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Organized Labor and Organized Theocracy
Journalist Arnold Hamilton states that anti- union sentiment is so severe in his state it threatens to hamper education. He wrote about the teachers union's recent assault from politicians by stating, "from a Legislature controlled by union-hating corporate leaders who forged an unholy alliance with homeschool-and parochial school-loving theocrats that want to destroy public eduation and replace it with religious schools." Hamilton noted that union membership in the nation has fallen to less than 8%. He blames the diminishing numbers on the constant media and the Oklahoma State Chamber that operates the Legislature by remote control.1 In Bryan Burrough's recent work on the rich power brokers in Texas, he calls attention to a common thread that runs through the fabric of Texas/religous right connections. The fear of unions brought together many of the rich oil barons in the state. The fear of losing their wealth caused them to be generous to religious right organizations.2 In Jeff Sharlet's undercover work published in a recent bestseller, a similar claim is staked. Sharlet wrote that in the organization he calls The Family, the initial foundation of the movement comes from a Seattle man who forged an alliance with business leaders. This man grew to see unions as a menace and a threat to the American way of life. Thus the groudwork for the entire movement with international connections, not to speak of decades of U.S. Legislatures, has a common root in being anti-union.3 I never recall seeing any "Christian" voter guides with any mention of labor concerns. If anything was stated, as in the case of late Jerry Falwell's paper, raising trhe minimum wage would only harm the country. Early in the last century Southern Baptists refused to deal with the issue of child labor and turned their heads the other way regarding labor even though most of the congregations were made up of blue collar families. As Southern Baptists became more upwardly mobile, structures like Alabama industry owners gained a huge influence, not to mention some oil tycoons in Texas. The irony of the story is that much of the religious right is made up of labor which tends to vote to uphold owner positions. They have bought into the belief that organized labor is bad for their family.
Endnotes
Organized Labor and Organized Theocracy | 2 comments (2 topical, 0 hidden)
Organized Labor and Organized Theocracy | 2 comments (2 topical, 0 hidden)
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