American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War On America

[rman]

Chris Hedges on “American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War On America”
Monday, February 19th, 2007
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/02/19/1545218

Chris Hedges's new book examines how Christian dominionists are seeking absolute power and a Christian state. According to Hedges, the movement bears a strong resemblance to the young fascist movements in Italy and Germany in the 1920s and '30s. Hedges is the former New York Times Middle East bureau chief and author of "War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning."

A new book by Chris Hedges called “American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War On America” investigates the highly organized and well-funded "dominionist movement." The book investigates their agenda, examines the movement's origins and motivations and uncovers its ideological underpinnings. “American Fascists” argues that dominionism seeks absolute power in a Christian state. According to Hedges, the movement bears a strong resemblance to the young fascist movements in Italy and Germany in the 1920s and '30s.

Chris Hedges was a foreign correspondent for the New York Times for many years where he won a Pulitzer Prize. He is also the author of "War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning" and "Losing Moses on the Freeway." Chris has a Master's degree in theology from Harvard University and is the son of a Presbyterian minister. He is currently a senior fellow at the Nation Institute - and he is here with me now in the studio.

more...

[zanne]

1. Thanks.

That'll be the next non-fiction book I read.

[Dr.Phool]

2. I just ordered that yesterday.

I saw Hedges interviewed on Democracy Now a few days ago, and saw Chalmers Johnson on Book TV over the week-end, so I ordered "American Fascists", "Sorrow of Empire", and "Nemesis" yesterday.

[davekriss]

4. Read CJ's Sorrows of Empire

And I recommend it to anyone. Good read. I will be ordering Hedges' book after seeing him on Democracy Now.

One of the more chilling moments of this scary half-dozen years was hearing Chalmers Johnson, on CSPAN when Sorrows came out, say something like, "Plan your outs now, buy that condo in Vancouver or villa in Costa Rica, because when the gates shut there will be no getting out". This after painting in abstraction the bleak canvas he details in Sorrows of Empire.

[Dr.Phool]

5. I bought "Blowback" a couple of weeks ago.

Just started it last night. After seeing Johnson on C-span Sunday, I had to get the other 2 books. And I TIVOed the interview so my wife could see it when she got back in town.

[Dracos]

3. Any group that equates criticism of

there agenda as an attack on God is a dangerous group.

[Octafish]

6. RW Christian nutjobs run e-voting.

The Urosevich Brothers are big wigs at Diebold and ES&S. Crazy about control, too.

How George Bush Won the 2004 Presidential Election

Friday, 18 July 2003, 10:38 am
Sandeep Atwal
Scoop.co.nz

EXCERPT...

Helping America Vote Right

"The Christian worldview is the answer. We need Christian statesmen who press for the Crown Rights of Jesus Christ in all areas of life. This isn't political salvation or an overnight fix. It will take decades of mobilization and confrontation to undo a century of godless socialism. It must be a grassroots movement that starts in individual families and churches and then moves outward to take dominion. It must encompass every area of life and not just the political arena. Finally, it must start soon, for there isn't much time left. The Florida elections have taught us that the Democrats with their liberal/socialistic worldview will stop at nothing to seize control of the government."
-- Dr. Val Finnell, published by the Chalcedon InstituteIf the connections between Hagel and ES&S seem suspect, the origins of America's largest electronic voting machine companies may be just as distressing, especially for those who venerate the separation of church and state. The convoluted system of renaming and buyouts of America's voting system companies is a complicated story. However, once the various corporate trails have been followed, a disturbing picture comes into focus.

Brothers Bob and Todd Urosevich founded American Information Systems. Bob is currently president of Diebold and Todd Urosevich is Vice President, Aftermarket Sales of ES&S. (In 1999, American Information Systems, purchased Business Records Corp to become ES&S.)

American Information Systems (AIS) was primarily funded with money from Ahmanson brothers, William and Robert, of the Howard F. Ahmanson Co. The majority stake in ES&S is still owned by Howard F. Ahmanson and the Ahmanson Foundation

Howard Ahmanson belongs to Council for National Policy, a hard right wing organization and also helps finance The Chalcedon Institute. As the institute's own site reports, Chalcedon is a "Christian educational organization devoted to research, publishing, and promoting Christian reconstruction in all areas of life... Our emphasis on the Cultural or Dominion Mandate (Genesis 1:28) and the necessity of a return to Biblical Law has been a crucial factor in the challenge to Humanism by Christians in this country and elsewhere..." Chalcedon promotes Christian Reconstructionism, which mandates Christ's dominion over the entire world. The organization's purpose is to establish Old Testament Biblical law as the standard for society.

CONTINUED...

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0307/S00147.htm

Great thread, rman. Hedges' interview on Amy Goodman is a must-hear and -read.

To paraphrase Zappa: These kookoo fellahs want to rule and regulate us.

[Doondoo]

7. K&R

[LibertyLover]

8. I read this book last week

and found it to be excellent. Frightening as hell, but excellent. There are times I despair and believe that these nuts will force their awful religion on the whole country.