http://shlonkombakazay.blogspot.com/200 ... -time.html

Things could only be this bizarre when the right-wing is in charge.

Jesus Christ, that is some scary shit.

--PunkDavid

I'm trying to be objective about this. Is there really that big of a problem with this event? And I'm certainly not endorsing the war in Iraq or any of the current admin's policies, but is there truly any kind of legal line that is crossed by an event of this nature? I'm not saying it was right or wrong, just looking for opinions.

What's wrong with this again? Seperation of Church and state? I guess everyone back home, and friends of various churches should just stop praying for me or something?

Seems to me like this was nothing more than a support ralley for the troops. A lot of servicemen and women are pretty religious too ya know.

OMG NAZIS.

It's not about supporting the troops, or even praying for the troops. That's all fine and good. It's the mixture of martial imagery with religious imagery with American imagery that gives the disheartening feeling of fascism and the glorification of war. America=good. Jesus=good. Army=good. Jesus=America=Army. They're not very subtle about this conclusion they want drawn.

These people are not Christian fundamentalists, they're problem enough with their creationism and fag hating. This is "American Fundamentalism", which really has only tangential relationship to Christianity, but is more about the glorification of some idealized infallible version of America. Religious glorification of the State is a hallmark of fascism.

--PunkDavid

Ahh, thank you... I was scratching my head at the meaning, too.

Nicely said.

I though I'd add something I picked up from another board. You think there is a correlation between the recent upsurge of homophobia and our country's militaristic policies? Because what facism is doing, essentially, is glorifying the male, and masculine traits. The people who are always most homophobic are usually the gayest ones themselves.

What? How with the link posted can you possibly substantiate a word you said David? HOW! Usually you're alright with things, but now you're along side Aerojad...off you're rocker.

Nothing more than support of the troops. Even the commentary shows that this isn't about recruiting, this isn't about government mixing with state, this is about people supporting the troops. Again, supporting the troops through faith, having churches support the troops is very common and if anything, is far less common today than it has been in the past. Military units across the nation have always supported events like this. These types of functions serve so many purposes, from supporting the troops, to supporting their families.

How events such as this are "scary shit" I'll never understand.

Firstly, don't YOU ever accuse me of being off my rocker, OK.

Secondly, take a look at this picture.



I see a half dozen soldiers standing at attention, in a church, in front of an American flag that bigger than my house as well as many smaller flags, and on the screen above, yes that is Jesus on the cross. I can't distinguish where America ends and Christ begins in this picture, much less where America ends and the military begins. That is the idea. It is worship of America as all that is good and holy.

I'd suggest that you read about how the Nazis were able to subtly twist German traditions into the cult of the Aryan Race and the Fuhrer. If it was hamhanded and obvious, it would never have been successful, but it did succeed because it played on the hopes and fears and beliefs of the people and set their righteousness against those who were different and had "wronged them" in the past.

But I know you know your history, at least marginally, you always seem to get your dates and lines of causality somewhat crossed so I don't know how much you've truly digested. And it doesn't matter if you know it or not, because it has become glaringly obvious over many months that you would be perfectly happy living in a land of American fascism, so what's the point.

Keep fighting for our freedom!

--PunkDavid

They have no need to be subtle, when they are absolutely convinced of their own nobility why bother. These people may or may not be "fascist", but this hardly frightens me because many of us see a problem with this.

Oh, and you said "fag hating"

I saw the exact same scenario at a meeting for Quixtar, a pseudo business religious right wing propaganda machine that arose from the ashes of Amway. This stuff is scary because this shows signs that someone knows what they are doing because it's not sloppy but a skillfull manipulation of images and symbols.

unfuckingbelievable

I'd like to hear what the church that held the event has to say for itself. I doubt any real religious leaders would be pleased with this iniative.

OK, two things. First off, the event in question took place in my town, Lexington, KY, so if I ever come across as a bit unhinged in this forum please bear with me as this event shows I am living in the belly of the beast. And working for a corporate media outlet. Ugghh. "Some day, yeah, I will begin my life again"

Secondly,when scrolling down through the comments from readers that were linked to this item, I came across the following link.

http://www.veteransforpeace.org/The_14_ ... 030303.htm

By my count, at least 10 of the 14 elements are off and running if not already going full steam ahead. I'm not saying we're living in a facist regime, but if it smells like shit, and looks like shit, well its probably shit. This also begs the question; has democracy completely failed? Is it just broken? Can it be fixed?

Please someone argue with me on this.

I don't think democracy is dead or a failure. I just think that we live in a society where a disturbingly large number of people are uninterested in the grand scheme of things and are fully occupied with the mundane or the material. In the richest country that ever was, we have the luxury of being able to have the time to devote to politics, and philosophy, and charity, and art, and everything else that high culture affords, things that cannot be attained when you must be concerned with basic survival. Unfortunately, we would rather devote our time to personal entertainment like TV and internet message boards.

--PunkDavid

I don't see the problem here though. These people are doing something amongst themselves. Aren't they just expressing their so-called freedom of speech and all that ballyhoo? I think their execution of the event is a bit strange, but is it up to us to slam them for being strange and not quite usual?

The KKK also has the right to freedom of speech, but they have nothing to do with the United States military.