Chris Hedges is not a well-recognized author; at least, I never knew him. After graduating from Colgate, he intended to follow in the footsteps of his father by becoming a preacher. While receiving his Master’s at Harvard Divinity, he regrouped and focused more on the problems associated with war. He became a correspondent for the New York Times and other publications and was a witness to many wars (Central America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Turkey, Bosnia). His prior books dealt with his perceptions of how war influenced human personalities, including its brutalizing forces.
In “American Fascists”, he focuses on a very disturbing phenomenon of the power of the extreme right-wing Christian groups, epitomized by James Dobson, Pat Robertson, Paul and Jan Couch and, in general, those who expect the Rapture of those saved and the damnation of all others.
My first glimpse into this potential harm to us all was Kevin Phillips’ book, “American Theocracy” in which he painted the disturbing picture that his hopes for a Republican and conservative majority was taken over by religious ideologues. Conservative principles, e.g., fiscal integrity, was overwhelmed by belief systems focusing of social issues, e.g., abortion.
Hedges spells out in great detail the agenda of these groups, labeled dominionism because their goal is to dominate the nation and world in a political system dictated by the few authoritarian figures.
You would think that such a scenario is preposterous, except for his point that those who advocate tolerance to the point of tolerating such errors can result in their own demise. Referencing Germany and how Hilter took over with the benign neglect of the liberals, he campaigns for the pushing people to see the need to fight such groups. Their extreme views are repugnant, but it is times such as ours when people feel desperate, alienated, and frightened by the economic meltdown that they pursue comfort by joining with others who offer a simplistic avenue to a hopeful eternity!
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