Jim Wallis - America's Flirtation With Fascism
Our country is in growing danger, and not just from the real
threat of terrorist attacks. We are in jeopardy now from the internal fear that
capitalizes on America's worst instincts. Caution can be a positive thing in
response to serious dangers, but panic and fear can be very dangerous impulses,
especially when they are used to incite the hatred of others by false leaders
who proclaim their own "strength" -- people like Donald Trump.
Hatred of "the other" because of fear has created
some of the most dangerous movements in human history. Donald Trump is
appealing to racial and religious fear and hate in order to advance his own
success. But an even greater danger than Trump is the growing popular response
to him, the standing ovations to his most vicious attacks on racial minorities,
immigrants, and now all the members of a world religion. Because of his
notoriety and the ratings it garners, the media grants Trump credibility and
constant coverage of his continued falsehoods and ugly assaults against those
whom he has named as enemies -- who are mostly people of color.
For many years Trump has sought to portray the first black
president of the United States as a foreigner and not "one of us."
Trump's demonization of immigrants, in sharp contrast to the facts, has changed
the conversation in America. After lying about Muslim reactions to 9/11, Trump
is now calling America to "completely shut down" all Muslims from
entering the country. In other words, he is calling for an unprecedented,
unconstitutional, and un-American test targeting people based on their faith.
Donald Trump is strategically stoking the racial fears and
hate of a solid segment of white America that fundamentally rejects a diverse
American future. The real meaning of his famous "Make America Great
Again" motto is "Make America White Again." And with their fears
trumped up, his following is itself a dangerous threat to America. Since 9/11,
more Americans in the United States have been killed by white extremists than
by militant jihadists.
Stopping this hateful spread of Islamophobia and racism must
become a bipartisan and trans-partisan issue -- because it is now a moral
question. Leaders from both political parties must denounce Donald Trump's
statements and distance themselves from his dangerous ideology. Journalism must
return to the values of truthfulness, freedom, integrity, equality under the
law, and religious liberty in its coverage. His toxic message is becoming a
dangerous threat to our most basic American values, and it should be treated
accordingly.
From a religious perspective, Trump's "strength"
is a falsehood. Arrogance, lies, greed, the will to power, and the manipulation
of racial prejudice and xenophobia are not strengths to us, but are contrary to
all of our faith traditions. As faith leaders, it is time to call upon our
constituencies to reject these false idols of power and division.
It's time to name Trump's dangerous rhetoric for what it is.
It is not only racist, but also fascist, with all the dangers that ideology
implies. And it's time for American political leaders, and also for American
religious leaders, to denounce Donald Trump's appeal to our worst instincts of
fear and hate. We must act before his movement grows to become even more
dangerous. The truth is that we have seen this before. And it's time to tell
the truth.
