Former Christian Right leader asks Obama Administration to investigate Christian Right groups

[ck4829]

I am writing to thank you for ordering the Department of Justice to investigate other potential federal crimes in connection with the murder of Dr. George Tiller. As someone who in the early days of the so-called pro-life movement was partly responsible for turning up the rhetoric to fever pitch, and thus indirectly responsible (amongst many others) for the violence that is now part of that movement, I feel that you need to expand your scope of interest in this matter. Unlike members of al Qaeda, our religious extremists aren't part of a conspiracy. It's worse: they are hard-to-stop lone actors energized by right wing media-driven far right Christian religion. I know-- been there-done that. Mea culpa.

My radical far right books used to be given away as a fund raising fulfillment by Jams Dobson on his "Focus On The Family" program. My Dad and I inspired the founders of Operation Rescue into taking up the "cause." We began to describe the American government as the enemy because of our stand on abortion. Our old followers were the same sorts of people that recently stocked up on guns and ammo when Obama was elected because they were fearful that their guns would soon be taken away (as the NRA had threatened would happen in their anti-Obama pre-election mailings).

In the wake of the election of our first black president, we've seen a rising tide of right wing hate. An abortion doctor was gunned down; three police officers in Pittsburgh were shot by a man who feared "they" would take his guns; and a black security guard at the National Holocaust Museum was slain. Then the FBI recently arrested a well-known white supremacist and the host of an Internet talk show and Web site for saying that three judges should be killed -- also related to a matter related to regulating guns. Then on June 26, another story exploded: The gunning down of a father, mother and child by a self-appointed "border patrol" dedicated to keeping America "safe" from Mexican immigrants.

To get to the bottom of what amounts to a growing and violent trend, you need to investigate various religious subcultures. If it is appropriate to investigate religious groups -- as Bush did with Muslim charities accused of ties to extremists -- then it should be right and proper to investigate evangelical and other Christian groups too.

- Frank Schaeffer

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/an-open-letter-to-attorne_b_228049.html

[Horse with no Name]

1. We wish the justice department would do this

However, they are too busy giving passes to bridges to nowhere.

[polichick]

2. Good - imo it was terrible that Janet Napolitano was forced to apologize...

...for a report that was dead on.

It's time we deal with our own terrorists.

[patrice]

3. Google "Army of the Lord". You're going to find the tip of an iceberg that I think, from what I've

seen here in WASP land, is "non-violent" church-based gangs. There's one whole heck of a lot more politicking going on in churches than the rest of us want to admit.

[zbdent]

4. someone fearing finding the Pearly Gates locked when they show up?

[scheming daemons]

5. The most powerful voices against whackjobs are always former whackjobs

[blackbooks]

6. Give a billion dollars to the Southern Poverty Law Center

Then let 'em off their leash. These folks have been monitoring the Klan and other hate groups for decades. They've got the experience, they just need the resources to widen their scope.

The Christian Right has their fucked up, hate-filled version of God. We have Morris Dees. We win.

[Strong Atheist]

7. Belated Welcome to DU!

:toast: