In the last couple of decades, the gap between the rich and poor has grown to a chasm, with the rich getting richer (and the pace is accelerating) while the poor are going downhill even faster than the rich are going uphill.  The process started in the '70's, and it is partially a reaction to the civil rights movement- but more because the elites saw a threat to their control.  So, they have started a countermovement to return this culture to something more to their liking.  (Dominionism is part of that countermovement!)  Poverty, and especially extreme poverty strips people of their rights, their freedom, and even their identity.  That is not an increase in rights.

There are moves to disenfranchise and derecognize tribes (and even take their land)- a reduction in rights.  Racism towards minorities is no less a factor in this country, although it is more covert than overt.  People are, in the name of fighting "political correctness", trying to turn back the clock to when they could be overtly bigoted and get away with it.  Sadly, they don't see how this works against their own interests and furthers the control over them.  All of this may not be as obvious as in years past- but take it from me, minority people recognize the truth, unless they've been brainwashed in a fundamentalist church to the point where they deny it.  So, the people's right to being treated in a decent and humane manner is under dire threat.

What we are seeing is part of a pattern, and dominionism is part and parcel of that pattern.  It is all about focusing power and privilege in the hands of a very few, and reducing the rest to poverty and enslavement.   Bush is part of that pattern as well- after all, like you said- he's trying to unilaterally make policy.  This is a loss of rights for anyone affected by his ways.

In battling dominionism we are fighting against something that Marx recognized a long time ago- that churches can be and are used to promote and support hegemonic control of the people.   However, like Weber, we also recognize that religion can be a force for good.  We need then to support those people and organizations that expose the lies, and resist those who would get people to believe that limiting or denying their basic rights is good and "godly" or "right".

As far as holding leaders accountable, well, as long as those at the top only get a slap on the wrist (even though their actions destroy the lives of many people), while those at the bottom get the book thrown at them for offenses that only affect a few (if any)- it isn't really justice.  As long as the elites can get away with wrecking the lives of thousands (if not millions) with only a fine or a short stint in prison (and keeping their ill-gotten gains), while some poor sap who makes a mistake is punished and put in a position where he or she cannot ever recover or gain a decent life- that is NO advance.

Also- please understand that I am talking from the point of view of a Native American who only gained freedom of religion in 1980, along with the right to exist in the southeast during the same year.  It may be a gain- but that gain is under direct and continuous threat, and there are many who would take that back and reduce us to nonexistence if possible.

If anything, freedom reached a zenith in the late '70's and early '80's, but has been gradually and subtly going downhill since then.


by ArchaeoBob on Sun Apr 01, 2007 at 11:52:35 AM EST
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