As the world awaits Obama's accession to power with unlimited hope and enthusiasm, this is certainly a time to celebrate the success of American democracy. Optimism and idealism reign supreme and it's about time after far too many years of deep disappointment. But a dark shadow mars the American political landscape. What will happen to the extreme right wing embodied in Sarah Palin's ascendancy to the national stage? Will it slide into well deserved obscurity or will it continue to plague the American body politic? It seems to me that this is a crucial question as we look ahead.
As the Republican Party attempts to regroup and begins to splinter between the moderate and far right wings, progressive thinkers will have to be conscious of any tendency to smugness. No need to worry, some say. If Palin's crowd comes out on top of the power struggle they will be so extreme and irrelevant that they will attract insufficient numbers to ever pose a significant threat again. They can be gleefully consigned to history there to be viewed occasionally as a bizarre relic of a disturbed and wacky time in the country's political journey.
However, things will not necessarily be that simple. As the organizer of a large conference after the 2004 presidential election on The Real Agenda of the Religious Far Right, I am concerned that things may not unfold so smoothly. We know from the 1930's that a global depression can provide the most fertile ground for the rise of extremist politics. The militant nationalisms of that time would never have retained their grip on power without the economic desperation of the population and their longing for charismatic leadership that would restore the power and wealth of the nation and assign blame to the groups responsible for unemployment, idle factories, dropping incomes, diminished national pride, hopelessness and futility.
That is why Obama's first priority must be the economic well being of both the United States and the world. If we were to be faced with decline and poverty, the door would open to dark, nationalist forces that would undoubtedly take a religious form. And what would that form be? The conference in New York in spring 2005 examined a phenomenon known as Dominionism -- the belief that godly Christians are now mandated by the Lord to take political power to purify America, return it to its Christian origins, and create a biblical society with biblical laws for biblical crimes. The End Times would be upon us, the Book of Revelation would provide the geopolitical road map, and the spiritual war with secularists, Muslims and others would be conducted ruthlessly.
Well educated people and progressives do themselves a disservice if they dismiss this worldview as simply idiotic, unthinkable, and confined to a lunatic fringe. Sarah Palin's rise shows there is still an appetite in America for charismatic leadership devoid of political substance; for a pretty face, a down home manner, and a torrent of ugly, distorted political attacks delivered with a sexy vibe - the heels on and the gloves off.
Serious political thinkers need to be alert to the real dangers here. Obama in all his wisdom, vision and huge emotional intelligence has vast potential to bring America the leadership it so desperately needs. But he faces global challenges unseen since 1932. If he falters, an abyss might yawn. From it might emerge combined political and religious forces convinced of their spiritual rectitude and their opponents' evil, and intent on establishing a militaristic theocracy that elevates America and Jesus combined to godlike status.
It's time to educate ourselves more about The New Apostolic Reformation and the spiritual warfare to which Palin's Assemblies of God Church appears to subscribe. When the prayer warriors of this movement delight in the burning of a Transcendental Meditation Center and the persecution of African 'witches' as perceived results of their spiritual efforts, we should all be concerned. We can learn more from web sites like talk2action.org that are engaged in thorough investigations of the disturbing belief systems prevalent in Dominionist churches. Journalists need to ask Sarah Palin directly about her religious beliefs regarding spiritual warfare, the End Times, even the appearance of the Anti-Christ.
It's well known that certain fundamentalist circles suspect that Obama is 'The One,' a forerunner of the Beast foretold in the Book of Revelation. Check out the views of Hal Lindsey, author of the fundamentalist classic, The Late, Great Planet Earth. Could that suspicion lie behind their unwavering attempts to 'expose' his links to terrorists, his sympathy for Islam, his phenomenal charisma that, they feel, can only be explained by diabolical forces that stand behind him? No doubt Sarah Palin thinks of herself as a good mom, a nice person, a follower of Jesus, and a devoted public servant. But death threats against Obama immediately spiked when her inflammatory, lipsticked rhetoric began to work its influence on the minds of unthinking people.
We can't assume this kind of thing is now over. It seems to me that despite the current ascendancy of progressive politics we must educate ourselves about the beliefs of the religious far right, be alert to their strategies, and insist that the media penetrate into the core worldview of any major political candidate. Cathleen Falsani's interview with Obama at Beliefnet on the nature of his spirituality offers a fine model of how to approach this crucial subject. And, above all, we must hope that the world turns away from Depression and moves firmly toward prosperous, sustained, green renewal.
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So it was okay for the Republicans to obsess about Dukakis, and compare Bill Clinton to him in 1992, but it's NOT okay for us to be questioning this woman who is SHOVING HERSELF IN OUR FACES less than three weeks after the election???
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I don't recall Dukakis being kicked around three weeks after he lost...
As far as Clinton, you simply prove my point..
Democrats were hysterical with all the Clinton obsession as displayed by the GOP..
So, is the proper response to that simply to be obsessive towards a GOP'er???
I thought Democrats consider themselves BETTER than the GOP..
Yet it seems that the Democrats are no different and no better than the GOP..
A point I have been driving home for going over 3 years now...
Michale.....
I'm just saying that you are coming here and claiming don't worry about her she's useless, when she's really not! I'm not going to be talking bad about her for the next four years, but I'm ALSO not going to rest on Obama's laurels and let her sneak up on us in 2012!
I have never heard one word about making this country a theocracy. Funny how those on the 'outside' see things. Sarah's faith isn't any different than those who wrote the constitution. Remember, many came here because they were religions and wanted to avoid persecution back home? These committed Christians were a key component of the think tank that created a Constitution that gives us freedom of speech and religion or no religion. You have the freedom to write this type of stuff, I have never heard one Christian question that right. Actually, the only people I hear trying to take away right are the liberals themselves, aka Fairness Doctrine.
Maybe we can focus on the issues in the next election, not hype.
And one more point, how many of the founding fathers were actually first generation?? ALL of them (or at least all the big ones....) had been born here, as had their parents, which means that NONE of the big ones came here on their own to escape religious persecution!
Actually, those of us who used to be a part of it can speak to the issue quite well.
BTW, we have "Freedom of speech and freedom of religion" SPECIFICALLY because Christians couldn't keep from killing each other and discriminating against each other, just as they had done all over Europe.
3 weeks past the election, the obsession is down right scary!
Ya'all obviously have not heard the term, "me thinks thou doth protest TOO much"..
Michale.....
Second, when this woman is not only shoving herself (Jesse Jackson style) in front of every TV camera she can find, AND claiming that she's ALREADY considering running for PRESIDENT in 2012, we have a right and a DUTY to continue to point out her flaws!
You realize how much that will HURT your cause, don't you??
Because Joe Q Public will actually start SUPPORTING Palin once they see all the obsessive hysterics over her..
Anyone who has more than 2 brain cells to rub together knows what the Left thinks of Palin. By constantly attacking her, you are making Palin the victim and the Left just look like a bunch of crazed loons... More so than normally...
Michale.....
In 2012, after four brief years, Obama's failed presidency will be replaced by a REAL leader, someone who has actually DONE something in her political carreer.
Boooooo!
She took her town of Wasilla with no debt, and left it with a useless hockey stadium, legal troubles, and $20 MILLION in debt.
.
Yeah, that's about it!
Highest in the country...
How 'bout that...
Michale.....
As to Palin and the Republican Party - Palin is more of an independent, not beloved by Washington, never was. There is a difference between Conservatives and the Republican Party – most conservatives are Independents, and that includes those that are on the “religious right”. There are questions as to how many of those did not vote in this election – simply because they could not “hold their nose and vote for McCain”, even with Palin on the ticket. (continued)
So yes, you can worry if you want to-- but it will do no good.
I wish Senator Obama much success in his time in office. For America to be successful, he must to a good job. I plan to support him more than liberals ever support my President, George W Bush. But I will pay great attention and speak out loudly when he does something against the interests of my country.
And you can bet that in 2012 there will be many millions who will support Governor Palin should she decide to run for President. The numbers are a million strong right now, and we are 4 years out.
Thanks for taking time to read this.
Ooops, my mistake. It wasn’t Sarah...
"“It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and
"Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"
"Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious
"Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people..."
Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d dy of October, A.D. 1789.
(signed) G. Washington
http://www.globalfuture.com/thanksgiving.htm
Have a nice Thanksgiving. :-)
My guess is most of you know very little about Governor Palin, except what you see on MSNBC. How many have taken time to look at her incredible career?
You know, Governor Palin took out the top leadership in her own party. Even the head of the Republican party up there was forced to resign and pay the largest fine of it's kind in history.
Governor Palin also cleaned house when she was the Chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. She ended widespread corruption, fought big oil, and renegotiated lease deals, to benefit the state. Currently Governor Palin chairs several other energy regulatory boards, including an interstate board, and the National Governors Committee on energy. She's what's known as an expert.
Don't dismiss her role as Commander-in-chief of the Alaskan National Guard, the only of it's kind to be permanent deployed. Her command runs the Alaskan Air Defense. Governor Palin carries a very high national security clearance, as such.
She's STILL a governor, which means that no matter how "deployed" her National Guard is, she's ONLY the administrative head, NOT the actual "commander", which means that her "high national security clearance" is worth less than MY secret clearance that lapsed when I was honorably discharged from the US Navy!
Therein lies the rub. I was dumbfounded by how UNpenetrating the media was regarding Ms. Palin's core beliefs, not to mention her and her husband's associations with the Alaska Independence Party. But in the media's defense.... they couldn't get close to her unless they had Fox News press credentials.
Excellent and penetrating post, yourself, Mr. White.
Palin regarding her End Times beliefs. All the info floating around about her church and
it's radical teachings are indeed worrisome and the sooner she is publicly exposed the better.
Of course 'serious journalist' and main stream media do not seem to be one in the same
any longer. We are left with the likes of Greta Van Susteren , Charlie Gibson, etc.
Katie Couric had a shot but she missed it.
People want to know and others need to know.
Thanks again.
Very well said except it describes our nation's recent election of "The One."
Sinclair Lewis