A recent article in the Boston Globe  documents how Bush has claimed the right to disobey more than 750 laws enacted since he took office.)

Accomplices in this assault on our democracy include the religious right which would intrude into our personal lives to determine our rights and freedoms.

"The target is not the Democrats but democracy itself."

What's Dominion?  Why Should I Care?

do·min·ion  (d-mnyn)

n.

1. Control or the exercise of control; sovereignty: "The devil . . . has their souls in his possession, and under his dominion" Jonathan Edwards.

A better explanation from Frederick Clarkson

The Christian Right has been as successful as it has been, because it has a vision for obtaining sufficient political power to advance its agenda. The principal way it has advanced it's vision has been via the Republican Party and electoral politics. Therefore it stands to reason that any rejoinder to the Christian Right must include a broadly based engagement of citizens in electoral life. If one accepts this, it then follows that everything else is subsidiary to this focus. Does that mean that everything written or thought about the religious right needs to be processed through a filter of electoral politics? Of course not. However, in developing a political strategy, in my view, there is no substitute.

And my humble explanation.

You could turn off the TV, but why would you want to?

Intelligent Design.

"The plan is straightforward: use intelligent design as a wedge to undermine evolutionwith scientific-sounding arguments and thereby advance a conservative religious-political agenda."

Schools.

Schools.  Called 2 Ban Books by Deborah Brown at Street Prophets.

Katrina.

Why Do Dominionists Hate NOLA?

Environment.

'Surveillance, Infiltration, and Harassment of Environmental Organizations'

Women.

This Holy Hand Grenade's A Dud.

Human Sexuality.

Town Cracks Down On Unwed Couples.

Biblical Law

House Injects Prayer Into Defense Bill

Gay Rights.

Sex As A Weapon.

I could go on . . . . these are but a few ways your individual rights and freedoms are being manipulated and disrespected by the neofascists.

More from Frederick Clarkson:

Many of us talk a good game about democracy. But the embarrassing truth is, many of us don't really do democracy....[Therefore] It is up to... us to learn how to be skilled and knowledgeable practitioners of electoral democracy.  If we do not do this, we are ceding the playing field to those who do.

Milieu Control.  This involves the control of information and communication both within the environment and, ultimately, within the individual,

resulting in a significant degree of isolation from society at large. (More on milieu control next time.)  

Biblical America is running a totalistic, extremist process; its entire purpose is to grow a crop of warriors to do battle against a culture that they consider to be destructively hedonistic throughout.

1. Process, not ideology - The ideology is a motivator, but it is the actions that matter and that should be analyzed and criticized.

2. Culture, not politics - The movement demands cultural change as a basis of political change; the movement itself is not fundamentally political in nature.

3. Personal, not social - It uses a personal experience of manipulation, or conversion, to motivate people to demand satisfaction, for what they want now without regard to history, consequences or future disaster.

4. No inherent limits - Without any regard for human welfare, there are no limits to their action, and there are obvious efforts to remove, limit or discount consequences.

5. Ignores human welfare - Consistently exhibits psychologist Robert Lifton's theme of doctrine over person.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

This is a transcript of the letter as stored online at the Library of Congress, and reflects Jefferson's spelling and punctuation.

Mr. President:

To messers Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins, & Stephen S. Nelson a committee of the Danbury Baptist association in the state of Connecticut.

Gentlemen

The affectionate sentiments of esteem & approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist association, give me the highest satisfaction. my duties dictate a faithful & zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, and in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more & more pleasing.

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man & his god, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between church and state.

[Congress thus inhibited from acts respecting religion, and the Executive authorised only to execute their acts, I have refrained from presenting even occasional performances of devotion presented indeed legally where an Executive is the legal head of a national church, but subject here, as religious exercises only to the voluntary regulations and discipline of each respective sect.]

Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.

I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection and blessing of the common Father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves and your religious association, assurances of my high respect & esteem.

(signed) Thomas Jefferson

Jan.1.1802.

Take Jefferson's Wall of Separation back.  

Campaign To Defend The Constitution:  Because The Religious Right Is Wrong."

DefCon is an online grassroots movement combating the growing power of the religious right.  We will fight for the separation of church and state, individual freedom, scientific progress, pluralism, and tolerance while respecting people of faith and their right to express their beliefs.

This is a companion diary to:

Fascism: Are We There Yet?

Neofascism: A Theocon Wish List

• Constitution