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Christian Militants Merge With GOP Politics At Rick Perry’s The Response
more from Hrafnkell Haraldsson
The other night, Peter Montgomery, a senior fellow for the People For the American Way, appeared on MSNBC’s The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell and put the beat down on Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association. The purpose of his visit was to discuss Fischer’s work with Governor Rick Perry of Texas, another one of the Republican Party’s long string of prophets and messiahs and presidential wannabes.
Rick Perry has found a kindred spirit in Bryan Fischer:
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Peter Montgomery put it right out there when he said, “Bryan Fischer is an endless torrent of the most extreme kind of bigotry and divisiveness.”
“The fact that his show is a regular stop for Republican presidential wannabes and members of congress is a sad commentary on the state of the Republican Party. So to suggest there is no bigotry so extreme and there is no McCarthyism so repulsive that they will not embrace or overlook it in order to get the religious right voters they think are listening to Bryan Fischer’s radio show.”
It would have been inconceivable a few years ago to imagine the kind of rhetoric coming from Fischer being part of the narrative of a major political party in this country, but that is what has come to pass and we cannot escape it or the consequences. People don’t want to hear about this. Some scoff, some don’t take it seriously; some think if we ignore it that it will go away. It won’t. The drums of war only grow louder.
Nothing can be more telling than this marriage of the GOP with the most extreme elements of fundamentalist Christianity. This is not a joking matter; we have to take it seriously. It is a threat to our freedom, a threat that came up, to the outrage of CNSNews, during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing chaired by Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) on Muslim radicalization in U.S. prisons:
“Are you familiar with the Christian militants?” Jackson asked former New York Dept. of Correctional Services official Patrick Dunleavy.
“Can one might say that they might possibly want to undermine this country because right now the right for women to choose is a Constitutional right but people disagree with it but here is an individual trying to undermine the protections that are given to women? Would you suggest that might be compared to trying to undermine this country? That’s a possibility, is it not?”
Rep. Jackson Lee: “As we look to be informational, we should include an analysis of how Christian militants or others might bring down the country. We have to look broadly, do we not?”
Dunleavy: ”I don’t know that Christian militants have foreign country backing or foreign country financing.”
Rep. Lee: “I don’t think that’s the issue. The issue is whether or not their intent is to undermine the laws of this nation. And I think it is clear that that is the case. So it’s not — your distinction is not answering the question.”
This is the world Bryan Fischer inhabits. Peter Montgomery points out that “Bryan Fischer’s world is one that is hard to reconcile with reality.” As he goes on to say, “It’s outrageous that Governor Perry chose them [the AFA] to sponsor and pay for his divisive and exclusionary event.”
In case anyone needs a refresher course in Bryan Fischer, the AFA has put together a four minute segment:
The essential Bryan Fischer on AFA: The GOP’s Favorite Hate-Monger: How the Republican Party Came to Embrace Bryan Fischer
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14 Responses to Christian Militants Merge With GOP Politics At Rick Perry’s The Response
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Pat Padrnos
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Good article – but scary. Just this morning I was thinking about the very same thing. Trying to remember where it all started. I remember Billy Graham being a constant White House guest years ago, I remember Pat Robertson running for pres., but quite honestly – I think I made the same mistake so many have. In not seeing the power and passion that is behind this trend.
Someday when you have time – will you do a timeline and bring us up to date. I think that would be very powerful and perhaps “re-educate” some of us with fuzzy memories.
Always enjoy your articles – thank you.
Hrafnkell Haraldsson
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 10:42 pm
I have been working on one and will post it soon.
Reynardine
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 8:33 pm
It would, in fact, help to give us a thumbnail timeline. I second that motion.
Ingarose
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 8:55 pm
Yes, it is very scary. Unfortunately, not too many people pay attention. It used to be Lenno who sent people out into the streets questioning people about the simplest things. Most of the time people could not answer the simplest question.
Some are down in the dumps, others unemployed, others get lost in drugs or ‘American Idol’, and some are looking for anyone or anything to save them from the present misery. That is when these nutjobs gain some recognition.
Governor Perry having some state Christian prayer meeting is totally against the constitution of separation of church and state.
Once over 50% of people no longer pay much attention, fascism can creep in with the flag and the cross.
cathy
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 10:09 pm
What a despicable excuse for a human being! Totally disgusted from watching Fischer’s hateful video. How many followers does this lunatic have? This man has no business calling himself a Christian or leading any kind of prayer meeting!
cathy
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 10:10 pm
Thank you for people like Peter Montgomery!
Shiva (Moderator)
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
I would certainly like to know when Obama said he has been a fascist all along.
Just more conservative filth
Where is the head of the GOP who has to know no one can get elected doing this?
MarkS
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 11:52 pm
A good book about the rise of the Christian right is “Kingdom Coming:The Rise of Christian Nationalism” by Michelle Goldberg. Penetrating analysis, scary trends.
www.kingdomcoming.com/
bob dobson
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 5:26 am
God hears what you say, Bryan, and she is PISSED!!!
Mike Hill
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 10:34 am
Christianity a.k.a. The American Taliban.
Cathy
Jun. 21st, 2011 at 2:43 pm
This is not Christian!
Cathy
Jun. 21st, 2011 at 2:47 pm
and as soon as people begin to call them what they are–dominionists, fundamentalists, the american taliban–maybe more people will wake up and see what is happening
Snoozepossum
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 1:10 pm
“People don’t want to hear about this. Some scoff, some don’t take it seriously; some think if we ignore it that it will go away. It won’t. The drums of war only grow louder.”
This. I probably sound like a broken record by now, but the evolution of the 1960′s-70′s charismatic fundie movement to today’s DomNAMs has been a long term project, and all along I’ve heard people doing exactly this. It’s that scene in Eric The Viking where Terry Jones is happily chirping “No, not happening!” while Hy Brasil sinks below the sea, even as the water turns his words to burbles. And even after all the bilge of the last few years, when groups with theocratic agendas have stopped being careful and at least attempting a measure of discretion, people are still shaking their heads sagely and saying “oh, you must just ignore them; they aren’t anything except loud noise and paying attention to them only gives them power”.
Edmund Burke’s (disputed) quote “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing” holds true. People can loftily postulate that acknowledging such things is “sinking to their level”, but to me sticking your head in the sand and allowing a bully to ramrod people is cowardice and apathy low enough to be on the same par.
sherriww
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 5:41 pm
These idiots are Scary people who need to be sent on their way-to wherever! And,as soon as possible! Also,for a big percentage of people,they just are not seeing what is happening now,AND how MUCH WORSE it could get,with any of these extreme crazy right-right-right winger nuts!!