Since the attacks of Sept. 11, the president and his administration have converged a religious fundamentalist worldview with a political agenda -- a distinctly partisan one, wrapped in the mantle of national interest but crafted by and for only those who share their outlook. It is a modern form of political fundamentalism -- that is, the adaptation of a self-proclaimed conservative Christian rectitude, by way of strategic language choices and communication approaches designed for a mass-media culture, into political policy.Motivated by this ideology, the Bush administration has sought to control public discourse and to engender a climate of nationalism in which the public views presidential support as a patriotic duty and Congress (and the United Nations) is compelled to rubber-stamp administration policies.
The goal is a national mood of spiritual superiority under the guise of a just sovereignty. The ultimate irony is that in combating the Islamic extremists responsible for Sept. 11, the administration has crafted, pursued and engendered its own brand of political fundamentalism -- one that, while clearly tailored to a modern democracy, nonetheless functions ideologically in a manner similar to the version offered by the terrorists.
David Domke in the Seattle Post Intelligencer
Finally, someone who has hit the nail on the head. Bush and his cronies are fundamentally wrong! By adopting these sorts of policies and tactics, they reveal their true selves. They are no more Christian than the terrorists they claim to be fighting. The founding fathers, especially Thomas Jefferson, would have been appalled and disgusted by such behavior (remember the Alien and Sedition Acts). It is not the patriotic duty of Americans to unconditionally support the president. Indeed, he should be the one listening to the American people, for he is supposed to be our servant, not we his.
Posted by: CWS on October 4, 2004 10:23 PM
