On the Other Foot

What would the national reaction be if there was a liberal version of the Tea Party? Though the craziest thing about this is that nothing would change. They already say all the worst things they can about liberals in this country.



Hell, half the time, they ain't even talking about liberals when they say those things: they're talking about pragmatists, moderates, centrists, and even really real conservatives. There's only one thing anyone has to do to enter the "Enemy of America" club in the eyes of these radical right-wingers: disagree with radical right-wingery. The only acceptable version of America, to them, is their own version, no matter how make-believe or utopian that version is.



HT: To the Dish where we are also reminded about the peaceful, non-violent nature of America's internet "Christian" population. < / sarcasm >



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Religion of Peace

Where does cultural justification of violence meet historical revisionism? Well, this week those forces met in Norway, and the noise machine kicked into gear.

There are two views of the world. In one view, one accepts that human beings are capable of horrible things as well as wonderful things, while using their individual beliefs to justify extreme behavior on either side and all those in between. In the other view, human beings are capable of horrible things as well as wonderful things, but what marks the difference depends on how much they agree with your own beliefs.

Take the latter too far, and Andrew Sullivan explains what you get:

Both Islamism and Christianism, to my mind, do not spring from real religious faith; they spring from neurosis caused by lack of faith. They are the choices of those who are panicked by the complexity and choices of modernity into a fanatical embrace of a simplistic parody of religion in order to attack what they see as their cultural and social enemies. They are not about genuine faith; they are about the instrumentality of faith as a political bludgeon.

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Culture as a Weapon

Sectarian violence in Northern Ireland just a week after sports violence in Vancouver is making me wonder what progress resistant traits exist in culturally Christian nations that encourage this type of behavior.

Because, if our overblown national narrative of the last decade is to be believed, the only reason individuals in Muslim countries participate in violence is because of their religion. If that is true, we should employ the same lens to examine this widespread violent behavior in Christian and culturally Christian populations. If we did, I'm sure the Congressional hearings on Irish radicalization will be very uncomfortable for some.

Or maybe, propensity to violence is a human trait we see in some measure in all cultures. The only antidote isn't to change religion or national boundary or whatever issue is on the demagogue's list of rationalizations, but to seek justice as an antidote to reprisal.

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The War on Christmas

Sure seems like Christmas is winning.

Behavior like that ain't Christian, it ain't Southern, and it ain't polite. If your faith is so weak that someone else's disbelief intimidates you and makes you act like a defensive hyperemotional thin-skinned jackass, your problem ain't with them, is what I'm sayin.

(HT: Adrastos)

Religion of Peace

I guess it is good that a few news outlets are reporting on this.

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Dozens

Two questions:

1) Do the majority of Muslims in the world really hate America?
2) How does the American media inadvertently make the case that they do?

Case Study.

We knew that, after the death of Osama bin Laden, there would be some individuals in the world who would take that opportunity to rally other discontented individuals against the United States. This is how attention-seekers get their attention: they do things they know the cameras will catch and broadcast. They know such things will overstate their importance.

Most of all, they know that if even one American flag is burned in the streets of Pakistan, then many Americans will go on to assume that represents all Pakistanis' opinions. The "Death to America" narrative is fed. This is all part of the "clash of civilizations" feedback loop that we can't seem to break.

Consider the article. If you look at the pictures associated with the story (on the front page of MSNBC when I opened my computer) you saw a crowd burning American flags. The story text itself shows a sunglasses-clad individual pointing an accusing finger at the camera.

Even the text is designed to further the narrative:

Muslims in the Philippines, Indonesia and Pakistan protested Friday over the killing of Osama bin Laden, with one cleric vowing the holy war against the U.S. "will not stop with the death of Osama."

Muslims protested. Not "individuals sympathetic to al-Queda." Not "Islamists," or "Fundamentalists," or even "disaffected citizens of." Nope. These people are Muslims, that's all the American people need (or want) to know about the protesters. I bet the same news outlet will later have a poll asking why viewers tend to think all Muslims are terrorists.

I think America would have a completely different view of religion and the clash of civilizations if a religious affiliation was included every time something unpopular happened. Or every single time there was a crime. Imagine it:

"Christian politician leaves wife with cancer, marries mistress."

"Christians protest at funerals of dead US soldiers in opposition to United States civil rights laws."

"Christian teens beat transsexual woman in McDonalds."

"Christians hold mock trial against Koran, burn Muslim holy book after guilty verdict."

"Major drug bust: Christians apprehended with twenty pounds of cocaine in hidden compartment."

"Meth Lab Discovered, 4 Christians arrested."

Could you imagine the outrage that would come from that? It would be incredible, especially among the mainstream Christian population, who would go to great lengths to prove that they were not affiliated with such behaviors. There is a great deal of social construct dedicated to describing deviant social groups or progress-resistant behaviors as "other." That's why the media and popular culture uses such terms as fundamentalist and controversial when describing certain Christian out-groups. That's also why the religion of crime perpetrators are never part of the story unless the accused adheres to an "exotic" religion which is already a group considered "other." Or if the accused is a pastor or leadership figure in a mainstream Christian organization.

Muslims in America have no such social protections, so it is very easy to attribute unpopular behaviors with Muslims generally. This does not help our nation understand the true problems our nation is facing, and allows our popular culture to set up a too-easy scapegoat to deflect self-criticism.

Back to the case study, from just those images and the headlines, one might be led to believe that huge crowds were gathered around the Muslim world condemning America. But here's what you would miss:

In Manila, Philippine police used anti-riot shields to stop a march on the U.S. Embassy by dozens of Muslims.

Emphasis mine.

Dozens, hunh?

While "dozens" might be a news-worthy protest in my hometown (population 12,000ish), the Phillippines are a nation of approximately 98,000,000 individuals, with 5% claiming Islam as their primary religion. So, out of an approximate population of 4,850,000 Phillipino Muslims, a few dozen protest in the capital city of over 11,550,000 residents, and it makes front-page news in America.

A few more protesters showed up in Pakistan, though. At least here we have some attempt to address the actual situation, and the actual identity of the protesters.

In Pakistan, about 1,500 people protested, saying more figures like bin Laden would arise to wage holy war against the United States.

Predominantly Muslim Pakistan has yet to see any major backlash after U.S. special forces killed bin Laden early on Monday.

But his death has angered Islamists, with one major hardline political party calling on Pakistan's government to end its support for the U.S. war on militancy.

Again, the 1,500 number exists in relationship to a nation of 187,000,000 people, of which 97% are Muslims. You'll note the headlines do not read:

While some individuals protested US action against Osama bin Laden within thier country, 181,388,500 Pakistani Muslims were busy doing something else.

So are there really widespread protests that required media attention, or did elements of the American media expect to report on protests and then find some small events to justify the story?

Bonus question: Now that some small groups have proven they can get worldwide attention through these actions, will other groups begin to behave in such ways as well?

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Four Inch Nails

And I thought American Christians sometimes took their "faithful" exhibitionism a little too far with their staged crucifixions and fake whippings at the hands of people dressed like Romans. Some Catholics in the Philippines, however, have taken to actually nailing themselves to crosses.

I don't want to talk smack about someone's religious beliefs, but doesn't that seem a little...much?

Church leaders in the Philippines, Asia's largest predominantly Roman Catholic nation, have frowned on the Easter week rituals, saying Filipinos can show their deep faith without hurting themselves.

Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, based in Iloilo Province, said the crucifixions and self-flagellations are an "imperfect imitation with doubtful theological and social significance," adding that only Jesus Christ's death saved mankind.

Jesus was a carpenter, too, fellas. Couldn't y'all find a better use for nails and wood in the Philippines? I'm sure there are some children somewhere who are homeless.

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All According to Plan

Well, it looks like the best-laid plans of American evangelical exhibitionist fundamentalist Christian-istas have achieved the desired effect.

The ironic thing is that too many Americans will watch the news and see a bunch of Muslims in Afghanistan chanting "Death To America," and think this is A) an unprovoked reaction, and B) representative of Muslims worldwide.

Let's put the truth to it:

1. A professional American Christian congregation Hate Group with non-profit tax status, in order to raise money and get attention for itself, abused our nearly sacred First-Amendment Rights in order to yell "Death to Islam" as loud as it possibly could.

2. Muslims in a place that has been living in stone age conditions since at least 1978, who are under military occupation by troops from nations with mostly Christian populations that have significant political factions and popular cultures that constantly demonize Islam, hear "Death to Islam." Again.

3. Because they have not lived under a constitutional government for some time, and have no experience with ideas like the First Amendment, it is very easy for our legal protection of "Death to Islam" speech to appear like a legal endorsement of "Death to Islam" speech.

4. Many Americans ignore items 1 - 3, and watch the news to see Muslims burning flags, effigies of the President, rioting, and killing UN workers.

5. Many Americans use that to justify their continued xenophobia and religious bigotry, which is far more of a historical and existential threat to America than Muslims or Sharia law will ever be.

All just a part of the plan.

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Georgia Republican Presidential Hopefuls

What should really make Democrats mad is that guys like these, who politic to the lowest common demoninator by brining up the lurking spectre of American sharia law, belong to the political party who ran the Democrats out of every state office.

Oh, and with his "secular atheist country, potentially dominated by militant Islamists" quote, Gingrich officially joins the In Their Own Words Chorus of Incongruent Political Opinions that many of my conservative friends couldn't believe existed. And let's not pretend we don't know where the "Muslims = Bad" stuff is really coming from.

Irrational cultural panic may sell advertising, but it should not win elections in an educated nation.

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Religion of Peace

A stated reason behind a stoning death in Pennsylvania provides additional evidence that that no one religion holds a monopoly on stoning sinners to death.

Of course, if the perpetrator had been of another religion - you know - that one that is consistently demonized in American popular culture, you'd likely hear about this as a top news story on every outlet across the country.

And so no one's confused, the other religion I'm talking about being demonized in popular culture isn't Wicca. Though, apparently, it is OK to demonize Wicaans in the workplace.

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Picking a Fight with the Christian Right

I wonder what my real conservative readers think of the Mitch Daniels' "truce" on social issues until financial issues are addressed.

Because, as Andrew Sullivan points out, there is a very significant portion of the Republican base that wants to focus on the culture war above all things. Because people who disagree with certain religious or moral beliefs are the ones who are bankrupting the country. We can get ourselves out of debt ON FAITH!!

Someone will have to explain how that opinion is in any way conservative, because what I read there was a culture warrior cloaking his theocracy in fiscal conservative marketing.

Though I'm glad that he admits the Tea Party is just what I thought they were.

Luckily, there appears to be some pushback to the theocratic right.

But will it be enough? Can a real conservative like Mitch Daniels, who acts like a rational, thinking human being (with some ideas I disagree with) win the GOP Presidential nomination? Or will the base, more interested in Mau-Mau-ing opponents, warning America about the coming Sharia onslaught, and James O'Keefe's video splices of outgoing NPR executives, again prove they are more about cultural panic than substance?

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More Jester Than King

What an embarassment for the GOP. Representative Peter King of New York is getting ready to fan the flames of sectarian discord in the United States because he thinks all Muslims are terrorists while not all terrorists are bad.

That's right, I said it. Anyone who can defend the IRA because they "didn't threaten America" is one step away from defending the KKK because what they did is "in the past."

This is more of that state security nonsense under which too many Americans - and too many powerful Americans, especially in the Republican and Tea Parties - cloak their religious intolerance, xenophobia, racism, and bigotry all while calling their detractors out for nonexistant political correctness.

Political correctness, in this case, being the focus on non-threats and the willing disregard or intentional marginalization of real-threats in order to promote a political motive - such as winning support of an interest group.

You want political correctness? Look at the Islamophobes, who willingly disregard or intentionally marginalize the danger of the Timothy McVeighs, Eric Rudolphs, Ted Kaczynskis, Andrew Stacks and now Kevin Harphams of the world so they can go after the "Ground Zero Mosque" that is not a mosque, not at "Ground Zero," and NOT A THREAT.

As a matter of fact, if you compared body counts of radicalized American Muslims to that of radicalized American Christian white males, it isn't even a close comparison. And that's before you even factor in the historical body count of the Klan or the Citizens Councils who terrorized, raped, and burned their way across the country until about the 1970's. But that would require seeing African-Americans as fellow citizens, and we know how hard some people still have with that particular attitude.

But for Rep. King, this isn't even that complicated.

For him, this nonsense is a circus sideshow designed to play to the base, win elections, and raise money more than investigate actual threats to the United States of America. The numbers of actual, pragmatic, and effective conservatives in the Republican Party continue to dwindle as they are replaced by clowns like this.

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Christendom

Rick Santorum sums up the problems with historical revisionism and its application to utopian right-wing politics. He is one of the reasons people can freely associate mainstream Republicans with the policies of 'endless war' and the 'clash of civilizations.'

This is a guy invited to speak to private Christian schools, and Republican womens' organizations in South Carolina - an early primary state for Presidential politics. Santorum has a high profile, nationally, and continues the politics of theocracy, demonization of Islam, and appears to advocate perpetual war by America against nations of the Middle East.

Sounds like a lot of national Republicans these days, doing what they can to fire up the base for 2012.

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Calvinball Theology

Fascinating stuff, and a lot of it.

HT: Daily Dish.

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The Telling Response

After the shooting in Tuscon, we've been treated to yet another episode of American political culture tearing itself apart. Some men just want to see the world burn, and this guy is getting exactly what he wants.

Compare that, if you will, to Egypt's response to their latest round of terrorism.

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Tea Party Candidate Hearts US Constitution

But Christine O'Donnell doesn't know what's in it.

I'm sure she likes the Bible a lot, too.

No wonder the preferred campaign strategy is silence.

She also addressed her widely publicized unfamiliarity with the Supreme Court of the United States, and specific decisions made in the past:

O'Donnell began by defending herself for not being able to name a recent Supreme Court decision with which she disagrees at a debate last week. She said she was stumped because she largely agrees with the court's recent decisions under conservative chief justices John Roberts and William Rehnquist.

One can only hope a sharp moderator then followed up by asking her to name one she agreed with and why.

Updated Summary: Because in a world where Christianity requires no knowledge of the Bible, and being a Constitutional Constructionist requires no knowledge of the Constitution, it stands to reason that you can use politics to convince people that a tax cut was a tax increase.

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