Lament American Genocidal Christianity
Even in an age where the truth is under assault by power it remains a historical fact that the KKK is the quintessential American Christian terrorist organization. During the anti-reconstruction era mainstream Christian theology developed a literalist hermeneutic of slavery and white supremacy that provided the ideological backbone for its rise. That Christians now are rallying behind "America First" and the scapegoating and threatened expulsion of Mexicans and Muslims that comes with it, is not out of line with our history. Indeed, it is a sad commentary on long-held and deeply felt American conceptions of what it means to "Make America Great Again" and to put "America First."
I am encouraged to see so many Americans waking up to this history and beginning the work of dismantling the genocidal make up of our national DNA. Yesterday's march was significant. However, today I mourn the fact that for the most part, conservative Christian America is resistant to and outright hostile to this work, and indeed, continues to embrace our worst genocidal instincts. For this, for American genocidal Christianity, I continue to lament.
"America First" originated as an isolationist group aimed at keeping America out of WWII. My grandmother, a Swiss immigrant with two teenage sons was a member. I feel ashamed of this. I never knew her. I understand why....I might feel the same if I had sons. I lament with you. Isolation is not the answer.
ReplyDeleteThank you Amy. Yes, there was a great resurgence of 'America First' during the run up to WWII and included an attempted coup by the corporatist class against FDR. The KKK coin I posted pictures of is from somewhere in the 1910's during the era when Woodrow Wilson hosted marches from the KKK down the center of Washington DC and hosted a personal viewing of the KKK propaganda film, "Birth of a Nation."
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