Will there be an “after Bush” and are elections really the answer?

02/06/2007

Dear All,

I know everyone's favorite pastime is to bash Bush. However, he is but the
tip of the iceberg. Unless we begin paying attention to what's below the
waterline, we are going to go the way of the Titanic. Sooner or later there
will be an "after Bush" but I wonder what kind of America it will be.
Elections alone, for as long as we still have them, will not be enough to
keep America from descending into something none of us want to see.

Last weekend I saw Chris Hedges talk about his new book "American Fascists:
The Christian Right and the War on America" on Book TV on c-span (video at:
http://www.ichblog.eu/content/view/376/59/). I bought the book the very next
day.

The ground from which Bush arises is slightly different from that of the
neocons but the two work hand-in-hand operating much the same way to
accomplish the same thing--totalitarianism.

John Dean's book "Conservatives Without Conscience" deals with the
authoritarian personality. Chris Hedge's new book "American Fascists: The
Christian Right and the War on America" deals specifically with the
Christian Dominionists and how they have come to power to influence policy.

Authoritarians, in general, are after raw, naked power. They have no empathy
or compassion or mercy and will obtain power by any means necessary.

The Dominionists, on the other hand, are a slightly different animal. To be
sure, they too have authoritarian personalities. What is different about
them is the manner in which it manifests and the mode of operation (which is
too complex to describe here).

The significance of Hedges' book is that he reaches the very core that has
rotted out the soul of America and the implications this has on our
collective future as a nation. Unless we begin to address the despair that
is causing millions of Americans and other religious extremists to find
solace in the non-reality based world of make-believe, whatever remains of
rational thought and behavior (sanity and humanity) is deeply at risk in the
U.S.A.

The things that Hedges says about Ohio is all true. I witnessed it during my
time there from Dec. 2003 to Aug. 2004. I actually saw Ken Blackwell's pages
advancing the notion of "high character" at the Ohio Sec'ty of State website
(they are gone now with the election of a new SoS, thank goodness). My next
door neighbor in Ohio was deep into something that felt rather dubious but
not as nefarious as others I've run into. Having grown up in an entirely
different religious organization and tradition but one that had all the same
hallmarks I know exactly what Hedges is talking about, how it works, and the
effectiveness it has in shaping peoples' minds.

This is not to say that all organizations or organized religions are evil.
People need to be part of something, to feel connected, to share a bond, and
to experience communion with others. The evil is the intent and manner in
which the organization operates and that line can sometimes be razor thin.
Even within good organizations there can be people who abuse their position
but at least their sphere of influence is limited.

Unfortunately, what makes the Dominionists especially dangerous is that they
use the cover of legitimate religion but are in fact a very dangerous cult
which must be met with the same resistance as we would meet any totalitarian
dictator.

I know that it is much easier to ignore this, to be easily distracted by all
the other immediate concerns of the day, or worse, to think such talk is
outlandish and that such a thing could never happen here. But like Wile E.
Coyote flailing about in the air after he's run off the edge of the cliff
before gravity kicks in, if we don't begin taking on this issue in a more
direct way, the army of the Domionists will sweep this country like a
blitzkrieg leaving people to wonder how it happened.

When people like John Dean and Chris Hedges are writing books on this and
doing book tours and are genuinely scared for our country, we, the political
activists, would do well to pay close attention and muster our resources and
brain power to meet the threat.

So again I am asking for volunteers to take this up and to work together to
meet this threat head-on. We cannot hope to change the direction of our
country if we do not understand the despair we are dealing with and how to
pull the teeth out those who would exploit them.

Sincerely,
Margie A. Hoyt
Watonwan Co. A/C