Sure there are some rather bizarre extreme right wing currents in American Christianity. There are perhaps 35 people in America who've read the writings of Christian Reconstructionists like RJ Rushdoony. But there are so many other things going on out there that only a paranoid whackjob could figure that the nuttiest Christians fairly represent the mainstream.

Meanwhile, back at the jihad, a recent poll in Britain found that about one-third of all Muslim males between 16 and 24 beiieve that those who abandon Islam for other religions should be put to death. That's just one of several findings in a poll that should make anybody's hair stand on end. Check it out. Now go and find me any data to indicate that a substantial number of American Christians think that way, and I'll begin to worry. Otherwise, grow up, stop focusing on illusory dangers and start paying attention to the only religious movement on earth that really does want to turn our country--and the world--into a giant prison camp..

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» Amen Posted by: Philip Newton
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» Under this "logic"... Posted by: ABetterFuture
» BIG TIME CAVEAT Posted by: Suburban Dad
» RE: Quite simply nuts Posted by: oregoncharles
» RE: Quite simply nuts Posted by: jesme
» RE: Quite simply nuts Posted by: aonghus36
» RE: Quite simply nuts Posted by: alarew666
» RE: Quite simply nuts Posted by: Grampop

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Huh?
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Posted by: jesme on Feb 8, 2007 8:15 AM   
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I read the Des Moines Register article. It's a good, interesting piece about an important social conflict. But in your mind, it's a frightening saga of fanaticism run wild. How dare a public school system or sporting league even consider rescheduling an event to accommodate the religious beliefs of the athletes? It's the first stage of the dreaded Theocracy! Aieeee!

Do you have any idea how you sound? Here's a hint: Think of the movie Dr. Strangelove, and the general who thinks fluoridation of water is a communist plot to pollute his natural bodily fluids.

Give it a rest, dude.

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» Simple question. Posted by: sausage
» RE: Simple question. Posted by: jesme
» Good for you Posted by: sausage
» RE: Good for you Posted by: jesme
» It's your duty to be a fly? Posted by: sausage
» RE: Good for you Posted by: babs
» RE: Good for you Posted by: PopRox80
» RE: Good for you Posted by: jesme

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...a childlike belief that God has a plan for them and Jesus will guide and protect them.
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Posted by: Philip Newton on Feb 8, 2007 8:24 AM   
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As with most paranoid rants, this writer displays the sort of ignorance about faith and politics that has become customary on the Left.

When the author writes that Christians have been "duped by the Right" into a "...childlike belief that God has a plan for them and Jesus will guide and protect them," he somehow erases two thousand years of core Christian belief, crediting it to the modern Right.

Our faith preceded Right and Left. It is greater than Right or Left and it will remain when Right and Left are not even a distant recollection.

A pox on both your houses.

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» But it is indeed childlike... Posted by: doctorsquared
» RE: But it is indeed childlike... Posted by: Philip Newton

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10's of millions? I don't believe it
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Posted by: kathat on Feb 8, 2007 8:45 AM   
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I looked at the last time we were able to ask about religion on the census, and it's more realistic. I think the famous evangelists and Republicans who use them as a base are exaggerating their numbers and the media believes it. I think the states they are in get political power because of the way we have elections and the way we have equal representation for unequal populations.
Are there any real facts about it? Are there even tens of millions of people in the deep red states anyway? lol.

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» RE: 10's of millions? I don't believe it Posted by: MartianBachelor

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Fascism
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Posted by: nise52 on Feb 8, 2007 8:48 AM   
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"But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a parliament or a communist dictatorship ... That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

Nazi Reichsmarshall Hermann Goering
Nuremburg Trials

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» RE: Fascism Posted by: garyjminter

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ajeff1035
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Posted by: ajeff1035 on Feb 8, 2007 8:59 AM   
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Words, words, words, it is amazing how the human mind can make up words to convince others to believe their point of view.
Take a few facts and make up the rest you have a very good story to sell to the weak minded people. Some Christians(notice I use the term "some") think we are in the last days(I am guilty of that thought). From my propective your writing is Anti Christ. But it is also a training tool. Thank you.

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Ban Religion
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Posted by: patvic1405 on Feb 8, 2007 9:01 AM   
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Ban religion or in the alternative tax the churches out of existence. They are the cause of all the evil in this world.

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» RE: Ban Religion Posted by: earnric
» RE: Ban Religion Posted by: aonghus36

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regious numbers link
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Posted by: kathat on Feb 8, 2007 9:09 AM   
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The numbers

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What is wrong with us. . .
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Posted by: monkeywrench on Feb 8, 2007 9:10 AM   
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. . ., that for our spirituality we continue to depend upon unprovable and antiquated religious dogma, even when it is harmful to ourselves and the world we live in; even when it leads to humanity killing itself, one-by-one or thousands-by-thousands? Religious animosity has been one of the major causes of wars and murders throughout human history; and yet, each individual religion still insists that it, and it alone, knows the true nature of God – and will attack other religions to back it up. What is ironic about this thousands-of-years-old history of bloodshed is that each and every religion in the world, when it comes to the nature of God, is GUESSING. No one living really knows, or has any proof, no matter what they profess.

Religion, based as it is on faith and a certain amount of hocus-pocus, exists dangerously close to superstition (still practiced by humans in the 21st century), and thus is nearly devoid of rationality. The Founding Fathers understood that without rationality, emotions run wild and our darkest instincts can surface, and so insisted that religious preference remain a strictly personal decision.

One would think that after 15,000 years of developing civilization and expanding knowledge, we would have matured enough to understand this point.

But no.

It is not enough, at a time when our knowledge of the universe we live in has expanded a million-fold from when the Bible was written, that religious belief should remain an individual matter. Certain religious "leaders" craving personal power and having a woefully incomplete knowledge of our world, want to take us back to the primative "us versus them" mentality – and warring and killing – we should have given up thousands of years ago.

The spiritual quest for the true meaning of God and our place in creation (whatever its source) is a noble undertaking; but NOT when it results in the needless death of part of that creation – especially of our own brothers and sisters.

Again I ask: What is wrong with us? Why are we still not capable of learning this simple lesson?

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» 12 Simple words Posted by: djnoll

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Frank knew too
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Posted by: writerman on Feb 8, 2007 9:29 AM   
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Frank Zappa, a self-styled "conservative" warned us twenty years ago that in the future the greatest threat to the American Republic and our freedoms would come from a "fascist theocracy." I remember thinking he was exaggerating for effect and most people just laughed at him, it was just crazy Frank, the druged-up rockstar. Today Frank seems like paragon of rationality in an insane world and a veritable seer, which I suppose he always was. What rockers like Frank and John Lennon would have made of flawed, dangerous and deluded hypocrites like Blair and Bush would have been a delight to observe.

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a terrifying vision
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Posted by: zooeyhall on Feb 8, 2007 9:34 AM   
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It's like a terrifying vision of Orwell's novell "1984"---this time with crosses and public executions of the "heretics".

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Chris Hedges paranoid ???
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Posted by: StoneRiley on Feb 8, 2007 9:54 AM   
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Note to some of the commenters here:

Just so happens Chris Hedges is a veteran combat journalist, a liberal Christian minister by training and author of some very intelligent, thoughtful and respected books about fundamental issues of current human life. It won’t do to dismiss him as paranoid. That makes you sound ill informed.

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» Minister = Nothing Posted by: Philip Newton
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» RE: Minister = Nothing Posted by: insulaparadigm
» RE: Minister = Nothing Posted by: Philip Newton

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By their fruits ye shall know them.
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Posted by: Paxmana on Feb 8, 2007 10:03 AM   
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Palestine .. Afghanistan .. Iraq .. and soon to be Iran.

Onward Christian Soldiers, marching as to war. With the Cross of Jesus going on before. Is that the anthem of the Evangelicals?

These people do not represent Jesus .. every day .. every way and in every breath they deny their Masters teachings .. Hypocrites!

Bush and Blair are Christians .. need one say more?

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Hindsight is 20/20
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Posted by: pixiequix on Feb 8, 2007 10:54 AM   
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"When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross."
-Sinclair Lewis

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» RE: Hindsight is 20/20 Posted by: LarryGroff
» RE: Hindsight is 20/20 Posted by: pixiequix

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1000 Years ago
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Posted by: rwa on Feb 8, 2007 11:00 AM   
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Pro-Israel zionists would be well advised to remember how Germany came to have a large population of Jewish people. Germany didn't participate in the first crusade, and as a result of inflamatory rhetoric against Islam throughout the rest of Europe (designed to agitate for the crusade) Jews were persecuted resulting in expulsion.

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» Expulsion of Jews -- NOT a recent phenomenon Posted by: Aufklaerung_Baboon
» RE: "Your case against the Jews" ? Posted by: insulaparadigm
» RE: "Your case against the Jews" ? Posted by: insulaparadigm
» RE: "Your case against the Jews" ? Posted by: insulaparadigm

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But he IS paranoid
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Posted by: kenhymes on Feb 8, 2007 11:02 AM   
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Hedges may be all of the things you mention, but he has gone over the edge of reason on this, and has found an all-too-willing platform in Alternet. There is absolutely zero danger of any kind of religious fascism succeeding in the US, and anyone who thinks it's possible has to ignore the heterogenous, deeply mercantilistic culture that surrounds them. Self-denial, ascetic sacrifice for a cause: these things are not in the American repertoire.

There is no real social science, and certainly no broad experience of religion in America, behind Hedge's alarm bells. There is no valid analogy between the US and Italy, Germany, Japan, China, Soviet Russia, or any other society in which extreme authoritarianism has taken hold. We're just too messy. We are hypocritical, wasteful, hedonistic, judgemental, shallow, destructive, collective war criminals, yes, all of those things. But our worst wars, our most hideous atrocities, have been products as much of liberal ideology as reactionary.

Religious conservatism in the US is a touchy, sensitive plant that runs back into the comforting garden of its own certainty and mutual admiration whenever it runs into difficulty with the overwhelmingly secular culture and politics of the US.

The folks on here who rant and rave in generalities about the role of religion in history are misinformed about the breadth of religious experience, and about the role of politics in controlling religious expression throughout the ages. But leaving that aside, they are appallingly underinformed about their own country. You'd think that nothing had changed in the American Church since the 80's, when the religious right was confidently riding Reagan's coattails. They have achieved almost none of their goals, even with an avowed evangelical of extreme right-wing theological views in the White House, and a majority of his party in Congress. They have been able to rile everybody up, and make trouble for people and civic institutions locally... but there is no prayer in the schools, no religious test for leadership, no religious law (in fact there are less holdovers from 19th century legislation privileging Christianity now than 20 years ago).

Beyond that... the trend in US churches generally is left, not right. The Episcopal Church just named as leader a woman who confidently asserts that homosexuality is not a sin, that poverty and war are the real concerns of a just God. Other mainline denominations are trending towards an acceptance of authorship and context in relation to the Bible. Newer megachurches are largely avoiding the difficult social topics (they may be shallow, but they are not rabidly reactionary) and blending with pop culture. The Christian Coalition is in arrears; Rick Warren's AEC and other groups are talking about environmental stewardship (with much internal resistance, but it's on the table).

It's in the global south that reactionary social views and violent action against "unbelievers" are characteristic of SOME Christian groups. It's in predominantly Islamic countries that there is mob action against secularized women and intellectuals and gays. The patterns of fascist behavior are simply not apparent in the US. What we have is not a coherent ideological mission... it is simply a plutocracy, a government of thieves. It's a bad thing, which we will be paying for for generations... but Mr. Hedges, this nightmare you have ain't gonna happen, praise God.

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» RE: But he IS paranoid Posted by: jesme
» RE: But he IS paranoid Posted by: aonghus36

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Ye Should Never Had Married That Ho
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Posted by: Mr. Heathen on Feb 8, 2007 11:00 AM   
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Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not money, I am become as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not money, I am nothing. And though I bestow all goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not money, it profiteth me nothing.
Money suffereth long, and is kind; money envieth not; money vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in inequity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things... And now abideth faith, hope, money, these three; but the greatest of these is money.
I Corinthians xiii (adapted)
-George Orwell

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The Doing of Fascist Ideology
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Posted by: pdxstudent on Feb 8, 2007 11:19 AM   
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See, here's the thing, especially if comparing the Religious Right to the rise of Nazism in particular: the "crazies" who most obviously represent the threat of their movement are mere articulations made possible by the wide-spread psychologically damaged fabric of the people who put them in power (in one form or another). Do you think that all of Germany, and by that I mean pro-Nazi citizens, was as vocal and particularly absurd about its ideology as Hitler or his henchmen? Hardly. Most people really didn't seem to "be the type."

In other words, most people didn't need to look and sound like Hitler to act like him and for him. This is perhaps what disturbed social scientists the most about the war, the complacency of the general public. It's like Zizek's re-interpretation of the Marxist definition of ideology("They do not know what they are doing, but they are still doing it"): they know very well what they are doing, and they still do it. Ideology, especially fascist ideology, is not a matter of what people (think they) know, but what they do regardless of what they (think they) know.

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Achtung, Baby
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Posted by: Philip Newton on Feb 8, 2007 11:22 AM   
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Yep. Sounds good to me. Let's destroy everything we don't agree with.

Welcome to Iraq.

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Gary J Minter
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Posted by: garyjminter on Feb 8, 2007 11:27 AM   
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As a resident of Roanoke, Virginia during the 1970's and 1980's, I witnessed the rise of the Reverend Dr. Jerry Falwell's religious/business/educational empire, Liberty Baptist Church and Liberty University, in neighboring Lynchburg.

I also saw first-hand the political influence of Reverend Pat Robertson of Virginia Beach, who gained considerable political power over the years, even running for the Republican presidential nomination....following the footsteps of his progenitor, Virginia Senator "Willis" Robertson. Pat is following in the footsteps of his grandaddy's political career, but using religion and TV evangelism very effectively...

Many good, well-meaning people believe in and donate money to these Christian fundamentalists, who have been very closely and intimately involved with the Republican political leaders like Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush....Political consultant Karl Rove has brilliantly used these "Christian soldiers" as manpower and cannon fodder for his Republican political clients. After all, there just aren't enough CEOs and doctors to win elections, you need some voters and volunteers, too!

Sadly, the Republicans and some of the fundamentalist "Christian" preachers have pandered to the lowest, meanest, un-Christian emotions of the electorate: hatred of "foreigners" (forgetting that the USA is a nation of immigrants), gays ("love thy neighbor as thyself?" Not if he or she is gay or lesbian), people with HIV/AIDS ("AIDS was said to be "God's judgment against homosexuals" by many fundamentalist preachers), and violent, sometimes homicidal opposition to sex education and abortion (should we send the bill for AIDS babies and crack babies to Reverend Fallwell and Rev. Robertson's churches?)

If you will analyze the business operations of these fundamentalist Christian leaders, you will find close interweaving of their interests with neocon Republican projects, both domestic and foreign. Take a good look at Reverend Franklin Graham's various organizations, for example.

It is true that many black church leaders have also been active in politics, e.g. Reverend Jesse Jackson. But most of these proceeded, at least in the beginning, from sincere attempts to right ancient injustices supported by government, such as slavery and segregation....true Christians of all colors support social justice, legal equality, and freedom for all people, and mercy and compassion for the poor, the sick, the powerless....

On the other hand, some right-wing Republican "Christians" are NOT truly Christian at all, in fact, they represent the opposite values of Jesus' teachings. Jesus clearly said, "love thy neighbor as thyself" and in His many parables gave countless examples of love and mercy toward the poor, the lame, the sick, and the powerless....

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven..."

Does this sound like something that Reverend Dr. Jerry Falwell or Reverend "Pat" Robertson would say?

Gary

Gary James Minter
http://aidsvillagechina.blog.sohu.com
www.healthchina.org

O

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» RE: Gary J Minter Posted by: djnoll

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Frank
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Posted by: frank67 on Feb 8, 2007 11:37 AM   
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"Money, money, money makes the world go round, go round, go round..."

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Death of Science is more to be feared
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Posted by: dayahka on Feb 8, 2007 11:40 AM   
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Much more to be feared right now is not the so-called religious fascist, but those who say that "global warming" has been proved to be anthropogenic, beyond doubt, and seek to belittle and destroy those with a sceptical or contrary opinion. Scientific reasoning is based on hypotheses and the search for supporting or contrary evidence as a never-ending process. There is no finality in science and anyone who attempts to suppress dissent (or scepticism) is anti-scientific. It's the left-wing fascists who have politicized a scientific process and who betray science and rationality that I'm afraid of.

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» RE: You've got to be kidding! Posted by: edgar_michel
» You've got to be kidding! Posted by: dayahka
» RE: You've got to be kidding! Posted by: edgar_michel
» RE: You've got to be kidding! Posted by: animalleaderisgreat

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Christians Feed the Homeless
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Posted by: edgar_michel on Feb 8, 2007 11:51 AM   
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This is a homeless persons statement of appreciation to all the churches who provide food for his sustenance:

You feed the homeless, because your un-inspired addiction to an academic system over 2000 years old is crippling this country.

You feed the homeless because all the government support for people who have for one reason or another ended up without a roof over their head and without a job, which are both self perpetuating, has been diverted to your church.

You feed the homeless because your church and it's members probably own most of the real estate in your city leaving no place for those, who can't pay your ridiculous rent, space to grow their own food.

You feed the homeless because you have left them no option but to accept your disingenuous gifts.

Go read about what made America great. America became great because it tolerated more dissenting views on life, politics, religion and science than any other country. Because of that better ideas had a chance of rising from obscurity into the public light where they found acceptance and implementation unlike in other countries. That is why America was great, not because it employed ancient ecclesiastical law to the disparagement of great ideas and not because of it’s military might.

Dark Ages Europe was about the application of ecclesiastical law to forbid any and all thoughts that were not sanctioned by the church, not even Galileo’s ideas of a Sun centered solar system. Read about life in 1600's England and you'll understand why the founders of this country were so adamant about the separation of church and state.

Read something other than the Bible to get a grasp of the lessons of history, otherwise I will have no pity for you at all when you, by some great misfortune, find yourself being stretched on a rack in a middle ages torture chamber. Even Christians were routinely tortured in Middle Ages Europe because someone thought that they might have been communicating with the devil. No one was safe.

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Thou Shalt Not Kill, my ass!
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Posted by: veggiegrrrl on Feb 8, 2007 12:20 PM   
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Thou Shalt Not Kill, my ass!
When the Christians walk their talk and peace pacifists who live and let live (no matter what race, sexual orientation, religion, etc...) then I'll believe some of them are "real" Christians. What masks for Christianity these days is nothing but zealous hatemongering and intolerance.
Who would Jesus burn in hell for being gay or Jewish or Muslim or atheist??
NOBODY!!
Start acting like Jesus and people will take you more seriously.

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» RE: Thou Shalt Not Kill, my ass! Posted by: veggiegrrrl

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Go to your rooms now, all of you
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Posted by: dm. on Feb 8, 2007 12:23 PM   
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Paranoia or not, there are horrendous things building. And there always have been. Maybe some of us non-medicated paranoids have the vibrational link to the build-up of canaries in the goldmine...or is that concept too irrational, airy-fairy and non-scientific? Tell that to the canary.

All paranoia - and everyone does seem to specialize in their own their equally vivid version - has some basis in someone's experience of reality, or it couldn't occur. How's that for scientific? But paranoia can also distort so much that it usually further adds to polarization and the dehumanization of already broken situations. Perhaps what the great prophets, past and present, including Dietrich Bonhoeffer, have tried to show us is the way back to our own humanity, sometimes at the cost of their own necks.

As a mother and a survivor of some of life's cruelties, I want to know just how we begin regaining some of our massively eroding humanity? What to tell my kids: Do they really have to choose between religion and science? Do they have to choose between art and fact? Do they have to choose between differing but equally totalitarian worldviews of right or left, liberal or conservative, rigorously politically correct or rigorously fundamentalist? Do I have to teach my kids that rights matter more than responsibilities, and that, therefore, some rights matter more than others?

I think you all should go home and have a chat with your mothers about this and see what Mom would say. No, you can't go out 'til you've done your chores and cleaned up your room. No, you may not kill civilians or soldiers, fetuses, trees, animals, the environment, without payback some day for it. So go to your room and think about it.

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» RE: Go to your rooms now, all of you Posted by: Aufklaerung_Baboon

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Simple vs Complex
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Posted by: windoe on Feb 8, 2007 12:36 PM   
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The shadow of the left is anarchy and the right is a police state, and these two shadows feed each other well. Each is the fear of the other, so a state of fear is needed to maintain it.
Our most primitive thinking, polar and made of opposites, is maintained by fear. Black/white, friend/enemy, familiar/strange, and good/evil thinking make it easy to manipulate us while seeming to relieve us of a complex world.
Our most complex thinking can leave us in a labyrinth of conflicting ideas, which make us seek simple solutions just for comfort. The information age has had adverse effects on many (difference between games and similators for example, effecting behavior), increasing stress.
A balanced relationship between the left, our urge for flexibility and freedom, and the right, the seeking of structure, is to return to the barganing table. Certainly there are conservative people who adamantly adhere to traditions not observed by the rest of society, and there are people living very alternative and open lifestyles, and as a collective race of beings we need to seek a place for both.
We have lost our ability to detect when we are being manipulated, or have developed a tolerance for it.
I believe another way out of a polarized society is to not enable people to continue thinking in divisive terms. Extreme thinking cannot be the center of our discourse any longer- it closes our hearts tight shut. You know your heart is open when the whole world feels like family. We shrink from this because then we feel their pain. So this is another aspect to balancing left and right, to keep ourselves open enough to others, their cultures and rights, while maintaining some unity and structure and justice.
I really enjoyed seeing this article here, to me raising our collective psychological IQ is critical now.
The book True Believers by Erich Hoffer(sp) should be rereleased in these times.

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As AlterNet becomes increasingly anti-Christian...
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Posted by: mizpearl on Feb 8, 2007 12:39 PM   
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...please bear in mind that the vast majority of Christians are complete polar opposites of the nut jobs you think about when you read or write these hate-filled rants – the articles as well as the comment sections. These people outrage and offend normal Christians just as much as they do all of you. Yet you paint us all with the same brush, and you screech and holler with just as much enthusiasm and dedication as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell do when they are spewing their hatred.

It is truly offensive when you go to a website that professes to be liberal and progressive and then get smacked in the face with this garbage – the very same hate and prejudice you people profess to be fighting against.

So apparently, when you’re liberal AND Christian, you’re an oddity (and there are a lot of us “oddities” too, I might point out), and you really don’t belong anywhere.

When we Christians read stuff like this, we get mental images of wild-eyed, tinfoil-wearing conspiracy nuts, or buck-toothed, overall-wearing rednecks gathering in mobs with torches and pitchforks. That’s not exactly the enlightened, progressive image you would like to project to the world, is it?

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» A Real Threat Posted by: kittynboi
» RE: A Real Threat Posted by: mizpearl

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Can I become a church?
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Posted by: WhatNow? on Feb 8, 2007 12:39 PM   
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I'd love to get representation without taxation.

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» Easier! Posted by: ABetterFuture
» RE: Can I become a church? Posted by: pixiequix
» Westboro Baptist Posted by: paulaH

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Organized religion is organized politics
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Posted by: mom'z the word on Feb 8, 2007 1:17 PM   
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I am very surprised that a well-educated, intelligent, civilized society has not realized until now that organized religion is nothing more than another form of organized politics. Look at the structure of the Catholic Church for instance. Pope, cardinals, bishops, priest nun, etc. Is the purpose of this structure to maintain control and power over the people? Of course it is. Religion is all about power. My god is better than your god has caused more death and destruction in the world than all that Mother Nature has done in her lifetime.

What about the Protestant religion? It has its godfather and underlings just like the Hindus, Moslems, Jews, corporate CEO's, dictatorships, monarchy’s, republicans, democrats, fascist, and god only knows what else. Organized religion is all about power and the ability to manipulate people mainly through fear. There is not a lot of love, peace and harmony going on in any of these 'religions'. All have blood on their hands in the name of peace and love. This is not about whether or not there is a god. What this is all about is the politics of god and how to get rich and powerful with the help of a political hook, in the case of religion the hook is called 'god'.

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» RE: THE MOST INTELLIGENT POST HERE! Posted by: mom'z the word

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Historically, Christianity WORSE then Islam Ever Was
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Posted by: sofla100 on Feb 8, 2007 1:22 PM   
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Remember the Crusades? The many programs over the centuries against Jews and other minorities? The Holy Roman Empire? Mandatory tithes? Rome's failure to fully condemn the Nazis?

Then they say "Islamic terrorists" or radical Islam is a threat to America. I have news for you. Historically, the BIGGEST THREAT has always been right-wing Christianity. It has killed more people then Islam ever has, by far. And, this is backed up by historical analysis. So, America watch our. Watch for the David Koreshes, the Charlie Mansons, and just one step removed, the Pat Robertsons and Jim Bakers of this world.

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» Typical. Posted by: ABetterFuture
» Douglas imitating Douglas Posted by: ABetterFuture

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Religion is a frame of reference
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Posted by: bradpdx on Feb 8, 2007 1:29 PM   
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Do not all things have at least two sides, often in apparent opposition? Chris Hedges is seeing only the side that concerns him at the moment, but this is a political magazine.

I agree that religion often inspires people to do good and have known many who see and practice it that way. They believe that the religion is a reason for what they do and see that as the primary mission of the belief.

I agree that religion often inspires people to be selfish and evil by promoting a sense of superiority to non-members. They believe that only members of their belief system can be trusted to do good. They often see that as the primary mission of the belief.

But in the end, I do not believe that religion itself "causes" anything. People have a social need to organize the world in ways that parallel internal experience and to externalize their personal existence. Some choose a belief in a "god" and the trappings that may go with that as the vehicle - it is popular and widely accepted by many cultures around the world. Does that make god real? No. Does that make god necessary? To some. Does that belief hold tremendous power for good or evil? Absolutely.

I have always been fascinated by the effects of religious belief because I have none; I was raised in an atheist household and have found no compelling force in any of the world's religions. I am not claiming superiority or inferiority; for me, the non-existence of god is as natural as waking up each morning, a non-issue and non-concern. My ethics, morality and behavior are dictated by upbringing, experience and co-existence with others. That IS a concern.

To a last, every one of my religious friends (and I have many) go to church or synagogue because they were raised with a religious background and find comfort in that frame. I can claim no such history and so find the willingness of my friends (and even my wife of 17 years) to believe a puzzlement that I cannot overcome. Even the Unitarians have a frame I cannot accept for myself.

It is clear that religion is a powerful force that has no necessary moral boundaries - one may use any of the world's dogmatic systems to justify sacrifice and kindness, or to mollify critics and ignore the suffering caused by one's actions. Clearly, different groups adhere to both of these methods. Both are right that their motivations are pure when defined by their belief system, and that is why this comment board is so loaded today.

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Extremist views cannot be central
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Posted by: windoe on Feb 8, 2007 1:37 PM   
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There are extremist groups in every religion, so if you are Christian without extremist views this article is not about you.
In a diverse world and society, we must focus on how to make room for all of us to coexist. We do not have time for insults and juvenile sand box behavior. Period.
This violent world was nurtured and fed by the most paranoid cultists in many corners of the world. We do need to study this and stand outside of it enough to feed and nurture an alternative future for our children.
We create this world with our beliefs. To envision a peaceful world, we also need to learn to deprogram people who have been brainwashed to believe violence is the only solution. This cannot be our future, we cannot enable it to continue.

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Onward, christian soldiers
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Posted by: willymack on Feb 8, 2007 1:37 PM   
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Christianity has spread its poison over a large part of our world. Its destructive nature is well known to anyone curious enough to study its grim history. The most ignorant sector of any population is the most suseptible to its blandishments. Europe is just recently emerging from the Dark Age of christian enslavement due to better education and more liberal politics. Our country, on the other hand, is sliding backward because of the abysmal failure of our education system to teach science and critical thinking. So, now, we have the threat of being overwhelmed by a group of homicidal fanatics as well as pollution, phony wars, overpopulation, and a host of other ills, which are all AOK with the religious right. Want to be ruled over by a minority of righteous numbskulls? I know I don't.

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Repeating History once again
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Posted by: Krain61 on Feb 8, 2007 1:42 PM   
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Lets look back to when the Romans fell!
They are had a sweetie! All the man had another man.
All the women had herself another womem.
So here we are repeating history because someone
wasn't paying attention in class..Well I never was awake
but I am a male who has only been with females and
that sure will not change.
I hear people say God made Gays! I think God made all
of us but he didn't make you Gay or whatever. That you or
your surroundings made you..Not God!
So as I see it were following the same path as the Romans
did. Where are they now? I'm guessing they have this talk
about us someday. They will say! If they would of read the history books they had right in front of them!

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» RE: epeating History once again Posted by: TheNamelessCity
» RE: epeating History once again Posted by: dannrusso

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Nice piece.
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Posted by: DaBear on Feb 8, 2007 2:15 PM   
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Goes well with other hard core journalism like Orcinus. Wanna read about Xtian Nationalism and white supremacy, David Neiwert has all the data and writes daily about it. Highly recommended for all the "Hedges-went-overboard" skeptics. And his pal Sara Robinson is no slouch either.

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The Rise of Zionist Fascism and Its Threat to WORLD SURVIVAL
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Posted by: Aufklaerung_Baboon on Feb 8, 2007 3:04 PM   
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Quid Pro Quo

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Uncle Buck
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Posted by: UncleBuck on Feb 8, 2007 3:05 PM   
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The founding fathers (well intentioned hypocrites) made clear their disgust for the christian church by their explicate demand to separate church from state. Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Paine, etc. were Deists, a monotheistic nature based belief that individuals are responsible for their own actions. They were more than aware of the church's repression of thought and oppression of all.

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» RE: Uncle Buck Posted by: djnoll

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Others sounding the alarm
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Posted by: lessbread on Feb 8, 2007 3:08 PM   
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» RE: Others sounding the alarm Posted by: MartianBachelor
» RE: Others sounding the alarm Posted by: lessbread

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What's different about "traditional" Christianity?
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Posted by: Cathyc on Feb 8, 2007 3:38 PM   
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Quote:The warning, given 25 years ago, came at the moment Pat Robertson and other radio and television evangelists began speaking about a new political religion that would direct its efforts toward taking control of all institutions, including mainstream denominations and the government. Its stated goal was to use the United States to create a global Christian empire. This call for fundamentalists and evangelicals to take political power was a radical and ominous mutation of traditional Christianity. /unquote

Modern America has never been anything other than Christian. What's this author talking about when he says "traditional Christianity"? Either its Christianity, or its not - then its something else entirely! Talk about double-speak??? That's SO "Christian" !!!

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Know the Adversary
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Posted by: herbal on Feb 8, 2007 4:21 PM   
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Please please educate yourselves about the present condition of the new theocratic movement before continuing this emotional reaction. Education is the first priority in this quite serious game. Google up Christian Zionism to better understand the 'religious right' and especially the 'rapture' movement and 'Left Behind' apostacy of our day. Then go to 'Corporatism' at Wikipedia to better understand that the conscious secular/political fascists(atheiists and agnostics like Carl Rove {and yes, some are gays} are simply using the fundamentalist persuaded Christians as tools to personal gain of power; a coproratist tactic as defined by Benito Mussolini. Then I will write more. Also, please know that mainline churches that have been loosing ground like Presbyterian, Church of Christ, Quaker, Congregational and many others have very outspoken peace activities. For example, ask your Presbyterian minister in your own town to comment on the 'new' theology. Jesus was a pacifist and hung out with prostitutes and rif raf and admonished his followers to not be judgemental.... The Jesus of the fundamentalists did not exist. back later after you do your collective research. sorry to be condescending but the tone of the above is not productive nor peaceful.

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» RE: Know the Adversary Posted by: Cathyc
» If you don't live in the USA... Posted by: lessbread

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Dr. Rick Lippin weighs in
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Posted by: drricklippin on Feb 8, 2007 4:41 PM   
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Maybe I am naive but the radical US Christian Right agenda took a huge hit on Nov 6, 2006 Hedges says Bush is a transition figure and we have more Christian Facism to come? I'm not so sure?

My take?- Anyone with a radio, TV or computer can witnesss credible news reports on the pathology radical fundamentalists from ALL religions have brougt upon humanity

The "pus" is now coming out -not growing inside?

Fundamentalist leaders from all religions are being exposed as the psychopaths that they indeed are?

Fervent atheists are often intolerant idealogues also

I see the rise of Spiritual Progressives worldwide fueled by the US boomers.

go to www.integrativespirituality.org That's our future!

Thanks AlterNet

Dr. Rick Lippin
Southhampton, Pa

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» Let's hope so -nm Posted by: lessbread
» Falwell, Roberts, and co are nothing. Posted by: ABetterFuture

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Step right up, get your salvations $50 and up!
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Posted by: Jersey Devil on Feb 8, 2007 5:52 PM   
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This Christian Zealot crap is too much. They believe in an invisible mute God who loves them but will send them to Hell if they break the rules. Their "BIBLE" is a book printed last year that they think is the Word of God. Their ministers are marketing salvation in $50, $100, and larger denominations. They get forgiven for their sins for free, but excommunicate their critics. Their God is dead and the Christian right wants your money and votes or you are dead too. Christian Evangelists preach hypocrisy in front of a 10' tall crosses of hundred dollar bills. It is all about the money and damned if they care about God, he is just another tool to inflict guilt and offer false salvation for a price. The snake oil salesmen of the past now are the Born Again Ministers of the Missing God!

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Talking to people helps... and so does playing cards with them.
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Posted by: thoughtcriminal on Feb 8, 2007 5:53 PM   
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Next time you meet one of the hard-core relgious fundamentals, don't throw a rock at them - talk to them, and explain that their so-called leaders have no values whatsoever, and cycnically exploit religion for their own political and financial purposes.

Show them the real backers of the Bush Administration - even better, go and buy a stack of the War Profiteers card decks (at http://www.ruckus.org/warprofiteers/ and pass them out to people -

They break down into:
Spades: Oil, gas, and energy companies

Hearts: Bush Administration Govt Officials

Clubs: Military and Defense Contractors

Heads of Industry, Finance, Media, Policy, and Hype

Once people realize that the funders and sponsors of the radical right are just greedy old billionaires, they'll stop buying into the BS.

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Boots
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Posted by: Boots on Feb 8, 2007 6:39 PM   
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Brilliant article Chis. At least a few people know what time it is.

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Religion = Cancer of civil, moral society.
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Posted by: ErHoff on Feb 8, 2007 7:07 PM   
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To believe in any god is to be delusional. Religion is for the rationally challenged people with propensity for fear, especially of things they know not of. The cancer of civil, moral society is religion.

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Just what is religion?
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Posted by: dkm on Feb 8, 2007 7:17 PM   
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"In every country and in every age the priest has been hostile to liberty, he is always in allegiance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection of his own. ... History I believe furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. " - Thomas Jefferson

As a resident of Latin America for the last decade, I can attest to the truth of the statements above. Since the time of the Conquest, the Catholic church in Latin America has inevitably sided with the power structure against the well-being of the people. There have been individual cases of priests who have taken their religion seriously and they have ended up being excommunicated and beheaded (Father Hidalgo), reassigned to other parts of the world (the Brazilian revolutionary theology priests) or chewed out royally by the heirarchy (the bishop who supported the Zapatistas.)

Those who confuse an attack on the Christian Fascists with an attack on Christianity or even religion aren't thinking straight. Neither are those who attack religion just because some pseudoreligionists use the dogma to justify evil. Once in Texas I visited a Baptist church when I recently arrived in town and heard the preacher advocate execution of homosexuals because otherwise God would get us for allowing them to live. Needless to say I never went back to that church, but for those of you who defend fundamentalist "Christianity" by saying that people who criticize it should know it first, I know it first. It is fascism dressed up in The Shepherd's clothes and it intends to kill the sheep.

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paptuanuku
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Posted by: tagaloa on Feb 8, 2007 8:52 PM   
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its no big deal no one man, god , or institution can fully rule the world anyways, the world is too danm big and it'll do to the right wing or any wing for that matter what it did to the nazis the japanese ,al qaeda and iraq BLOW IT BACK TO HELL.

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Where the heck have you been, Tom???
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Posted by: mmeetoilenoir on Feb 8, 2007 8:59 PM   
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This site needs you!

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» Oooops. Posted by: mmeetoilenoir

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Blame spineless "professional politicians"
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Posted by: gandhi on Feb 8, 2007 9:32 PM   
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The thing is, of course, that Dems are scared to take a stand against these alleged "religious values" just as they are scared to take a stand against "supporting the troops"... even though both alleged causes are pure bullshit.

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Fascism is preferable to communism
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Posted by: chomsky on Feb 9, 2007 12:09 AM   
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I am a libertarian (libertarian with a small l) atheist. I hate the religious right and everything it stands for. I hate their irrationality and I hate their disdain for reason. I hate them.

As much as I hate them, I would still vote for them. Why? Why would I do such an insane thing? It is simply because I prefer them to the communists on the left.

I utterly hate Marxism and its class warfare ideology. I utterly hate its ideological children such as radical feminism, the radical leftist and revolutionary movements of various so called minority groups, and any group that believes all problems can be lain at the feet of western civilization and its terrible white men. I am not responsible, neither directly nor indirectly, for the problems these groups believe they have. Yet, they are able to justify their hatred of me, as well as their demands for compensation from me, through a Marxist style condemnation of the 'white male class.'

I flatly reject that I have any responsibility for the 'plight' of any of these 'oppressed' groups and I flatly deny that I owe them any form of compensation. I believe that people should be judged and held responsible for their actions as individuals, not groups. But if society is going to force me to play group politics then I can assure you that I want to be a member of the dominant, winning group. I will not be forever apologizing for crimes that may or may not have been committed many years ago by people to whom I may have a superficial physical resemblance. If society wants to play class warfare, then I am going to vote for my class to come out on top - and to hell with the rest of you.

I also utterly hate radical egalitarianism. I do not believe in social justice and I do not believe in equality of outcomes. The only type of equality I believe in is equality before the law. All other types of equality are inherently false. We are not all the same and therefore we are not all equal. To deny this fact is to deny reality. I am sick of leftist initiatives that seek to 'rectify' such 'inequalities'. Transfers of wealth such as welfare and transfers of opportunity such as affirmative action are nothing more than leftist attempts to socially engineer equality where it simply does not exist. The leftists may not care about those who they victimize with these policies, but I can assure you that those affected by these issues certainly do. As I said before, I believe we should be judged exclusively by our merits as individuals. However, if society is going to reward its members based on their group membership, then I am going to do anything I can to make sure my group comes out on top.

So yes, I would vote for the fascists. I do hate them, but I hate the left even more. I believe the fascists would better represent me than the radical left would should it ever come to power. Thus, I would be willing to bite my tongue and silently assent to the fascists’ agenda because it would mean that the communists would be biting the bullet soon thereafter.

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» nonsense Posted by: chomsky
» I agree: nonsense Posted by: LMNOP
» how sad Posted by: chomsky
» RE: how sad Posted by: Robba29
» You're confused, let me help Posted by: chomsky
» I accept your apology Posted by: chomsky
» RE: how sad Posted by: paulaH
» go back to school Posted by: chomsky
» HATE, HATE, HATE got a mirror? Posted by: UncleBuck
» Two Things: Posted by: Animal
» I disagree Posted by: chomsky
» LOL Posted by: LMNOP
» Back in America so soon? Posted by: chomsky
» Absolutely correct Posted by: chomsky
» Bore no more Posted by: LMNOP
» RE: I disagree Posted by: Animal

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death of science - or killer of science?
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Posted by: gregii on Feb 9, 2007 1:04 AM   
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My concerns about global warning discussions are that in every case - without exception, that someone has taken the negative position, they were relying on right wing tracts, they were manipulative, and the only documentation they offered was from known right wing propaganda tanks and oil company fronts. We have had much experience with such people and I have come to understand them: they want to kill science. I have yet to identify a bonafide scientist taking a negative position on global warning. And frankly, I don't expect to - although I would listen if it happened.

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SAME MIND GENOCIDE MIND
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Posted by: caru on Feb 9, 2007 10:34 AM   
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what is happening now is no different from the crusades or the genocide of native american indians. what a great story to trace this corrupt mind. from the beginning of USA, there has been a mind of slaughter, a mind to kill the savage, a mind to take over any non christian. a mind to take property from another. this is the same old story. somehow we have to disrupt the alpha male mode (that phrase emodies monotheism = alpha male) -- how about a new mind -- TOGETHER, COEXIST, LIVE IN PEACE, DO UNTO OTHERS .... must i say do not kill or steal??????

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It ain't this easy
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Posted by: bresnik on Feb 9, 2007 12:40 PM   
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Wow. I read his "War is a force ... " and learned alot from the reading, but I gotta say he sounds like he's writing from a bit of a crazy place here. The alarms for this notion come not so much from his thesis of the problem (in which I see some holes) but from his solution to the problem:

"This movement -- the most dangerous mass movement in American history -- will not be blunted until the growing social and economic inequities that blight this nation are addressed, until tens of millions of Americans, now locked in hermetic systems of indoctrination through Christian television and radio, as well as Christian schools, are reincorporated into American society and given a future, one with hope, adequate wages, job security and generous federal and state assistance."

In particular is his use of the word "reincorporated". I can't think of a more truly state-in-control (whether fascist, communist, whatever) term. Who's doing the "reincorporating" and to what (whose?) body are they being "reincorporated"? The other word that bugs me is "given" as in "given a future..." - same problem as above - who's doing the giving and what's being given? Sounds like state-control to me. It's weird but Hedges' words here seem to support the notion that, left to our own devices, i.e., left without the guidance/supremacy of something/someone greater (better) than us (man), we will become what we hate, in this case someone sympathetic to state controlled solutions to our problems (which is, I think, the main critique of the left in America by the right? yes, as hypocritical as that critique might be). This far down the road (and it ain't so far!), I'm pretty convinced solutions lie not in state controlled solutions but in the transformation of the individual heart, something that doesn't come about so easily through belittlement and demonization (and how else could a self-described conservative Christian - the folk Hedges says have to change or were all in for it - and which I'm not by the by - take Hedges' piece?).

Hedges' piece reminds me of the almost possessed-looking hatred I saw arise on Retired Episcopal Church Bishop Spong's face at a talk I attended when he started talking about his run-ins with Jerry Falwell. It really looked like he'd like to see Jerry fry in hell.

Hatred of people and human-conceived and directed salvation solutions don't seem to be the answer. I feel pretty confident saying history proves this. It, i.e., heaven (the vision of something better for us all), seems like it might all be wrapped up in this tricky word "salvation" - the source that produces those tricky words "reincorporated" and "given".

Ai Carumba.

I suppose no one ever said this was easy.

In Cahoots.

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9/11 Happened in part because most people could not imagine it possible
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Posted by: SFSierra on Feb 9, 2007 4:04 PM   
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Let's hope the author's worst fears never materialize. However, to dismiss him as paranoid or wacked-out reflects both a lack of imagination and a poor understanding of history. The crusades, inquisitions and witch hunts are historical fact and we would be naive to believe it could never happen again.

When I grew up in the South in the 50's, religion was important, but most people I knew were not obessed about it. Yes, there were holy roller churches where people supposedly talked in tongues, but most people considered the fundamentalists as ignorant and not that stable. That was before so-called Christian schools which sprung up overnight in the 60's to avoid the desegregation of public schools. Now we are seeing the by-product of those fundamentalist religious schools which have brainwashed a generation into a selective reading of the bible and anti-intellectualism. These people are so convinced they are right and everyone else is wrong that it does not take a big leap of imagination to see some of them willing to use violence to have their way.

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Yostie
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Posted by: Yostie on Feb 9, 2007 8:06 PM   
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Here's a reply to Harmony Grant's recent article:

Dear Harmony,

This may seem off the subject of the Jewish control issue but it's not: In the Old Testament the prophets were instructed by God to warn the people to stop their idolatry, which he likened to a wife committing adultry with her husband's worst enemy. Accompanying the command to stop the idolatry was a warning by him that if it wasn't stopped there would be consequences in the form of military confrontations and defeats at first, then if the warnings continued to be ignored, outright overthrow and loss of their national soverignty.

When most people think about the idolatry mentioned in those Old Testament books, the picture that comes to their minds is that the people of that time were unsophisticated, superstitous, gullible, fearful, etc., in other words backwards beyond belief, and they usually consider it to be laughable as they envision those people bowing down to statues, icons, and figurines and such. But what most people don't realize is that there was a spiritual element to it, the same as in any occult practice, which was very interesting, exiting and alluring to them, especially when it involved some actual payoff in the earth realm such as power over some hated neighbor or over some desired member of the opposite sex, or even over the weather (the rain cycle), all of which made it very addictive. And this is not to mention that it was a culture-wide phenomenon so that there was the element of peer pressure encouraging it.

From the Lord's perspective what the idolatry did was kill people spiritually by giving them an identity founded on evil (but that's another subject altogether). So in an effort to interrupt it he would introduce serious problems into their affiars, usually in the form of military attack by a neighboring tribe. In fact he made it a principle to do so, a divine 'you do this, I do that' kind of thing. This is evidinced by the fact that over and over throughout the Old Testament history of the Hebrew peoples the Lord's primary attention getter was to stir up some enemy against them. And it's no different in our day, it only appears so; in our day we don't bow down to statues, icons, and figurines, but like the ancients, we succeed in activating a spiritual element that is our undoing, through our modern form of idolatry which manifests mostly as TV and movie watching.

If you think this sounds bizzare and off the wall consider this: The word 'Idol' is the root word for the word 'Image' (in the Old Testament the two words were often used interchangably), which is the root word for our modern word 'Picture.' In their day they abased themselves spiritually to static physical idols, whereas in our day we abase ourselves mentally and spiritually to dynamic and moving idols in the form of TV programs and movies. When movies first arrived on the public scene at the beginning of the 20th century they weren't called movies, they were called 'moving pictures.'

So for the sake of clarity, my translation of what we do by watching TV and movies is to give ourselves mentally and spritually over to animated idols (to worship them in other words). And it's no coincidence either that the actors and actresses who we see in the programs and movies are often referred to as 'idols'.

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Religious Right and Jewish Right celebrate Zionism
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Posted by: herbal on Feb 10, 2007 6:21 AM   
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Please check out this article in the NYT:

GLOBALIST
Jews and Evangelicals Find Common Political Ground
By ROGER COHEN
Published: February 10, 2007

Where before differences on social issues strained the two communities' relations, those tensions have now been overcome or set aside in the interests of unity on Israel.

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Alternate Apocalypse
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Posted by: peachmcd on Feb 10, 2007 7:03 AM   
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For folks who think Mr. Hedges is wacky, I'll do him one better. My four degrees in Christian history, theology, and ministry, and years of studying political philosophy have left me with way too much info about these topics to be complacent about the developments of this generation.

The development that concerns me most is the legal definition of corporations as 'persons'. 'Persons' with no soul, no conscience, no limit to their lifespan, no limit to their size, usurped constitutional rights, and no purpose whatsoever except to acquire money/control over resources.

Jesus is, to me, the enfleshment of a God Who is Love, and Who chooses compassion and solidarity with creation because that's what Love does. The Way of Justice, the Truth, and all that gives Life are confronted at this time in history by a sort of 'person' that is fundamentally unjust, has no use for truth or any part of creation if it doesn't pad the bottom line. I see this as a type of Anti-Incarnation. In case you missed it, I'm talking about an "Anti-Christ". Go ahead, call me a loony tune. This is what I see.

The fact that the radical Christian Right is a tool of the corporation shouldn't surprise us. The perverse, heretical theology that apologizes both for corporate hegemony and for the destruction that hegemony leaves in its wake is completely analogous to the co-optation of the German Christian Church. Hedge's professor was right on the money, and so is Mr. Hedges, but he's missing the root of the problem he examines, and so his prescription treats only symptoms.

It is corporate 'personhood' that has deformed our democracy and religion. That 'person' deforms our entire understanding of personhood, via ubiquitous, inescapable mass media representations of its own soulless, perfectly selfish neediness.

Jesus' pacifism, trust, love of children, and compassion for the poor are either conveniently forgotten, derided, or painted as traitorous. Instead, via wholly-owned and operated governments, the corporate 'person' controls national weaponry and armies, and its religion provides it willing cannon fodder in the war for more more more.

The apocalypse I see is not the Left Behind version. It is one that is already well underway. Climatologists don't give us much time for futile, misdirected efforts. Naming the actual nemesis is critical. It is NOT religion per se. It is the corporate 'person' and its fundamentalist, imperialist theology that must be recognized before it can be resisted. But I'm insane, right? Sleep well if you don't hear any trumpets.

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Friendly Fascism
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Posted by: boing007 on Feb 10, 2007 8:20 AM   
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The unchecked rape of America, which continues with the blessing of both political parties, heralds not only the empowerment of this American oligarchy but the eventual death of the democratic state and the birth of American fascism.

Friendly Fascism is already out of the womb and screaming its head off in the U.S.A., Great Britain, Canada and other parts of the world. It has now reached adulthood and is poised to wreak great havoc around the world.

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» "Wall Street is behind" Posted by: ng1944

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christianity was CREATED to give HUMANS hope!!!!!!!!
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Posted by: lmbfreespirit on Feb 10, 2007 8:40 AM   
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WE MUST realize, WE are the hope!
Use your OWN mind!

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These people are a threat to democracy and the rights of minorities.......
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Posted by: philipcfromnyc on Feb 10, 2007 11:19 AM   
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When people use the word "democracy," they usually refer to a society where the will of the majority is inscribed into law, with certain protections created to ensure that the will of the majority will not harm, destroy, or impair certain fundamental rights enjoyed by all members of that society, including members of minorities. In the US, the rights of minorities are chiefly guarded by the courts; both the state and federal judiciaries have the power of judicial review, and can strike down not only the manner in which state action is implemented, but also the substance of state action itself. Here in the US, this has been the status quo since the US Supreme Court handed down the decision named Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137 (1803). In this decision, the Court enunciated what is considered to be one of the bulwarks of the American democratic system; the judiciary has the power to interpret the law, and in cases where the law conflicts with provisions of the US Constitution, federal judges have both the power and the duty to declare such legislation to be unconstitutional and hence unenforceable.

As an ex-South African citizen who has remained current with South African politics, I note the fact that the South African Constitutional Court enjoys the same power; recently, the South African Constitutional Court handed down a decision which became the foundation for the creation of gay marriage in South Africa (it should be noted that the South African Constitution is unique in that it explicitly prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in both the public and the private sectors, making it one of the most gay-friendly constitutions in the world). Following the collapse of apartheid, the interim government (since replaced by a permanent majority government) crafted an interim constitution taking great care to ensure that arbitrary and irrational discrimination would not be tolerated. That principle became one of the undergirding principles of the new South African government.

Even conservative jurists -- some of whom consider the aforementioned ability of the courts to strike down substantive provisions of the law to be a "usurpation" of the democratic process -- have recognized this principle, and have incorporated it into the fabric of American constitutional law. The late Chief Justice William Rehnquist once referred to the principle of judicial review as "the crown jewel" of the US judiciary's powers; certainly, one would be hard pressed to argue that Rehnquist was a liberal jurist. Recent changes in the composition of the US Supreme Court have not resulted in any drastic departures from this precept, and although there are many right-wing detractors, judicial review is here to stay -- at least for the foreseeable future.

However, the author of this article ("The Rise of Christian Fascism") has hit the nail on the head with his analysis. When I arrived in the US some 20 years ago, the religious right was regarded by most individuals as being comprised of clowns and buffoons. With the passage of time, however, this sector of the US population has become much more powerful, and it is not an overstatement to regard this sector of the US populace as being cruel, despotic, and destructive in terms of the relationship it enjoys with the instruments of political power in this country.

(continued......)

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Threat to democracy continued......
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Posted by: philipcfromnyc on Feb 10, 2007 11:21 AM   
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For a brief period of time, children throughout the state of Kansas labored under a curriculum from which all references to macroevolution had been completely removed. In addition to making Kansas an international laughing stock, this decision by the Kansas Board of Education would have disadvantaged Kansas teenagers seeking entry to science faculties in education throughout the country. The potential damage that this decision -- had it not been overturned -- could have inflicted would have been incalculable. Institutions of higher learning do not tailor their entrance requirements to meet the religiously-inspired crippling of the life sciences by state Board of Education officials, regardless of how widespread such actions may become. Colleges and universities do not water down their entrance standards for graduates of high schools of specific states, and the Educational Testing Service (ETS) does not offer “science light” SAT examinations.

In 1986, the US Supreme Court handed down a decision (Bowers v. Hardwick, 478 U.S. 186 (1986)) that immediately became the target of sustained and unremitting criticism, even from many conservative thinkers and right-of-center think tanks. In this case, the Court declared that gay Americans were not protected by the zone of privacy previously recognized and articulated by the Court under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause; a sneering Court upheld the right of about 25 states, which had anti-gay sex statutes on their books, to enforce these statutes, even against gay couples engaging in consensual adult behavior in the privacy of their own homes. The State of Georgia had on its books a statute that made gay sex a felony punishable by a mandatory minimum of one year in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison. Other states were almost as draconian in their codifications of anti-gay sentiment; in Montana, the punishment for engaging in gay sex acts was 10 years in prison. The Court may have been heavily influenced by amicus briefs filed by hard right “Christian” organizations and think tanks, which had refined their images and which had become more at ease and more sophisticated in their invocation of existing democratic mechanisms. The Court was probably influenced by amicus briefs from the hard right that dripped with unconcealed loathing and contempt for the gay community; gay men, in particular, were portrayed as filthy and diseased, and some groups made the unsubstantiated claim that gay men tended to be overrepresented in the ranks of pedophiles (most of whom are, in fact, married men who self-identify as heterosexual).

Christian fundamentalists were relentless in their attempts to suppress the release of information about the manner in which HIV was spread; this information could have saved the lives of tens of thousands of Americans. During the early 1990s, the late Congressman Ted Weiss (D – NY) chaired hearings of the House Government Operations Committee, resulting in the release of a report named “The Politics of AIDS Prevention: Science Takes a Time Out.” In this report, Weiss exposed the manner in which the extreme social conservativism of the Reagan and Bush Administrations had resulted in the deliberate suppression, if not outright distortion, of information that could have armed Americans with knowledge of how to prevent HIV transmission. In short, Weiss tore into then-Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) William Roper for Roper’s stubborn refusal to release even the most basic information about the manner in which HIV was transmitted, and how members of those groups most at risk of contracting HIV could have lowered that risk.......

(continued.......)

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Threat to democracy continued......
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Posted by: philipcfromnyc on Feb 10, 2007 11:24 AM   
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Roper explained that the policies of the Reagan and Bush Administration effectively prohibited the CDC from releasing information to members of those groups most at risk for contracting HIV if that information would have been offensive to those America ns who were not at heightened risk of contracting HIV. This policy gutted the ability of the CDC to release information to the gay male community, where this information was needed the most. In other words, Roper would not authorize the release of information to the gay male community if individuals who were not members of the gay community would have been offended by the information in question. Weiss did not mince his words in his report; he savaged both Roper and the Administrations in question for the manner in which they sacrificed both science and sound epidemiological policy in the name of “family values” and morality. Roper was not alone in blocking the release of information that could have saved tens of thousands of lives; Senators such as Jesse Helms were at the forefront of successful attempts to suppress and distort information about the manner in which HIV was and was not transmitted. Helms had powerful counterparts in the House, where Congressmen such as William Dannemeyer and Robert Dornan were only too happy to force fundamentalist propaganda down the throats of the American populace, notwithstanding the epidemiological disaster that was unfolding with the passage of time as hundreds of thousands of Americans became infected with HIV. These legislators were all fundamentalist Christians who did everything in their power to bash the gay community at every turn. It was only when Clinton became President that efforts to explain the effectiveness of condoms received the imprimatur of the Administration; by then, AIDS had ravaged America, and “abstinence only” guidelines were inscribed into school curricula.



The hypocrisy and cruelty of Christian fundamentalists became most visible when gay couples, many of whom had formed (and continue to form) lifelong bonds, sought the right to marry. Marriage has been described by many sociologists as a stabilizing influence in society, and those who extol the virtues of marriage point out that married people, on average, live longer and healthier lives than unmarried people (of course, a correlation does not necessarily imply a cause, and social science researchers have to be careful not to jump to conclusions when presented with data of this nature). Fundamentalist Christians repeatedly slander the gay community as consisting of men and women who are incapable of forming permanent romantic and emotional attachments; yet when the very people in question sought the right to have such attachments recognized by the state, these religious fanatics went berserk. Hawaii was the first state in which it seemed likely that a state supreme court, interpreting a state constitution only (thereby rendering its decision immune to review by the US Supreme Court), would legalize gay marriage (the Hawaii Supreme Court was considering this matter, but the case was mooted when the people of the state of Hawaii ostensibly (see below) modified the state constitution to prohibit the Court from recognizing gay marriage). The silver lining to this cloud, however, was found in a footnote to the opinion in which the Court recognized that its appellate jurisdiction with respect to this issue had been abridged; the majority noted that with respect to all other issues, classifications on the basis of sexual orientation were to be subjected to “strict scrutiny” (see Baehr v. Miike, No. 91-1394-05 (1999))......

(continued......)

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Threat to democracy continued......
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Posted by: philipcfromnyc on Feb 10, 2007 11:32 AM   
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Given the latest changes to the composition of Congress, it is likely that the zealous buffoonery of George W. Bush and his advisors may have given ordinary Americans – who are concerned about issues such as raising the minimum wage, prescription drug care for senior citizens, unemployment, and others issues that are centr al to their existence, a chance to see that which the US Supreme Court saw after only 17 years. Gay Americans are teachers, plumbers, financial analysts, doctors, and next door neighbors. They don’t abuse children. They don’t ruin marriages. And they don’t attempt to deprive other people of rights that those people take for granted.



his may force religious theocrats to beat a hasty retreat. This commentator seriously hopes for such a future.



Philip Chandler

philipchandler@earthlink

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Threat to democracy continued
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Posted by: philipcfromnyc on Feb 10, 2007 11:38 AM   
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In other words, the Hawaii Supreme Court made it clear that, notwithstanding the fact that the state constitution had been amended to deprive this appellate court of subject matter jurisdiction pertaining to gay marriage, all other laws that impacted gay men and lesbians adversely were to be examined by the Hawaii courts under the most demanding standard of review that the state could ever be forced to meet (gay men and lesbians were defined as a “suspect class,” meaning that the Hawaii courts must now examine any legislation impacting gay men and lesbians adversely with great skepticism, shifting the justification for the statute(s) onto the state, which will have to prove that the legislation in question promotes a “compelling state interest” and that the legislation in question is “narrowly tailored” to promote that interest in the manner that infringes on the rights of members of this class in the least damaging manner). In short, although gay men and lesbians lost the fight to marry in Hawaii (for now), they gained a huge advantage; any state legislation that impacts them adversely is presumptively unconstitutional until demonstrated otherwise by the state, which now has to show that the legislation in question promotes a “compelling state interest” (precious few such interests have been identified; national security is an example of a “compelling state interest”) and that the legislation promotes this interest in the manner that is least offensive to the rights of gay people impacted by the legislation. The lost of the right to marry was handed down together with a statement making it clear that the courts in that state will now scrutinize any other anti-gay laws with profound reservations. This has important implications: as discussed below, the Christian right is now trying to prevent gay men and lesbians from adopting children. Such efforts will almost certainly fail in the State of Hawaii.

The writer referred to the people of the state of Hawaii “ostensibly” modifying the state constitution to prohibit the recognition of gay marriage. The writer chooses this word due to the involvement of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (more usually known as the Mormon Church) in the attempt to amend the Hawaii constitution. This church flooded the state with money in a successful effort to modify the state constitution. This church also flooded the State of Alaska with money in a successful attempt to amend the Alaska constitution to prohibit the recognition of gay marriage. Notwithstanding the fact that precious few Mormons live in Alaska, the Mormon Church gave half a million dollars ($500,000.00) to the so-called “Alaska Family Coalition” (note: when the title of an organization contains the word “Family,” it is almost certainly a right-wing organization dedicated to gay-bashing and to attempting to defeat the objectives of the gay community at every turn: consider, for example, the “Family Research Council,” the “Family Research Institute,” “Focus on the Family,” “Colorado for Family Values,” and the most gratuitously vicious and ugly of all organizations bearing this word in its title – the “American Family Association”). This article describes the rise of Christian fascism in the US, and the manner in which this particular church has behaved is illustrative of the fascism in question.

(continued......)

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When myth believers get out of control, watch out!
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Posted by: shhazam4 on Feb 10, 2007 11:40 AM   
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Myth believers out of control will not only try to kill you for disagreeing with them but they will kill themselves thinking a better life awaits them.

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Threat to democracy continued........
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Posted by: philipcfromnyc on Feb 10, 2007 11:41 AM   
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In 1992, an organization named “Colorado for Family Values” placed a measure on the ballot (which was named Amendment 2) which would have amended the Colorado constitution to repeal all existing statutes, ordinances, policies, and executive orders that protected gay people from discrimination at the hands of heterosexuals, whilst leaving intact the operation of these statutes, ordinances, policies, and executive orders insofar as they protected heterosexual people from discrimination at the hands of gay people. However, it was the “ultimate effect” of this Amendment that was its undoing. This Amendment would have had the “ultimate effect” of prohibiting gay Coloradans, and only gay Coloradans, from ever again seeking protections from discrimination, in both the private and the public sectors, by prohibiting both executive and legislative bodies from enacting such measures, or more protective measures, in the future. This would have remained the case regardless of how widespread such discrimination might become, and regardless of how damaging such discrimination might become. One does not have to be a constitutional scholar to identify the constitutional infirmities and the pernicious effects that such a measure would have subsumed were it to have been permitted to take effect: one group of citizens, and only one group of citizens, would have been identified on the basis of one trait alone, and would have been deprived of the right to petition the state for redress of all grievances – a right guaranteed all Americans under the First Amendment. More germane to the Colorado courts were Fourteenth Amendment equal protection considerations, however; this measure singled out one and only one class of persons, and made it impossible for members of that class of persons to avail themselves of the normal political process; consideration of the passage of legislation to prohibit unfair discrimination against members of this class would have been permanently removed from the normal political processes and operations of the state, at all levels of state government (including cities, towns, municipalities, and school districts). This measure was narrowly approved by the voters, but its operation was blocked by the Colorado courts before it could take effect, pursuant to the granting of a preliminary injunction by the District Court for the City and County of Denver in response to a petition filed by several aggrieved gay Coloradans and at least two municipalities. Although then-governor Roy Romer was, necessarily, a defendant in this lawsuit (the governor, as chief executive of the state, is charged with enforcing the state constitution and its amendments, as well as all state statutes), the governor spoke out against the amendment on several occasions, and went on record as opposing this amendment.

Once again, religious sentiment proved to be a motivating factor in the development of this Amendment; Colorado for Family Values was headed up by fundamentalist Christians who believed that this measure was necessary to prevent the spread of “militant gay aggression” throughout the state. The trial court judge noted the usage of the term “militant gay aggression” no less than six times by Tony Marco – an official who worked with a used car dealer (Will Perkins, who was the Chairman of the Board of Colorado for Family Values) and who testified that Amendment 2 was “his idea.” The trial court also noted that the founders of Colorado for Family Values repeatedly referred to the term “gay agenda” without actually stating the substance of this agenda. In short, the trial court noted the overt hostility of this group towards gay men and lesbians, and in accordance with instructions handed down by the Colorado Supreme Court, applied strict scrutiny to find Amendment 2 to be grossly unconstitutional.

(continued......)

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Threat to democracy continued.......
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Posted by: philipcfromnyc on Feb 10, 2007 11:42 AM   
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The US Supreme Court surprised and dismayed gay activists when it decided to grant certiorari following affirmation of the trial court’s decision by the Colorado Supreme Court. The US Supreme Court reverses between 60% and 70% of cases that it agrees to hear. However, the US Supreme Court surprised both gay activists and religious zealots alike when it affirmed the Colorado state courts’ rulings, albeit on purportedly different grounds. Whereas the Colorado Supreme Court had applied “strict scrutiny” and had identified the existence of a fundamental right to equal participation in the political process, the US Supreme Court applied rational basis review, claiming that Amendment 2 was motivated by sheer “animus” towards gay people and holding, according to precedent (US Department of Agriculture v. Moreno, 413 U.S. 528 (1973)), that animus towards an identifiable group of persons cannot, in and of itself, constitute a legitimate state interest. However, a careful reading and analysis of both decisions undermines the US Supreme Court’s claim that it employed rational basis review; entire sections of the majority opinion bear striking similarities in analysis to that of the state court majority opinion. This commentator is of the opinion that the US Supreme Court was reluctant to validate the identification of a fundamental right to equal participation in the political process, but did so sub rosa. Regardless of whether this analysis is accurate, the US Supreme Court was blunt in dismissing the claim by religious zealots to the effect that gay people sought “special rights” or “special protections,” as is evident from the following passage from the majority opinion:

“We find nothing special in the protections Amendment 2 withholds. These are protections taken for granted by most people either because they already have them or do not need them; these are protections against exclusion from an almost limitless number of transactions and endeavors that constitute ordinary civic life in a free society.”

Earlier in this essay, this commentator remarked on the manner in which the US Supreme Court dismissed the claim that gay people have a right to privacy that permits them to have sex in the privacy of their own homes (Bowers v. Hardwick, 478 U.S. 186 (1986)). In Bowers, the Court was sneering and dismissive. However, in Romer, the Court was much more sympathetic towards the gay respondents; in addition to striking down Amendment 2, the Court chose language that emphasized the dignity of gay Americans. Noteworthy was the fact that the majority in Romer did not even mention Bowers. It was widely predicted that Bowers would soon be overturned.

Bowers was overturned in 2003, when the US Supreme Court agreed to hear a case involving two gay men who had been caught having sex in the privacy of one of their homes after a neighbor, who had a grudge against one of the men, called the police and claimed that a weapons disturbance was in progress. The neighbor was prosecuted for filing a false report, and served 30 days in jail. The gay men were convicted within the Texas state court system, but appealed their convictions to the US Supreme Court, believing that it was possible (in the light of Romer) that the Court would revisit the issues raised in Bowers. To their surprise (and to the surprise of the gay community in general, as well as Christian fundamentalists), the Court granted certiorari and asked to be briefed by both parties as to whether Bowers should be overturned. Once again, religious organizations sent in amicus briefs that dripped with unconcealed loathing of gay people, making many of the same claims that had been made in 1986. However, several conservative organizations (including the Cato Institute) threw their support behind the two gay appellants.

(continued)........

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Threat to democracy continued.........
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Posted by: philipcfromnyc on Feb 10, 2007 11:44 AM   
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The frenzy over the proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriages throughout the country appears to be abating – for the time being. New Jersey became the latest state to offer gay couples all of the benefits and responsibilities of marriage, following a state constitutional challenge to the prohibition agai nst same-sex marriage. While these unions are not referred to as marriages, they are substantively identical. Vermont also offers similarly-named civil unions (Vermont became the first state in the country to offer all of the benefits and responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples, in response to a state constitutional challenge). Connecticut crafted civil unions without any court prompting last year. Massachusetts became the first state in the country to offer marriage in both name and substance in 2003, in response to a state constitutional challenge. A case is pending in California; this case is considered to have a strong chance of success, due to the independence of the California Supreme Court and due to the fact that it became the first state court in the country to permit interracial marriages (see Perez v. Sharp (1948) 32 Cal.2d 711) – long before the US Supreme Court declared state bans on interracial marriages to be unconstitutional nationwide (see Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1 (1967)). The so-called “Marriage Protection Amendment” did not fare well when it was last introduced in both chambers of Congress. As times passes and as US citizens note that no deleterious changes occur to society with the passage of time, it is likely that this measure will meet with less and less success. However, this assumes that fundamentalist Christians do not make substantial gains in both chambers over the course of the next few years.



Given the latest changes to the composition of Congress, it is likely that the zealous buffoonery of George W. Bush and his advisors may have given ordinary Americans – who are concerned about issues such as raising the minimum wage, prescription drug care for senior citizens, unemployment, and others issues that are central to their existence, a chance to see that which the US Supreme Court saw after only 17 years. Gay Americans are teachers, plumbers, financial analysts, doctors, and next door neighbors. They don’t abuse children. They don’t ruin marriages. And they don’t attempt to deprive other people of rights that those people take for granted.



This may force religious theocrats to beat a hasty retreat. This commentator seriously hopes for such a future.



Philip Chandler

philipchandler@earthlink

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happened
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Posted by: wleming on Feb 10, 2007 12:39 PM   
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The warning is real and chilling, and this isn't coming,... its here.

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uh yeah
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Posted by: miggy on Feb 10, 2007 9:01 PM   
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Another group for us to be afraid of.

So many things to be afraid of now,

I think ill go have a beer.

Hey, did I accidently write a Haiku?

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Hedges Gets it Half Right
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Posted by: faultroy on Feb 10, 2007 9:21 PM   
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Above, it is mentioned that Hedges studied to be a Christian Minister. I find this hard to believe and consider it to be spurious at best.
It is interesting that Hedges raises the possibility of Fascism under the guise of Religion. If Hedges were not as prejudiced and myopic, he would see that it is not the Religious Right that we as a nation have to worry about, but rather those following the religious right.
Any society buffeted by major and dramatic change can and may at any time resort to some authoritarian rule--whether it be a rightist form such as Fascism or a leftist form such as Communism. Both of these divergent ideologies had the best of intentions, but the reality is that the individuals implementing these ideologies can and will bend them to their respective wills and goals--and usually it turns out bad. Clearly the best road to take is the middle ground.
It is not the Religious Right that Hedges needs to worry about, but rather the fact that the Right is reacting to the immorality and decadence of the Liberal Left--something that Hedges quite conveniently refuses to recognize. To him, Liberalism is clean pure and noble, and He sees the religious Right as authoritarian, unyielding, bigoted and merciless. People say that the Religious Right does not keep in conformance to the teachings of Jesus, but they apparently haven't read the New Testament. Furthermore, we live in a Republican Democracy, and the actions of the Religious Right are in direct keeping with the actions of any demographic advocacy group in any democracy. Religious people have just as much right to promote their views as Atheists and Liberals or any other special interest group have in promoting theirs. One would not surmise this by Hedges' vitriolic attack on Christianity's more conservative members. Atheism-- the new religion of the Liberal Left-- by its very nature is just as illogical as is any other religion. Both are beliefs that can neither be confirmed or denied. An Atheist denies the existence of God, but cannot logically prove that God does not exist--He BELIEVES that God does not exist. And let us make no mistake about the fact that Atheism IS another form of religion.
It is not the Religious Right that should cause fear in the hearts of liberals, but rather the constant barrage of Liberals attacking the very foundations of Christian life that is causing all Christians--especially conservative Christians-- to both react and retaliate in kind.
It does not matter if your ideology is secular or religious...liberal or conservative... any ideology that is held siege and buffeted by dramatic change can degrade into either anarchy or authoritarianism. And when this happens, good well meaning people attempt to come to the rescue and to bring order. And this attempt at rescue is what can create fascism. Someone as well versed and with Hedges' background and alleged credentials should know this--that is if he were not as blinded by prejudice as Hedges is.
There is nothing wrong with Hedges sounding the alarm, but there is something wrong with alienating a whole given population group for no reason other than sensationalizing the problem and perhaps making the book more controversial and therefore more profitable.

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dirtroadscholar
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Posted by: dirtroadscholar on Feb 11, 2007 11:36 AM   
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For some reason, probably due to a cold and tiny heart, along with the tendency to be labeled a Fascist with regularity, I'm having difficulty working up sympathy for an "indigenous" people whose only contribution to their region is human bombs and random rockets.

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» RE: dirtroadscholar Posted by: Robba29
» Scholar??? Posted by: moflard

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Hedges is a minister "by training"
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Posted by: StoneRiley on Feb 12, 2007 4:12 AM   
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Just to clarify something I wrote above:
Chris Hedges is "a liberal Christian minister by training. . ." I'm sorry if the figure of speech wasn't clear. He graduated from a well respected liberal divinity school but then became a journalist instead of accepting ordination. And he did become a combat journalist for several years and now admits suffering an addiction to war.

And the reason I mentioned his religious training was not to claim special status for him, but to contrast the two ways of life, spirit and action. I am impressed with someone who has such broad actual experience. When I meet someone like that, I want to hear what they say.

Stone Riley
www.stoneriley.com

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Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
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Posted by: shhazam4 on Feb 12, 2007 11:18 AM   
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Myth believers in their funeral dirges had it right all along and probably never realized.

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And so?
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Posted by: americanskeptic on Feb 12, 2007 12:40 PM   
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While you bring up many interesting points and parallels, Mr. Hedges, you don't offer a solution or even steps toward one. The closest I can come to discerning a point beyond fearmongering is the directive to eradicate economic disparity and stop globalization -- all well and good, but impossible (not to mention regressive). Hmmm, using scare tactics to spook believers into fighting for a mythical, idyllic but "childlike" belief system and society? Where have I read that before?

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Some christian values
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Posted by: coñoloco on Feb 12, 2007 11:52 PM   
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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,251062,00.html

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comparing fascism to christianity?
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Posted by: tappnfast on Feb 13, 2007 9:54 AM   
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Ok that comparison doesn't work since one of the philosophies of fascism is to not support religion at all. Yes I agree that there needs to be a separation between religion and government. You should also note that a lot of the goals that our founding fathers had were notably from a Christian philosophy, so should we blame them and therefore change our government? No we shouldn't, we should just deal with what happens.

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It's America in the 50s, ... again
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Posted by: Ghoulman on Feb 13, 2007 4:14 PM   
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So why are Americans so shocked? This is the world the right wing have been demanding since the 50's ended. This is a deep part of US culture... deal with it. Get over it.

Current pandering to the loony tent and TV fundementalists, with their indulgence monies, by Washington is just part of the TV show. There are hundreds of millions of americans... ask yourself, why does the guy/gal next to you let this happen? Are they so indoctrinated into the idea of the "American dream"?

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In the name of God
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Posted by: ng1944 on Feb 15, 2007 9:29 AM   
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Most of the crimes in History of the World
were commited in the name of God

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You mean rise of hate monger muslims
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Posted by: DrEdinsect on Feb 23, 2007 9:27 AM   
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I can not beleive the trash that I view via the AlterNet newsletter. Need one wonder why we liberals are bash as unAmerican daily? The Christain Right is indeed less of an danger and/or enemy to the USA compared to vile Arabs and vile Muslims hell bent on world domination and terrorism.

Stop pandering to Muslims and stop your self-hatred.

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Christian Fascists vs Islamic Fascists
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Posted by: jurycom on Mar 5, 2007 6:04 PM   
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Answer this, bright boy: who is going to stone your sister if she decides to venture afar, who is going to make her wear a burka, take away her livelihood, make her hire a driver and force her out of school. Your thought process is so perverted it is incredible. Were you molested by a priest as a child? Nothing short of that could explain your vitriol. But, I shouldn't have written that, should I, because (as Anne Coulter says) if I do I'll have to go to rehab.

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"...those who would fight effectively in coming times of turmoil..."
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Posted by: kwalla on Feb 8, 2007 2:00 AM   
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I'm ready to enlist; where's the recruitment office?

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» Gog / Magog Posted by: ScoobyDoobyDoo

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Adams
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Posted by: kepstein7777 on Feb 8, 2007 3:01 AM   
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Sounds like an interesting dude...one of those wacky-cool professors with a cult following.

I don't know that it necessarily comes from poverty and despair, though. Many educated, middle class and wealthy people are drawn to extreme religion and politics, as many were drawn to the Nazi party.

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» Chris Posted by: derfb1
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You lefties are so funny
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Posted by: punkbuster on Feb 8, 2007 3:14 AM   
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Hmmm lets see- porn on demand 24/7, crack can be had almost anytime anywhere and "middle America" is over run with it, street gangs are pervasive in our cities, women are (willingly) portrayed as a "ho to be had" in music videos 24/7, 50% divorce rate, looks like we are going to get a moderate- left leaning president to go with a newly minted left of center "make us all like Europeans" congress- I guess I am not seeing the Pat Robertson wing taking over much. I also like how those who write about the "church" never really go to see what it is all about. You know that stuff that those of us "Nazis' do on a regular basis. The church I go to (and countless others) Feed the hungry ( I personally have bought thousands of $ of food over the years) and fed homeless people under the I-10 bridge in San Antonio, fixed single mothers cars for free once a month, cloth for free ANYONE who wants to get on our bus on our "support Saturdays" i could go on and on- Oh and yes GOD FORBID we may preach about the healing power and forgiveness of Christ RUN LEFTIES! RUN AND TELL THE OTHERS NOW BEFORE ITS TOO LATE! The Christian Nazi fascists are BAD for society and are taking over!!! Humanism and science have all the right answers for all of our personal (300 million doses of anti depressants in America per year) and societal ills.
Its just funny watching the collective paranoia take hold.

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» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: punkbuster
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: TagsNOLA
» Do you love me, Pip? Posted by: James T. Swaggart
» RE: Do you love me, Pip? Posted by: TagsNOLA
» Why did god create evil? Posted by: crashgrab
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: jmooney
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: TerranceDC
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: Revolutionary
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: Devout-Atheist
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: MrAllen
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: TagsNOLA
» just face it Posted by: ailiergauche
» RE: just face it Posted by: TerranceDC
» RE: just face it Posted by: TagsNOLA
» Serious scholars DO doubt. Posted by: moflard
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: earnric
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: stumpsforhands
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: chirho33
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: gilliani
» I commend your good deeds Posted by: Sparks56
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: miliTerry
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: punkbuster
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: wally_world
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: ekwhite
» Punkbuster is a great example... Posted by: Suburban Dad
» Excellent writing! Thank you. Posted by: johngary66
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: patszar
» RE: Hint: just ignore these people Posted by: oregoncharles
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: Grampop
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: WadeZim
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» RE: You lefty homeless are so funny Posted by: edgar_michel
» YOU are a liberal Posted by: Sushi
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: jmooney
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: SolemSimon
» RE: You lefties are so funny Posted by: insulaparadigm
» Punkbuster needs a good hug Posted by: shhazam4
» punkbuster FTW! Posted by: chomsky

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I say
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Posted by: gjames on Feb 8, 2007 3:19 AM   
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Keep in mind that often what you see in your adversary is a disavowed part of yourself. It's important to understand the political dynamic when you decide to become an activist; remain aware that the goal is to positively influence all those around you, and is absolutely not to attack an enemy. It might seem maddening to call for compassion for someone like Pat Robertson, but there's not going to be a better world without us all recognizing that.

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Whence comes this paranoia?
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Posted by: ISlamIslam on Feb 8, 2007 4:07 AM   
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An answer is suggested by Lawrence Auster’s First Law of Majority-Minority Relations in Liberal Society.

"The First Law states that because of the modern liberal belief in the moral and substantive equality of all peoples and cultures, the worse any minority or non-Western group really is, the worse the West must be made to appear, as the guilty cause of the non-Western group’s bad or dysfunctional behavior, or as simply bad in itself. If the worse is made to look better, and the better made to look worse, an apparent rough equality is maintained between them, and the liberal view survives. In the case of Islam, if it is true that Islam seeks to impose an Islamic theocracy over the world, liberals cannot acknowledge this fact, because Islam would then cease being the morally equal and culturally rich Other whom we must tolerate and embrace, and become a morally inferior and hostile destructive adversary whom we must resist and exclude. Therefore, in a massive act of denial, liberals displace the danger Islam poses to the West onto the West itself, especially onto American conservative Christians. Instead of the threat being the historically and actually existing Islamic agenda to establish an Islamic world theocracy, the threat becomes a non-existent American Christian agenda to establish an American or even a world Christian theocracy, a threat that must be met by radically weakening Christianity or even eliminating it altogether.

Thus, having discovered that a non-Western religion is waging war on the West, the left responds by waging war against the West’s own religion."

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» RE: Whence comes this paranoia? Posted by: ISlamIslam