“Your government is moving each day closer to a theocracy, where a narrow and hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism will rule.”
Fundamentalist churches garner influence in the highest levels of
government, while churches opposing Bush and the war are brought under
attack. This Sunday, far-right fundamentalist leaders such as Jerry
Falwell, James Dobson, and Rick Santorum will be demanding Alito’s
confirmation to the Supreme Court at the “Justice Sunday III”
rally. The rally itself is calling for a theocracy in the judiciary,
the only branch of government still not under the control of Christian
fundamentalists.
Looking at the church this “Justice Sunday” rally is being held
provides a look at how the Bush regime is going about its program.
Greater Exodus Baptist Church is a predominantly black church in
Philadelphia, headed by Rev. Herbert Lusk. Lusk is a loyal supporter of
Bush, and spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2000. He then
received $1 million in one of Bush’s new “faith-based initiatives” for
a housing program. While Lusk was given government money as part of
moves to establish theocracy for his support, All Saints Episcopal
Church in Pasadena, California is currently under attack by the IRS,
threatening the Church’s tax exempt status because their Rector
Emeritus, Rev. George Regas gave a sermon last fall denouncing many of
the policies coming from the White House.
While the theocracts couch their arguments in terms of “freedom of
religion”, it is clear from example above that only one brand of
religion is what they want to have “freedom” to impose on all of
society. Institute of Religion and Democracy (IRD), for example, is
waging a whole campaign to attack progressive and liberal mainline
churches, and purge their leadership of any opposition to their
theocratic program. The IRD utilizes Horowitz tactics to spy on,
report, and then go after church leaders taking progressive
stands. And in New Orleans, Bush has used the disaster to push ahead
his “school voucher” program, which is aimed at sending students to
private (often fundamentalist) religious schools.
The moves toward establishing a theocracy are not just the ravings
of lunatics, but a well orchestrated program that stretches from the
highest levels of government, to well-funded foundations, to millions
of willing followers. All this need to be met with massive resistance
aimed at driving out this criminal regime and stopping their ugly
program being rammed down our throats, including as the confirmatio
hearings for Alito shape up next week.
The World Can’t Wait! Drive Out the Bush Regime!
(sources: “Minister, a Bush Ally, Gives Church as Site for Alito
Rally”, NY Times, 1/5; “How and Why the Christian Fascists Attack
Mainline Churches”, Revolution newspaper, 12/26)