Alabama has long been known for its
ultra-conservati
sm
and Christian-right politicians. It was only a few years ago that Gov. Fob James
(now former governor) threatened to call in the National Guard if anyone
attempted to remove the Ten Commandments from Judge Roy Moore’s courtroom.
Battles with Moore, now Alabama’s Chief Justice, have gone on for years,
especially since his 2001 erection of a Ten Commandments monument in the lobby
of the state’s capitol.
But so extreme were Gov. James’ views, he had the audacity, during his term, to
claim that the federal Bill of Rights doesn’t apply to the states. This was his
rationalization for school-sponsored religious activity that had taken place in
Dekalb County.
Then in 1998, mainstream Alabamians saw some relief when Don Siegelman, a
democrat, defeated James in the race for governor.
Nonetheless, another religious extremist has once again taken seat in Alabama’s
state capitol. Gov. Bob Riley, a Southern Baptist, is following in Attorney
General John Ashcroft’s footsteps. Riley’s holding weekly Bible study classes
with his senior staff members and cabinet in the state Capitol building.
Although the Sunday school sessions are held during nonbusiness hours and
participation isn’t required, the intent isn’t above suspicion.
On March 8, at a Friends of the Family Celebration, an annual Christian
Coalition event where Riley was keynote speaker, he called for prayer soldiers,
not only for the impending war with Iraq, but for a war that he perceives is
taking place in America—a war for the minds.
Riley asserted, “There is another war that is going on in this country. This one
is far more insidious. It's one that you just can't go and attack. It's a war
for the absolute soul of this country.”
He continued, “God looked down on this country because this country was founded
on the rock—and that rock was our lord and savior Jesus Christ. And when the
storms came and the rains came, the rock, it did not move. But over the last 15
or 20 years, something began to erode.”
“If we are going to save this country, if we are going to re-establish that
belief in God, it's up to us. If we don't do it, who will?” Riley concluded.
Riley’s particular reference to “re-establish” belief in God is a revelation of
the intended purpose of his Bible Study conclave. This seems especially apparent
given that the most recent senses of the word “establish,” as defined in
Webster’s dictionary, are “to make (a church) a national or state institution”
and “to put beyond doubt.”
Riley might have chosen a less threatening word, such as “encourage,” “support,”
or “promote.” But he didn’t. And while even these particular terms could be seen
as crossing the line, they at least suggest pursuing voluntary belief in God,
versus forced or coerced.
Riley (who recently visited President George W. Bush) says that if the war with
Iraq comes to pass, it would, in reality be fighting “for our right to worship
as we see fit.”
I suspect there’s far more truth to his statement than he cares to divulge. War
can create more public fear, economic decline, instability, even utter chaos
should it backfire, than anything. War can be an important ingredient to shake
up a country and cause its citizens to desperately seek comfort in an
omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God.
Could this be at least one of the underlying motives in the Bush
Administration’s push toward war? I don’t think it’s as far fetched as we might
like to believe. But in the end, it’s a fight to worship as Christian
conservatives see fit—not to worship in the vast ways that all Americans see
fit. I also fear some see this as an opportunity to bring about the Armageddon.
Kimberly Blaker’s The Wall™ appears weekly. She is editor and coauthor of the
The Fundamentals of Extremism: the
Christian Right in America. Send your comments to Kimberly Blaker:
TheWall@TheWall-OnChurchAndState.com © 2002, Kimberly Blaker
