American Fascists chronicles the frighteningly similar behaviour and language of the Christian Right in America, particularly those the author designates Dominionists, to the Nazi Party in 1930s Germany. Chris Hedges’ background (raised in a Christian family and a former seminarian) gives him the depth of understanding to decipher the coded language of people like Jan and Paul Crouch at Trinity Broadcasting Network. A common myth today is that Hitler and the Nazis came to power through violent overthrow of the German government. Nothing could be further from the truth and the book points out this misconception. The Nazis were elected to the most seats in the Reichstag and Paul von Hindenburgh had no choice but to appoint Hitler Chancellor. Also other smaller conservative parties believed once in power they could control him. After von Hindenburgh’s death, Hitler combined the position of Reich President and Reich Chancellor to become Führer all through quasi-legal political means. Citing the crisis of the Depression and fear of communist revolution he drew more power to himself, culminating in the Nuremburg Laws of 1935 which were passed ostensibly for security reasons. Sound familiar? Hitler did have paramilitary forces who were used not against the state but to intimidate critics. Hedges draws attention in the book to Blackwater, the security company of some notoriety in recent years. Its ties to the Christian Right are downright scary. Is this Pat Robertson’s Sturmabteilung (SA) or Paul and Jan Crouch’s Schutzstaffel (SS)? Today at least a third of the House of Representatives in Washington are born again Christian. Some call publicly for the execution of doctors who perform abortions and for a ban on single mothers teaching school.
The book takes us on a journey from the distortion of faith through the proselytizing of hope to the frightened and discouraged to the chains of fear used to keep those caught in the web from straying. The Catholic Church is labelled a pagan cult (I actually had a personal experience of this a few years ago when a student rose in class to announce that Catholics were not Christians). Islam is a Satanic religion bent on the destruction of Christianity and Christians and therefore must itself be destroyed. Every word of the Bible is the literal truth and the only truth. Americans are the new chosen people. Europe will be the army of the Anti-Christ. The goal of the Christian Right is to found a theocracy and they are getting close to doing it. Just as in the rise of the Nazis in the 1930s they will do it in the name of traditional values and security but the result will be the same. Followers are told to withdraw from relatives and friends who are non-believers. To hate those who willingly follow Satan. That is anyone who disagrees with the edicts of the movement’s leadership. Non-believers are said to be non-human and not deserving of tolerance. Rather they need to be eradicated from our communities.
Here is a passage of what Dominionists, the thrust of the Christian Right, see as their goal:
Dominionism preaches that Jesus has called on Christians to build the kingdom of God in the here and now, whereas previously it was thought that we would have to wait for it. America becomes, in this militant biblicism, an agent of God, and all political and intellectual opponents of America’s Christian leaders are viewed, quite simply, as agents of Satan. Under Christian dominion, America will be no longer a sinful and fallen nation bu one in which the 10 Commandments form the basis of our legal system, creationism and “Christian values” form the basis of our educational system, and the media and the government proclaim the Good News to one and all. Labor unions, civil-rights laws and public schools will be abolished. Women will be removed from the workforce to stay at home, and all those deemed insufficiently Christian will be denied citizenship.
Not exactly the world I want to live in. But no worry because when they do take over I will be one of those to quickly have their breathing privileges revoked. Much of the book would be comic if not for the deadly seriousness of the issues at stake. But I do admit to roaring with laughter through most of Chapter Nine God: The Commercial. Well worth a read.
Bibliographic information:
Hedges, Chris. American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America. New York: Free Press. 2006. 274 pages. ISBN-13: 978-0-7432-8446-2. Paperback Canada $16.00
Rating: 
