The Radical Minority

Following is a portion of Heather’s recent newsletter. While she always seems to have her finger on the pulse of this nation, sometimes her insights are so clear and direct, it’s uncanny.

But as the last ten months have made clear, the right wing does not really intend to let the voters of the states make decisions that contradict right-wing ideology. 

After the Dobbs decision, Republican-dominated legislatures immediately began to restrict the right to abortion, although it remains popular in the country and voters have rejected extreme abortion restrictions in every special election held since the decision. Now Republican legislators in Ohio are trying to head off an abortion rights amendment scheduled for a popular vote in November by requiring 60% of voters, rather than 50%, to amend the state constitution. 

Gun safety shows the same pattern. A new Fox News poll out yesterday shows that 87% of voters favor background checks for gun purchases, 81% favor making 21 the minimum age to buy a gun, 80% want mental health care checks on all gun buyers, 80% want flags for people who are dangerous to themselves or others, 77% want a 30-day waiting period to buy a gun, and 61% want an assault weapons ban.

And yet, Republican majorities in state legislatures are rapidly rolling back gun laws. Republican lawmakers in the Tennessee legislature went so far recently as to expel two young Black representatives when they encouraged protesters after the majority quashed their attempts to introduce gun safety measures after a mass shooting in Nashville. But they were not alone. Last week, when the Nebraska senate passed a  permitless concealed carry law, Melody Vaccaro, executive director of Nebraskans Against Gun Violence, shouted “Shame!” multiple times. She has since been “barred and banned” from the Nebraska statehouse. 

The attempt of a radical minority to enforce their will on the rest of us, who constitute a majority, by stealing control of the states and then, through them, control of the federal government is precisely what the Confederates tried to do before the Civil War: it is no accident that one of the insurrectionists who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, carried a replica of a Confederate battle flag.

Although what she has written is not surprising or exceptional to many of us, it is still worrisome. One  can’t help but wonder where things will eventually end up.  I suppose all we can hope for is the Party with the most common sense will be the victor in the end.

Christian Nationalism

Recently I read an article related to the term “Christian Nationalist.” It seems that … “A year ago, calling someone a Christian nationalist was an insult.”

In fact, after the debacle of January 6th, when rioters spoke of their cause as a religious crusade and wielded crosses and bibles and banners with scripture, many pastors pushed back on any suggestion that the actions were related to Christian Nationalism.

Some even remarked that linking the term to American evangelical Christianity was “deeply dangerous,” and one leader claimed it was an unfair “accusation.”

Oh how times have changed.

In June, this same leader commented thus: “We have the left routinely speaking of me and of others as Christian nationalists, as if we’re supposed to be running from that.” He then added: “I’m not about to run from that.”

He is not alone. As many are aware, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene declared in a Tweet: “I am being attacked by the godless left because I said I’m a proud Christian nationalist.” (My emphasis.)

We also hear such remarks as: “This is just a tactic on the part of liberals and the left to smear good, patriotic, and godly Americans.” and “Christian nationalism is what we’re supposed to do.” (My emphasis.)

What has become a concern is that those who affirm the label are becoming more radicalized, more militant, and more open about it, claiming that if this is who they are, they’re going to embrace it.

“Christian Nationalism” is actually an academic term that encompasses different degrees of intensity. It includes the more harmless, everyday God-and-country white evangelicals who believe politicians and courts should eliminate barriers separating church and state, but it also identifies the violent extremists willing to tear down democratic processes to bring about their vision of a white Christian nation.

Several Republican individuals currently vying for positions in the government do support and promote the idea of Christian Nationalism; however, due to its negative connotations, they are now using the term, “Christo-fascism” when referring to the violent, extremist form of Christian nationalism seen during the Jan. 6 insurrection. Essentially, however, it is nothing more than an effort to direct attention away from their support for Trumpian extremism that has become “inextricable from some parts of white evangelical power in America.”

A Yale professor was quoted as saying that “A hallmark of fascism is this idea of regeneration through violence.” So one can’t help but wonder if the terminology even matters because, at the core, it’s the actions that speak the loudest and will determine the end results.

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Image by Darelle from Pixabay

“Subjectively Believes”

I just read an article that talked about the defense strategy that Trump’s team of lawyers would use if he were criminally charged.

Although the article itself is related to a suit being filed against CNN, the “defense” being offered is relevant to any charges that might be filed against Trump. In fact, it …

signals a strategy that is likely to be a central defense should he ever face criminal charges related to his role in attempts to cling to power despite losing his 2020 reelection bid.

What was particularly eye-catching were the words the legal team used in their email to CNN:

CNN’s portrayal of Trump was inaccurate because Trump “subjectively believes” there was election fraud in the 2020 presidential election. (My emphasis)

The article goes on to say that one of the strategies available to Trump’s lawyers would be …

to argue that he genuinely believed there was election fraud and didn’t have the intent to commit a criminal act.

“Subjectively Believes” … ???

Now think about those two words. Can you imagine situations in your own life when this combination of words might come in really handy?

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Just as a refresher — from Dictionary.com:

Generally speaking, subjective is used to describe something that exists in the mind of a person or that pertains to viewpoints of an individual person.

Sometimes, subjective means about the same thing as personal. Everyone’s experience of an event is subjective, because each person’s circumstances and background are unique, leading to different interpretations.

Objective most commonly means not influenced by an individual’s personal viewpoint—unbiased (or at least attempting to be unbiased). It’s often used to describe things like observations, decisions, or reports that are based on an unbiased analysis.

Something that’s truly objective has nothing to do with a person’s own feelings or views—it just deals with facts. When someone says “Objectively speaking,” they’re indicating that they’re going to give an unbiased assessment—not one based on their personal preferences.

Christian Nationalism

Image courtesy of iStockphoto.com

I just came across an EXCELLENT article entitled, “Here’s where Christian Nationalism comes from, and what it gets wrong.”

Since some of you may not be familiar with this movement and/or the ideology behind it, here is an excellent explanation from the article:

It holds that, like Israel of the Old Testament, America is God’s chosen instrument to fulfill his purposes on Earth. Its adherents believe that America was intended, both by its founders and by God himself, to be a Christian nation, and that defenders of that birthright are divinely appointed to reinstate it by means of political power.

I’m sure many of you who watched the videos of the January 6, 2021 debacle saw individuals carrying the Trump and Confederate flags — but did you also notice the several participants who were carrying Christian flags and wearing clothing with slogans such as “Jesus 2020” and “Jesus in my savior. Trump is my president“?

Christian Nationalism is very popular among many conservative white American evangelicals; in fact, there are reports that some pastors even encouraged their members to attend Trump’s rally.

I really hope you will take the time to read the referenced article because it not only provides some history behind the movement, why its establishment in government has become so important to evangelicals … and even more importantly … why there is an urgency to activate it in the U.S.

The article can be found (link removed) — use PDF file below.

Necessary Qualifier: The article author is an ordained minister (among other things) — and although he believes America needs the Christian gospel, he does NOT support “Christian Nationalism.”

NOTE: Here is a PDF file since most visitors were unable to access the article directly:

Christian Nationalism