Say what you will about Governor Sarah Palin’s nomination. The fact remains that she accomplished what she came to do: energize the Republican base. The so-called values voters are mesmerized by Palin’s quaint cultural narrative, even when facing numerous problems at home and abroad. Even while other Republicans distance themselves from their own party, the base emerges to dominate the crowds at McCain / Palin rallies.
I really thought I was prepared for this. I thought I had this particular block of the electorate figured out. These were single issue voters in 2004, people who spun the election into a debate on the sanctity of marriage. It was even preached from the pulpits of many churches in southern and western states. I realized then that “Republican base” was a polite way of saying church folk. These voters can be riled up about any ol’ thing in order to place them in a political corner. They take anything else a politician says ON FAITH as long as the one issue they care about is dealt with appropriately. I consider them unwitting participants in an effort to divide and conquer us all.
Sadly, that is not the whole picture. In those days, values voters were part of a winning team. Sure they were haughty and smug, but their views were being championed ... so they were reasonably well behaved. Now the “energy” they exude is anger, fear, and righteous indignation. We’ve heard as much during rallies for the McCain / Palin ticket. Calls to bomb Obama, to kill him, and to accuse him of treason reveal a much darker portrait of the base. The wiggly worm of suggestion has invaded their minds, filling their dreams with terrorists and black liberation theologians. This is the culture of rural white working class voters; down home and country, harkening back to a simpler time when stuff was cheap, men were brave and black folk didn’t run for elected office. To them, being arabic is much different from being a decent, hard working person.
But let’s be sure to remember the religious nature of the Republican base. This point is crucial to understanding them, particularly their use of faith and belief to sustain their political views. To this aim, may I present to you REVEREND ARNOLD CONRAD giving an invocation at a McCain rally in Davenport, Iowa.
“Let’s pray. Our god, we want to honor you today as the sovereign lord of this universe. You tell us in your word that you raise up leaders and you pull them down. So we know that you are in charge of everything that’s going to happen between now and November. And lord, we just appeal to you for this event. We want to ask your blessing on our time together today. Please energize Senator McCain as he seeks to share his vision of what we need to do for the problems that we face as a country. And lord, help us to be good listeners ready to hear what he has to share. I would also add Lord that your reputation is involved in all that happens between now and November. Because there are millions of people around this world praying to their god – whether it’s Hindu, Buddha, Allah – that his opponent wins … for a variety of reasons. And Lord I pray that you would guard your own reputation because they’re going to think their god is bigger than you if that happens. So I pray that you step forward and honor your own name in all that happens between now and election day. Lord we commit this time just to you. Move among us. Make your presence very well felt as we are gathered here today. In Jesus name I pray, amen.”
Okay, so besides everything that’s wrong with mixing church and politics, there’s also the irony in this man’s words. Rev. Conrad speaks of his god's reputation as if the last eight years of America under a born-again presidency haven't been enough to shift divine allegiances (if you believe in such things.) No, of course not. What I find most shocking is the nerve of this man to speak to his god in such a manner. You know the fear is palpable when you start telling god what to do!
I really thought I was prepared for this. I thought I had this particular block of the electorate figured out. These were single issue voters in 2004, people who spun the election into a debate on the sanctity of marriage. It was even preached from the pulpits of many churches in southern and western states. I realized then that “Republican base” was a polite way of saying church folk. These voters can be riled up about any ol’ thing in order to place them in a political corner. They take anything else a politician says ON FAITH as long as the one issue they care about is dealt with appropriately. I consider them unwitting participants in an effort to divide and conquer us all.
Sadly, that is not the whole picture. In those days, values voters were part of a winning team. Sure they were haughty and smug, but their views were being championed ... so they were reasonably well behaved. Now the “energy” they exude is anger, fear, and righteous indignation. We’ve heard as much during rallies for the McCain / Palin ticket. Calls to bomb Obama, to kill him, and to accuse him of treason reveal a much darker portrait of the base. The wiggly worm of suggestion has invaded their minds, filling their dreams with terrorists and black liberation theologians. This is the culture of rural white working class voters; down home and country, harkening back to a simpler time when stuff was cheap, men were brave and black folk didn’t run for elected office. To them, being arabic is much different from being a decent, hard working person.
But let’s be sure to remember the religious nature of the Republican base. This point is crucial to understanding them, particularly their use of faith and belief to sustain their political views. To this aim, may I present to you REVEREND ARNOLD CONRAD giving an invocation at a McCain rally in Davenport, Iowa.
“Let’s pray. Our god, we want to honor you today as the sovereign lord of this universe. You tell us in your word that you raise up leaders and you pull them down. So we know that you are in charge of everything that’s going to happen between now and November. And lord, we just appeal to you for this event. We want to ask your blessing on our time together today. Please energize Senator McCain as he seeks to share his vision of what we need to do for the problems that we face as a country. And lord, help us to be good listeners ready to hear what he has to share. I would also add Lord that your reputation is involved in all that happens between now and November. Because there are millions of people around this world praying to their god – whether it’s Hindu, Buddha, Allah – that his opponent wins … for a variety of reasons. And Lord I pray that you would guard your own reputation because they’re going to think their god is bigger than you if that happens. So I pray that you step forward and honor your own name in all that happens between now and election day. Lord we commit this time just to you. Move among us. Make your presence very well felt as we are gathered here today. In Jesus name I pray, amen.”
Okay, so besides everything that’s wrong with mixing church and politics, there’s also the irony in this man’s words. Rev. Conrad speaks of his god's reputation as if the last eight years of America under a born-again presidency haven't been enough to shift divine allegiances (if you believe in such things.) No, of course not. What I find most shocking is the nerve of this man to speak to his god in such a manner. You know the fear is palpable when you start telling god what to do!
I bring all this up because it causes me to seriously question the Republican Party. Has the base dragged them into territory that fiscal and federalist conservatives oppose? More on that after the election (‘cuz I’m superstitious.)
1 comment:
"Because there are millions of people around this world praying to their god – whether it’s Hindu, Buddha, Allah – that his opponent wins … for a variety of reasons."
This guy is such an idiot - whether it's Hindu, Buddha, or Allah?
1. He isn't educated about other religions that he throws Buddha in the mix - a symbol of a philosophy not a religion.
2. He can't even keep his word choices consistent - Hindu (type of religion), Buddha (philosopher), and Allah (god of a religion). I wonder if he can even provide a name of a Hindu god.
Christians, especially their leaders, can be so fucking stupid.
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