starting to come out of the right wing, all in defense of their religious faction.
Recently some on the left, especially the religious left, have started to point out the goals of the Dominionists, for what they are; A drive to theocracy. This focus of attention has been noticed by both the religious and traditional right. The efforts to advise, defend and deny the ultimate goals of this faction of the party are popping out all over.Phillips, Will and others are now speaking up.
The whole spectrum of thought is comming out. They argue that Christians need to stop playing the victim or that the left is just over reaching. The traditional enemies are mentioned, the NY Times, Dowd, Krugman and others. They actions of the religious right are explained away, and the inflammatory statements ignored.
One theme that comes up frequently is that this is just a response to the attack of the secular humanist. They denounce the changes in society that have occurred, or that are currently evolving, blaming these changes on this group and then try to justify their actions on that basis.
What is educational is to look at some of these issues, and take notice of how the power of the state is being applied.
School Prayer: They religious right wants it, the religious left (and the rest of the left) oppose this. The right wants the state to have the power to make you pray (or at least listen to one). The left has never proposed not allowing a person to pray, just that no one should be forced to at least observe, if not participate in prayer.
10 commandments: The left thinks that if you want to have a copy of the 10 commandments, that is great. If you want to wall paper your house, put a sign up in your yard (in accordance with local laws), imprint your napkins with them, that is fine, just that the state has no business promoting them. The right want the state to promote them, and post them where a person who might not care to see them, but has business with the state, has to deal with it.
Abortion: The right thinks the state should have the final determination over if it is OK. The left thinks that the individual should have to final word.
Gay Rights: The left thinks that what two consenting adults want to do behind closed doors is no one's business. They think that if a couple wants to establish a new household they should have that right. The right wants the state to have legal oversight of the bedroom. They think that persons who were not created as they were has no right to want a spouse, a family and home with the full legal protections heterosexual people have.
The right to die: The right wants the state to have full legal control over end of life decisions. The next of kin can not be trusted, the courts can not be trusted, only the leaders of the religious right can make these decisions. The left tends to think that these decisions belong with the person, their next of kin and their doctor, and no one else.
These are all very broad statements. In a population of three hundred million, there are exceptions, but these apply far more often than not.
What is most striking is the left wants everyone to be free of the state's ability to mandate personal behavior and faith. The right wants the power to force their choices onto everyone else in society. In the past this desire, while evident, was restricted by their lack of access to power.
The grafting of the religious right into the republican party has created an opportunity that the religious faction has prayed for. Despite their numbers, they are now very powerful. They have the opportunity to put some of their dreams into motion. Only by exposing the true intent of these groups is there hope that their long term goals can be blocked. Those justifying them, or advising them are just co-conspirators in the effort to create a faith based state.
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