Product Description
Twenty-five years ago, when Pat Robertson and other radio and televangelists first spoke of the United States becoming a Christian nation that would build a global Christian empire, it was hard to take such hyperbolic rhetoric seriously. Today, such language no longer sounds like hyperbole but poses, instead, a very real threat to our freedom and our way of life. In American Fascists, Chris Hedges, veteran journalist and author of the National Book Award finalist War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, challenges the Christian Right's religious legitimacy and argues that at its core it is a mass movement fueled by unbridled nationalism and a hatred for the open society. Hedges, who grew up in rural parishes in upstate New York where his father was a Presbyterian pastor, attacks the movement as someone steeped in the Bible and Christian tradition. He points to the hundreds of senators and members of Congress who have earned between 80 and 100 percent approval ratings from the three most influential Christian Right advocacy groups as one of many signs that the movement is burrowing deep inside the American government to subvert it. The movement's call to dismantle the wall between church and state and the intolerance it preaches against all who do not conform to its warped vision of a Christian America are pumped into tens of millions of American homes through Christian television and radio stations, as well as reinforced through the curriculum in Christian schools. The movement's yearning for apocalyptic violence and its assault on dispassionate, intellectual inquiry are laying the foundation for a new, frightening America. American Fascists, which includes interviews and coverage of events such as pro-life rallies and weeklong classes on conversion techniques, examines the movement's origins, its driving motivations and its dark ideological underpinnings. Hedges argues that the movement currently resembles the young fascist movements in Italy and Germany in the 1920s and '30s, movements that often masked the full extent of their drive for totalitarianism and were willing to make concessions until they achieved unrivaled power. The Christian Right, like these early fascist movements, does not openly call for dictatorship, nor does it use physical violence to suppress opposition. In short, the movement is not yet revolutionary. But the ideological architecture of a Christian fascism is being cemented in place. The movement has roused its followers to a fever pitch of despair and fury. All it will take, Hedges writes, is one more national crisis on the order of September 11 for the Christian Right to make a concerted drive to destroy American democracy. The movement awaits a crisis. At that moment they will reveal themselves for what they truly are -- the American heirs to fascism. Hedges issues a potent, impassioned warning. We face an imminent threat. His book reminds us of the dangers liberal, democratic societies face when they tolerate the intolerant.
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 IF NOT NOW, WHEN? WHO, IF NOT YOU? ( josefbush1 )
I wish I had written this book: It is so good and its about time. For years I've been watching the war of attrition against the United States of America waged by Christofacist fanatics, and growing too, and not found a way to do anything about it. One's life as a citizen is personal, not theoretical. I know it, but for years as I've traveled back and forth across the country, I've felt out of place, out of step, and since it is virtually impossible for me to hold my tongue in any dispute, I've withdrawn into a shell rather than offend a widening group of citizens who simply refuse not only to see the danger, but refuse to act. You cannot cope with a danger if you do not recognize its existence.
"There can be no liberty for a community which lacks the means by which to detect lies." Walter Lipmann.
That's only one of the many quotes Hedges uses in this book. The Bibliography is wonderful, and as a kind of demonstration of the depth of Hedges' inquiry, I want to cite some of the books from which he quotes.
THE OPEN SOCIETY AND ITS ENEMIES: Karl Popper
INSTITUTES OF BIBLICAL LAW: Rushdoony
ANATOMY OF FASCISM: Robert O. Paxton
THE POLITICS OF CULTURAL DESPAIR: A study in the Rise of the Germanic Ideology, by Fritz Stern
LEFT BEHIND: A series of apocalyptic Christian novels, by Timothy LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
LIFE TOGETHER: Dietrich Bonhoeffer
MALE FANTASIES: Klaus Therweleit
THE BOOK OF JERRY FALWELL: Susan Friend Harding
THE RAPE OF THE MIND: The Psychology of Thought Control, Menticide, and Brainwashing, by Joost A. M. Meerloo
ANGELS IN AMERICA: Tony Kushner
A PARENTS GUIDE TO PREVENTING HOMOSEXUALITY: Dr. Joseph Nicolosi & Linda Ames Nicolosi
THE ORIGINS OF TOTALITARIANISM: Hannah Arendt
CROWDS AND POWER: Elias Canetti
ETERNAL FASCISM: Fourteen Ways of Looking at a Blackshirt, by Umberto Eco
THE GREAT AWAKENING: Stephen D. O'Leary
I wish I could fund a movement to give copies of this book to every student that enters any Civics class. (Assuming Civics is still taught. I'm fairly sure it is in public schools, though I doubt it is in private or parochial ones. I don't imagine Home Schoolers teach anything like Civics. Why would you when you're teaching your children to avoid society?) Is it an angry book? Michelle Goldberg, interviewing the author for SALON suggests to him that it well may be. He responded: "Good. My father remains the most important influence on my life, an he was a Presbyterian minister, a devout CHristian. I quote Reinhold Niebuhr saying, 'Religion is a good thing for good people and a bad thing for bad people.' I wouldn't describe myself as paricularly pious but I certainly would describe myself as religious. And when I see how these people are manipulating the Christian religion for personal empowerment and wealth and for the destruction of the very values that I think are embodied in the teachings of Jesus Christ, I'm angry." I'm angry too, for though I'm not a Christian, I always try to behave like one. And, because I love Democracy I'm afraid I'm in for a rough (or rougher) time with the Christofascists on the march. Well, the first Christians found the strength to face lions. I guess I can face down a few fanatics. Time to get busy.
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 Book illustrates well the subtle similarities between the far right in pre-3rd Reich Germany and the U.S. Today ( leo1cat2 )
The strength of this book lies in its ability to point out the similarities between the ideologies and actions of the far right American Evangelicals (with emphasis on far right as opposed to moderate) and the similarities they have had "seeds" (before achieving of power) of totalitarian regimes in the past. Examples include the thorough distortion of of past records and transformations into new dialectically opposed "realities". For example, most far right Evangelicals (as typified by preachers of the "Moral Majority") were vehemently opposed to the civil rights movement and Martin Luther King. Jerry Falwell's University was enforcing racial integration even into the 1980s. Despite this they have transformed history to the point where they have become proud proponents of the civil rights movement. Like Hitler, they have espoused "moral principles" while, themselves, engaging in actions that can be described as quite dispicable. There is no shortage of actions by these preachers and leaders of this movement that shows the hypocricy. hedges provides page upon page of documentation on preachers and leaders of this movement, for example, who request that their followers (those of modest means) contribute 10% of their incomes (or even forego paying bills) in order to send money to their hypocrites so they can maintain their multi-million dollar homes, jets, and hollywood life styles. Hedges also goes to great lengths to document the hatred these degenerates espouse in their written and oral comments.
He extensevely documents the insults that these scum have poured on to even other Christian denominations (i.e., Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, etc.). It is remarkable how little the "mainstream" (or "liberal") press has reported these facts. Hedges also does an excellent job at describing the "base" of these groups. This consists of, more or less, very downtrodden individuals (i.e., long-term unemployed, etc.). He also points out the danger that if the economy slips into a depression or there is some other traumatic event this base can increase drammatically thus enlarging the political power of the far right Evangelical movement. This, in Hedges view, is the true danger and means whereby the movement can make its way into power.
Hedges offers potential counter strategies to this movement but, unfortunately, this is where the book is weak. He cites a quote from Karl Poppor's book the "Open Society and its Enemies" that well sums up well the need for action as opposed to passivity but his strategies are weak. Hedges states that the primary way to prevent this group from increasing is power is to prevent the further decline of the middle and lower classes. He does not provide a concrete strategy here other than to say that, in sweeping terms, "anti-poverty" measures and measures needed to prop up the lower and middle classes are needed. He does not mention concrete steps though. Also, conidering that the economic base that has, more or less, upheld the living standards of this economic group has collapsed (i.e., manufacturing, unionized industries) and will not be making a comeback anytimne soon how is this possible. It seems almost pre-ordained that the lower and middle classes will continue taking a beating with the implied increase in the far right's power. Hedges also states, in this book, his support for illegal immigrants. This further depresses the wages of those at the botton hence further increasing the ranks of the far right's "base".
Hedge's second strategy to counter the right is the extensive use of "hate speech" style laws. Considering the fact that these very laws amount the decimation of what Hedges is trying to protect (i.e., freedom of the press, thought, etc.) it amounts to having to turn into the very enemy he is trying to fight. A more realistic solution would be to openly attack, by presenting the far right's views and statements, wherever possible. Unfortunately the "mainstream" press has proven itself far too cowardly to pursue this course of action. It needs to change its tune before it is too late.
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Stone
An excellent wake up call for every American. Hedges' only major oversight is not mentioning the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people are blinded by religious doctrine and unaware how they betray the very country they are praying to save. By understanding the tactics of the Religious Right, we can work against theocracy and help to rebuild the secular democratic republic called the United States of America.
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 Hedges was on to Something and Lost His Main Theme Due to Poor Sources ( learn2discern )
The United States is not the Kingdom of God. On this implied point from Chris Hedges' book I agree. I think Chris Hedges, a Harvard Seminary Graduate, has described the ultra-fundamentalist right wing political Christians aptly. In their mind there is a "war" that needs to be raged against secular humanism, the media, the Democratic Party, and the list goes on. However, the problem with this "war" that they want to fight is the fact that they are fighting for some very radical things. Moreover, they are fighting against groups that are not a threat to them; groups such as Mainline Protestant denominations, the Roman Catholic Church, etc. The fight is actually against anyone or anything that does not adhere to their agenda. On all these facts, I agree with Chris Hedges and the points he makes.
However, and this is a fairly big "however," Hedges' book is very poorly researched, several of his sources are simply not credible for what and how he is using them (hint: Rolling Stone Magazine is not a good political source). Hedges uses too many secondary sources and not enough primary sources for some of his main issues/points. He should know better than to do this with his academic background. Moreover, several of Hedges arguments against certain groups end up being very poor caricatures of people and/or groups. One example of this that comes to mind is in the chapter titled "The War on Truth" where Hedges describes the creationist versus evolution debate. Hedges builds a straw man argument about creationism, describes creationists as one particular kind of group, implies that this is the only creationist view there is and proceeds to dismantle that faulty definition/group that he has established as "creationist." Not all creationists believe the earth was created in a literal 6 days, not all creationists read the Bible with an absolute literal hermeneutic. It was these things and a few other inconsistencies that caused me to rate the book lower.
I do think, however, that Hedges is on to something with many of these Fundamentalist right-wing Christian groups. There is a strong Christian Nationalism that underpins many of these groups and this does in may ways lead to Fascist activities (e.g. book banning or book burning, etc.), and these groups and their agendas are quite dangerous. WE saw this a bit in this loast election, Sarah Palin being a type of Christian fundamentalist nationalist. These groups and their Christian Nationalist tendencies have nothing whatsoever to do with the Kingdom of God that Jesus proclaimed in the first century and the New Testament writings. On this point, that was at least implied in Hedges work, I agree.
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EXCELLENT WORK BUT COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH BETTER ( theancientreader )
I had quite mixed emotions about this particular work. To begin with, the book was not what I expected. When I read several of the prereleases from the publisher I was expecting a more scholarly work, one that was a bit heaver on the research side, and less of the "rant" side. But to my somewhat disappointment, which is really neither here or there, it is probably more my problem than the authors. Expectations can so often let you down and the author really should not be held responsible for my not doing my research closer.
First, I am not a theologian, far from it. I do though have a great interest in this particular subject. I am what I would consider to be a Christian, although by the standards as outlined in this work, a rather poor one, or so it would seem. I have done a tremendous amount of reading on this subject and am in a position that I am fortunately (or unfortunately, depending upon how you look at it) able to observe first hand many of the phenomena outlined in this volume. Secondly, I have for quite a number of years, held the belief that the religious right; those of the Jerry Falwell, D. James Kennedy, Pat Robertson, James Dobson and their ilk type, represent one of the greatest threats to this country since it was founded. I have felt that the apparent take over by these men and their followers of the Republican Party has been both amazing and frightening. It absolutely sickens me when this group asserts that they represent Christianity...I simply do not like being soiled with the same label.
Now as to this book. The author has made an attempt, and I must say, has made some very good points, to compare the religious right, i.e. fundamentalists and literalists with Fascism. Many of the examples the author provides us are down right scary and completely dead on. Personally knowing some of these folks; their beliefs and attitudes and teachings, I do feel the author makes a strong case. These people are indeed a great threat to our freedom and the stabilization of the world in general. It is at this point where I start having problems with the author's work. It would not take someone with a lot of intelligence to make some of the very same claims against the extreme left in our society, and their arguments would be just as valid as this author's!
Intolerance, be it from the left or right, is an odious and dangerous thing! People who tell you how to live your life and that their way is the only way, should be watched quite closely! On the other hand, I myself am as guilty as the next when it comes to the religious right as I find I have a very low tolerance level. I Suppose I need to work on that.
On the plus side of this work, I do feel this is one that everyone should read so that there is an awareness of the potential dangers out there for we as individuals, and we as a nation. Now this book had a definite agenda, there is no doubt about that. Personally I read books that have agendas with a jaundice eye. I guess what I am trying to say, is that I question this type of book and take a closer look than I do others. As my personal beliefs tend to lean toward this author's views, I had to agree with about 80 percent of his message. Like all such books though, it will not persuade either side, left or right, Christian or non Christian one way or another. For me it only reinforced what I already felt. Then I read a work such as this that disagrees with my feelings and experience, then I usually believe only about 20 percent of what I am being fed. Guess that is sort of human nature.
I enjoyed the book, agreed with most of it, but felt the author's propensity to rant made it much less effective than it could have been. In many ways he, the author, was practicing the same dreadful thing he was so critical of, that being intolerance. I do recommend this one as a read, but a read that should be tempered with common sense and certainly should not be taken as the ultimate authority on the subject. I am giving this one four stars. It could have been five stars had it been approached differently, and I probably should actually give in three or two stars simply because, in many ways, the author blew it.
Don Blankenship
The Ozarks
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