Ban Books, Gag Opponents: Hysterical Secularist Slams "Fascist" Christians

Posted by Rick Pearcey

"Breezing through the bookstore at Reagan National Airport the other day," writes author Don Feder, I came across a new volume with the intriguing yet subtle title, American Fascists – The Christian Right and The War on America by former New York Times' correspondent Chris Hedges. But, as the saying goes, tell us what you really think.". . .

* No Hyperbole: "In the introduction, Hedges makes it clear that he actually is comparing evangelical opponents of abortion and gay marriage to the monsters who burned books, ran death camps and plunged humanity into a world war that left 63 million dead. Except it’s Hedges who wants to ban books and gag his opponents. . . ."

* Harvard Divinity, the Nazi Hunter: "The author begins with a quote from one of his distinguished professors at the Harvard Divinity School (where Christianity disappeared decades ago): 'The Nazis,' he said, 'were not going to return with swastikas and brown shirts. Their ideological inheritors in America have found a mask for fascism in patriotism and the pages of the Bible.' Apparently, everything Hedges learned in the intervening years confirmed that grotesque prophecy."

* Hysteria: "Hedges’ screed is the latest in a long, long, line of hysterical tracts denouncing what the secular left calls the Religious Right. The past year alone has seen . . . saliva-specked exposes of alleged Christian extremism" . . .

* Rosie O'Donnell: "Such sentiments are endlessly repeated as an article of faith by politicians, journalists and entertainers. . . . Last fall, seminal political thinker Rosie O’Donnell instructed viewers of ABC’s 'The View,' that 'Radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam in a country like America where we have separation of church and state.'" . . .

* Fighting "Fascism" With Fascism: "The Left takes a page out of the playbook of Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels, who confessed, 'If you tell a big lie enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.' . . . In the name of fighting fascism, [Hedges] wants to institute censorship and punish political incorrectness with prison sentences. Irony is always lost on the Left."

* Left-Footed Jackboots: "I’m tickled pink (no pun intended) when the Left starts casually throwing around charges of fascism. Look in their closets, and you’ll find jackboots shined and ready to wear." . . .

* Goebbels State University: "Over what institution does the left exert the greatest control (even more than over Hollywood and the news media)? Answer: Academia. Now, what institution most closely resembles a police state in its posture toward dissent? Same answer."

* Shut Up and Burn: "At American colleges and universities, Christian student groups are being told to renounce their principles or lose official status. Conservative newspapers are burned. Conservative speakers are shouted down or assaulted with impunity. Students who vigorously challenge leftist dogma are suspended or expelled. Professors are denied tenure for failure to parrot the party line.". . .

* Bible Belt Nazis: "In documenting the perils of incipient totalitarianism in the Bible Belt, Hedges describes his hair-raising adventures at a 'Love Won Out' conference (for those born-again who left the gay lifestyle), a Creationism Museum in Petersburg, KY, (FYI, the Nazis were evolutionists) and one of Dr. D. James Kennedy’s 'Evangelism Explosion,' seminars where conferees were taught how to bring people to 'the Christian Right’s version of Christ.' Christians evangelizing? Fancy that.'"

* Breathless: "The goal, Hedges breathlessly discloses, is 'not simply conversion but also eventual recruitment into a political movement to create a Christian nation,' where the Bill of Rights would be repealed and the Constitution replaced by Jerry Falwell’s latest sermon. . . ."

* Secularists' Original Lie: "The original lie of the Left is that America was a nation founded on a secular worldview -- one nation under who-knows-what, with liberty and justice for all. The monumental task of historical revisionism started 60 years ago and continues to this day. To maintain this fiction, the elite relies on intimidation and ignorance of history -- one reason American history is no longer taught in our schools." . . .

* Jackboots for Christians: "Hedges is chillingly clear when he writes that the Christian Right (read: normative Christianity) 'should no longer be tolerated' because it 'would destroy the tolerance that makes an open society possible.'" . . .

* For Starters: "Restricting religious radio stations to broadcasting Gospel music, taking 'Focus on The Family,' 'The 700 Club,' and 'The Coral Ridge Hour' off the air, padlocking the doors of the D.C. headquarters of Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, and the National Association of Evangelicals, closing religious day schools and Bible camps, and tearing pages from Leviticus out of Bibles." . . .

"The next book Christopher Hedges writes about fascism should be autobiographical."

Don Feder's column appears here.

Related:
Fascism Is Back
Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell Should Face Jail for Preaching
O'Reilly, Letterman, and the Culture War


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Rick Pearcey is editor and publisher of The Pearcey Report.