Chris Hedges has published a new book, "American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America." Michelle Goldberg interviews Hedges about his book in Salon. Some excerpts:
"Fascism" or "fascist" is a terribly loaded word, and it evokes a historical period, primarily that of the Nazis, and to a lesser extent Mussolini. But fascism as an ideology has generic qualities. ... I think there are enough generic qualities that the group within the religious right, known as Christian Reconstructionists or dominionists, warrants the word. Does this mean that this is Nazi Germany? No. Does this mean that this is Mussolini's Italy? No. Does this mean that this is a deeply anti-democratic movement that would like to impose a totalitarian system? Yes.
I not only grew up in the church but graduated from seminary, and I look at this as a mass movement. I give it very little religious legitimacy, especially the extreme wing of it.
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Hedges firmly believes that the leadership of the movement is consciously totalitarian.
The level of manipulation is quite sophisticated. These people understand the medium of television, they understand the despair and brokenness of the people they appeal to, and how to manipulate them both for personal and financial gain. I look at these figures, and I would certainly throw James Dobson in there, or Pat Robertson, as really dark figures. I think the vast majority of followers have no idea.
America has nothing to fight them with.
The core of this movement is tiny, but you only need a tiny, disciplined, well-funded and well-organized group, and then you count on the sympathy of 80 million to 100 million evangelicals. And that's enough. Especially if you don't have countervailing forces, which we don't ...There has been a kind of Weimarization of the American working class, and there's a terrible instability in the middle class. And if we enter a period of political and social instability, this gives this movement the opportunity it's been waiting for.
Problems with our economy and the likelihood, Hedges says, of another catastrophic attack on the US, are just what the fundamentalist leadership are waiting for.
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More on the threat from the Christian fundamentalists:
"A very serious and frightening warning: will anyone listen?"
"New Life Church, Pastor Ted, Jeff Sharlet, Chris Hedges, and a very nasty God"
"Jeff Sharlet on the Christian men's movement"
"You should never mention the name 'Christian Coalition' in Republican circles."
"Jeff Sharlet on how fundamentalists are 'reimagining' American history"
