Enter The Fundamentalists

This from the New York Times reports that, "COLORADO SPRINGS - James C. Dobson, the nation's most influential evangelical leader, is threatening to put six potentially vulnerable Democratic senators 'in the 'bull's-eye' ' if they block conservative appointments to the Supreme Court.

"In a letter his aides say is being sent to more than one million of his supporters, Dr. Dobson, the child psychologist and founder of the evangelical organization Focus on the Family, promises 'a battle of enormous proportions from sea to shining sea" if President Bush fails to appoint "strict constructionist' jurists or if Democrats filibuster to block conservative nominees."

As I said in my prior post, "Anita Bryant -- Good Christian Hate," the more things change the more they stay the same. The following piece seems a bit prophetic, given that I wrote it in 1980 (and was published in Denver's gay rag, Out Front in May, 1980):

Enter the Fundamentalists

Lest we become too confortable with ourselves, our gay selves, and begin to suppose the liberalization of America's attitudes toward homosxuality is proceeding nicely toward the fulfillment of the final goal, acceptance, beware brothers and sisters, all is not well. Enter the Fundamentalists.

Webster's New Collegiate defines fundamentalism as "...a movement in 20th century Protestantism emphasizing the literally interpreted bible as fundamental to Christian life and teaching." In other words, if the Bible happened to spell out that good Christians will bathe twice a day, the fundamentalists would, without fail, follow the Biblical precepts for personal hygiene to the letter, fearing any deviation from the holy imperative would surely bring the wrath of God upon their souls. No, it wouldn't matter to the fundamentalists that, at the time the Bible was written, it may have made good sense to bathe twice a day in order to preclude infestation by lice or susceptibility to disease. But today, there is no real practical necessity to bathe twice a day unless one lives in the same conditons as the early Christians. And, it wouldn't bother me one iota if the fundamentalists extended their literal translation of the Bible to no one except themselves, but such is not the case. If the Bible says one should bathe twice a day, then, by God, it is the sacred duty of the fundamentalists to pursue, chastise and save those who do not follow God's law to the letter. Errant bathers are the enemy and they had better watch out because the fundemantalists are on the march to eradicate all that is not in balance with God's law.

Fundamentalist preachers are demagogues. They feed on the fears and prejudices of the middle-American, good old time religious flocks of right-winged, red-necked, pinko-faggot-hating men, women and children who see themselves as the bulwark of American decency; the front ranks of Christ's soldiers on earth. And, demagogues need a practical demon upon which they can blame the moral dissolution of society. They need someone or something to point to as they thump their Bibles and shout their simplistic messages. And who do you suppose the fundamentalists have focused on as the root of all that is wrong in America? Yes, you guessed it, they're pointing their fingers at us, the homosexuals of America who, the fundamentalists believe, are taking this country to hell in a handbasket.

It is estimated there are 80 million fundamentalist Christians in the United States. Yes, and if you happen to turn your television set on this Sudnay morning you will probably be met by the scowl of one or another of the electronic superstar fundamentalist preachers who, each Sunday morning, spew their venom in no uncertain terms to an audience estimated to be over 47 million souls. And, the wordly benefits of this televised ministry are quite substantial. At least one of these fundamentalist proselytizers rakes in about $1 million a week from his televised ministry.

Fiscal malleability isn't the half of it, brothers and sisters. The fundamentalists -- 80 million strong -- are organizing themselves to carry on a holy war in American political arenas whereby they will pressure, cajole and threaten politicians into supporting their righteous battle which involves (besides public displays of homophobia) anti-abortion, anti-ERA and anti-ban on prayer in public schools. The fundamentalists are lobbying Congress, writing letters, giving money, making speeches and praying their little brains out in an effort to shape America into what they think it should be. And, brothers and sisters, the fundamentalist's plans for the future of America do not include gay rights ordinances, toleration of gay pride parades or governmental funding for gay community centers, much less the acceptance of gays holding hands in public places.

Now, if anybody out there is supposing America cannot ignore its gay populace which represents about 10% of the population, you'd better take another look at the situation. The fundamentalists represent about 40% of the population of America and they know it and they're going to make themselves heard come hell or high water, the former of which they see as the depository for you and me.

The fundamentalists are sincere -- albeit profoundly ignorant of gay lifestyles -- and they should not be dismissed as just another group of doomsayers preaching the end of the world. No, they have become sincerely involoved in the cacophony of American politics to the extent they can be credited for the defeat of Senators Dick Clark of Iowa and Thomas J. McIntyre of New Hampshire who, two years ago, supported pro-abortion legislation. Any prudent politician is sure to recognize the power of the fundamentalists and carefully avoid issues whcih might incense "good" Christians. That Jerry Brown and Ted Kennedy have placed themselves on our side is indicative only of the fact that Brown and Kennedy have yet to realize what might "play" in California and Massachusetts isn't necessarily assured of acceptability by the rest of the country, especially by that part of the country where the fundamentalists are most active.

Beware, brothers and sisters, of the following names and organizational titles, for they represent the foundation of funamentalist doctrine: Reverends Jerry Fallwell, Pat Robertson, Rex Humbard, James Robison, Jim Bakker, Billy James Hargis, Ray Batema, Brother Lester Roloff, the Moral Majority, Religious Round Table of Rosslyn, Virginia, Christian Voice, and the 700 Club.

Our responsibility as gay people is at least to be aware of our oppressors and ready and willing to meet them head on whenever and wherever we are threatened. We must assert ourselves politically (how many of you have registered to vote?) brothers and sisters, or we may find ourselves wearing pink triangles again in some detestable quagmire remisniscent of the bold designs of another demagogue called by Christ to cleanse the moral fabric of Germany.

Lordy.... That was written over twenty-four years ago and it very well could have been written today, as it remains relevant today. The fundamentalists have finally placed God's guy in the White House and, boy oh boy, they're feeling their holy oats!