The dangers of the Christian Coalition

It is a bizarre and paradoxical state of Democracy that leads to anti-Democratic political movements that work within its respective system. This happens all the time in European parliamentary systems. Usually though, this is kept in check by the fact that anti-Democratic political power is evenly distributed among opposite ends of the political spectrum. So while the Fascists and Marxists dislike Democracy, they hate each other even more, and prefer Democracy to being ruled by the opposite extreme.

However, right now in America we have a very dangerous group of anti-Democratic activists gaining political power with no opposite extremist group to counter them. Namely the Religious Right.

Many rational Republicans tend to ignore the growing power the religious right has on their party. They do so at their peril. The President is a staunch and unapologetic leader of the Religious Right, he shows this in his undemocratic and underhanded recess appointments of Pickering and Pryor as well as his speeches which are latent with references to the Book of Revelation. Over at the american street David Neiwert explains how the religious right is attempting to quietly pass laws in order to further their power.

To put the issue facing us bluntly, the Republican Party has strong control over the federal government, and the Religious Right is a strong and growing force within the Republican Party.

So why should we be concerned? Because the Religious Right supports an anti-Democratic platform. They hold a view of what America should be that is entirely contradictory to the Constitution and the fundamental pluralism that is essential in a modern Republican government. (side note: I really don't know how to get past the ambiguity of dealing with Democratic and Republican Parties and discussing our government system that they compose, which is by definition both Doemocratic and Republican. Oh well, damn these dual meanings)

Of course it's a given that people have a right to believe whatever they want to believe, and a fundamental component of a Democracy is to allow all people to have a voice, even those who would undo that Democracy. But when an anti-Democratic organization begins taking a monopoly of power within a Democratic government, that is what the Historians like to call "not a good sign." And America's bipartisan political system makes the growing power of the Religious Right very hard to counter.

So what can be done? I hold onto the belief and hope that American Democracy is made of tougher stuff than any anti-Democratic political organization can deal with, but it takes an unfettered activism on the part of citizens. This involves everyone, even Republicans, recognize the powerful position of the Religious Right, and act accordingly.