"Living Under Fascism" -- sermon from the First UU Church of Austin

This is a very imforative piece, laying out the history and present course of fascism in a clear and concise manner. A must-read, imho.

http://www.uua.org/news/2004/voting/sermon_loehr.html

You may wonder why anyone would try to use the word “fascism” in a serious discussion of where America is today. It sounds like cheap name-calling, or melodramatic allusion to a slew of old war movies. But I am serious. I don’t mean it as name-calling at all. I mean to persuade you that the style of governing into which America has slid is most accurately described as fascism, and that the necessary implications of this fact are rightly regarded as terrifying. That’s what I am about here. And even if I don’t persuade you, I hope to raise the level of your thinking about who and where we are now, to add some nuance and perhaps some useful insights.

<snip>

When most people hear the word "fascism" they may think of the racism and anti-Semitism of Mussolini and Hitler. It is true that the use of force and the scapegoating of fringe groups are part of every fascism. But there was also an economic dimension of fascism, known in Europe during the 1920s and '30s as "corporatism," which was an essential ingredient of Mussolini’s and Hitler’s tyrannies. So-called corporatism was adopted in Italy and Germany during the 1930s and was held up as a model by quite a few intellectuals and policy makers in the United States and Europe.

<snip>

In early 1944, the New York Times asked Vice President Henry Wallace to, as Wallace noted, “write a piece answering the following questions: What is a fascist? How many fascists have we? How dangerous are they?”

Vice President Wallace's answer to those questions was published in The New York Times on April 9, 1944, at the height of the war against the Axis powers of Germany and Japan. See how much you think his statements apply to our society today.

“The really dangerous American fascist,” Wallace wrote, “… is the man who wants to do in the United States in an American way what Hitler did in Germany in a Prussian way. The American fascist would prefer not to use violence. His method is to poison the channels of public information. With a fascist the problem is never how best to present the truth to the public but how best to use the news to deceive the public into giving the fascist and his group more money or more power.”

In his strongest indictment of the tide of fascism he saw rising in America, Wallace added, “They claim to be super-patriots, but they would destroy every liberty guaranteed by the Constitution. They demand free enterprise, but are the spokesmen for monopoly and vested interest. Their final objective toward which all their deceit is directed is to capture political power so that, using the power of the state and the power of the market simultaneously, they may keep the common man in eternal subjection.”

By these standards, a few of today’s weapons for keeping the common people in eternal subjection include NAFTA, the World Trade Organization, union-busting, cutting worker benefits while increasing CEO pay, elimination of worker benefits, security and pensions, rapacious credit card interest, and outsourcing of jobs — not to mention the largest prison system in the world.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

PLEASE go to the link and read the whole thing! There is SO much more there than the excerpts I've posted!

sw

this guy's sermons. Thanks for posting!

As someone studying to be a UU minister, I have often worried that I will be too "left" for my own tradition, virtually unemployable because I see things like fascism in America. This minister gives me hope that I can speak the truth to power without getting sacked.

Thank you for posting! :hi:

I don't know anything about UU, but I LOVE truth-tellers! May you wildy succeed in your vocation!

:hi: back atcha!

sw

I'm lucky enough to be married to one (not UU, presby) :)

Maybe I'm miistaken?

Please clarify, if you would. Thanks.

They talk a good progressive game, but I'm finding it hard to get them to actually do much. I work at a church w/800 members and only about 6 of us work on the social action committee. We can't get any kind of community action organized because no one volunteers. Members say they contribute money to progressive causes when asked why they don't pledge more to the church, but there's no way of really knowing.

Furthermore, UUs tend to be among the wealthiest church-going demographic in America. So talking about my own call to justice, busting through economic inequalities, well, they really don't want to hear it. I actually had one parishioner tell me once that she gave up a six-figure salary to home school her kids. Nice that her husband makes so much she could afford to do that. So here she is thinking she's made some real sacrifices when really she's still in a very privileged place in life, she's just not as materially privileged as she had been before.

It's stories like those that make wonder about the UU church.

sects, regardless of belief.

I know it's a big beef a lot of DUers have.

It must be hard to put that much time and effort into something, yet still have doubts.

People are people and they dont like to be challenged.

and it's not so much the time and effort I've put in that bothers me, it's the student debt! But I figure if no church will hire me, I'll just go find a nice non-profit to run someplace. :)

and the rest will be happiest offering either some money or moral support.

That is my experience of working with people.

I am one of the "Doers" and have learned not to get upset at the "Spectators".

At least they are "Witnessing".

:)

:hi:

nothing new for me, but it's always lovely to see someone call Bushco what they really are.

The Neo cons are fascist, and Bush is literally the thrid antichrist.

Thanks for posting that link. I'll be looking up more of this man's writings for sure -- he really hits his marks!

sw

I stumbled across this essay a few weeks ago, looking for religious left articles for our fledgling group. Loved his stuff. Wish I could hear him in person. He sounds so inspiring.

Are both truly excellent pieces. I would strongly recommend that everyone read both of them.

I would most definitely go and hear this guy speak. Really good stuff.

Thanks so much for bringing this to our attention!

I just e-mailed it to everyone I know, and nominated this post for the front page.

It was originally emailed to me, and I have given the sender my profound thanks. And of course, I immediately posted it here!

I really appreciate your nominating it for the front page, I'm hoping that lots of people read this.

Thanks again,
sw

Thank you, and kudos to those who found it and are passing it on!

UU of Austin, scarletwoman.

We have one in our town in New York and my co-op manager is really into it..so I will e-mail her this piece.

It's really well written and I'm saving it.

I'm really glad this is going to be spread around. I have no idea how my friend who originally emailed this piece to me (we both live in MN) happened to find it, but I'm sure she'll be pleased to know that it's reaching lots more people than just me. ;-)

sw

That's a great sermon

They have a large teen following, too. My daughter has been to weekend youth church rallies in Dallas, Austin, Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Plano <TX>, and Houston but other area cities have them, too <those are just some here in the Southwest group>.

OMG, the LOOK on fellow Texans' faces when they ask what religion we are and I start to explain, eventually having to use a few of the words from the below principles... They usually end up saying: "Huh?....justice? equity? respect? So WHAT do you all believe in, again?".
Their main website has a place where you can look up a congregation near you.


:bounce: :grouphug:

http://www.uua.org/aboutuua/principles.html

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote

The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.


The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:

Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.
Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

Complete confusion.

She ended up backing down after the news people made it a story..scary thing is, this person may consider a run for TX gov. Oh, and what I saw in one article she is the mother of shrub's spokesperson <McClellan>--that name is left off of this article..she has had like 5 last names <2 divorces and then the names listed below>. Guess 200 years of being a religion doesn't count in this lady's book < Unitarians and Univeralists have been around that long, they became UU iin the 1960's>.


http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/state/8692961.htm


AUSTIN - Unitarian Universalists have for decades presided over births, marriages and memorials. The church operates in every state, with more than 5,000 members in Texas alone.

But according to the office of Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, a Denison Unitarian church isn't really a religious organization -- at least for tax purposes. Its reasoning: the organization "does not have one system of belief."

Never before -- not in this state or any other -- has a government agency denied Unitarians tax-exempt status because of the group's religious philosophy, church officials say. Strayhorn's ruling clearly infringes upon religious liberties, said Dan Althoff, board president for the Denison congregation that was rejected for tax exemption by the comptroller's office. "I was surprised -- surprised and shocked -- because the Unitarian church in the United States has a very long history," said Althoff, who notes that father-and-son presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams were both Unitarians.

Since Strayhorn took over in January 1999, the comptroller's office has denied religious tax-exempt status to 17 groups and granted them to more than 1,000, according to records obtained by the Star-Telegram. Although there are exceptions, the lion's share of approvals have gone to groups that appear to have relatively traditional faiths, records show

Am in seminary to be a UU minister. The thing is, UUs from Texas are among my favorite UUs. But I guess they have to be cool in the face of so much religious bigotry.

Peace!

I just sent the link to the whole article to almost everyone in my address book! I have seen most of this before but he did a wonderful job weaving it altogether and explaining it in terms that people can understand.

You make a very good point. Alot of this information isn't unknown, but this writer has very skillfully distilled and organized it into an impressively cohesive whole. It tells a story, and tells it clearly.

Thank you for your thanks! (Love your user name! How beautiful!)

sw

needed to come up with one quick to register here; it was the first things that came to mind. I like your name too.

:hi:

Looks like some fascinating stuff -- lots of reading to do!

I also posted a link to the sermon. :)

making copies for my state and federal representatives!! This has to be floated around PDQ!

I'm only half way through the article, will read all the posts afterwards.

THANKS MUCH! :thumbsup:

She's not a DUer, but she's VERY involved in politics. She was a Kucinich delegate at the Dem national convention -- among many other things...

David Neiwert's many posts on fascism on his "Orcinus" blog have always been top notch. But I've never seen it all put together as skillfully as it is in this "sermon".

sw

Wonderful detail. I love DK also.

I can't wait to send this to people who desperately need to know this. ;)

Wearing my paperclip too. lol

I attended this particular church while passing through Austin a number of years ago.


I appreciate the link. I found the sermon frightening, but also reassuring. The crack is widening when the TRUTH is being spoken from the pulpits. It is also reassuring when my own perceptions are validated in a public forum....YAY...I'm NOT nuts. Others see this also, and are talking about it.

The word "Fascist" was not acceptable when referring to the bush* administration just a couple of years ago. Even at DU, you were attacked as an alarmist (kind of like the Hitler comparison stuff today at DU).
I remember when we used to refer to Fascism as the "F"Word.

I sent the link out on my mailing list. I also found the sermon he refers to "The Corporations Will Eat Your Soul." It is also very good.
Here is the link:

The Corporations Will Eat Your Soul

Thanks again

at what this country has become.

From the second link

The Rev. Dr. Davidson Loehr is minister of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin, Texas, and a Fellow in the Jesus Seminar. He holds degrees in theology, the philosophy of religion, and the philosophy of science. He considers himself a religious liberal but not a Unitarian Universalist.

It is easy to see why "intellectuals" are so vehemently disdained by Bush (he doesn't do "nuance" and once he makes up his pea brained mind, that's it) and his fascist fundamentalist sycophants, and why our children will be dumbed down further to nothing but simpleton lemmings. The only philosophy they will come into contact with is the philosophy of Jesus, as defined by Bush, and the only theology they will have contact with is the Dominiionist or Reconstructionist.

Ministers and intellectuals,such as the Rev. Loehr, are outright dangerous to Bush's fascist regime, I would guess. I wonder what Bush's revenge and punishment to this UU church in Austin will be. Bush has lots of friends in Texas who would be more than willing to do some smear or damage to the Rev. Loehr.

I am passing it on to my mailing list. It should be read by as many people as possible.

:thumbsup:

By the way, I've been saying something similar here a DU for a while now about fascism (in all those debates about should we call Bush a Nazi).

I don't think we should call him or neo-cons Nazis, but I do think we can (and should) call them fascists. Nazism, to me, is a particular form of fascisim that rose in Germany in the '30s.

Here's something I posted recently here:

"Fascism should more appropriately be called corporatism because
it is a merger of state and corporate power." Mussolini

See also:
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/mussolini-fascism.ht...

"Fascism combats the whole complex system of democratic ideology, and repudiates it, whether in its theoretical premises or in its practical application. Fascism denies that the majority, by the simple fact that it is a majority, can direct human society; it denies that numbers alone can govern by means of a periodical consultation, and it affirms the immutable, beneficial, and fruitful inequality of mankind, which can never be permanently leveled through the mere operation of a mechanical process such as universal suffrage....

"...For Fascism, the growth of empire, that is to say the expansion of the nation, is an essential manifestation of vitality, and its opposite a sign of decadence." (these are also Mussolini's words)

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism

"Fascism, in many respects, is an ideology of negativism: anti-liberal, anti-socialist, anti-Communist, anti-democratic, anti-egalitarian, etc., and in some of its forms anti-religion. As a political and economic system in Italy, it combined elements of corporatism, totalitarianism, nationalism, and anti-communism."

If I were still a christian I'd go to this guy's church.

in a sea of REgressivism. Never been to Texas -- and doubt I ever will -- but Austin seems to clearly stand out as a special place, from all that I've seen.

sw

needed and wanted to join a community, joined the UU.

My daughter is going to UT Austin next year...if I can't get her out of TEXAS, I am at least sending her to a sane, BLUE area of TX!!

I think the UT kids played a part in Travis County going blue--Burnt Orange website said that there were more kids in line to vote in a single early voting day than there were in the entire 2000 election.


:bounce:

The author does an excellent job of explaining how corporatism is integral to facism. I really tire of arguing (ineptly) that it is impossible to isolate a few social/cultual issues from the bigger (corporate)picture. I'll definitely be passing this one around.
Nominated for the Homepage.
:hi:

"...it is impossible to isolate a few social/cultual issues from the bigger (corporate)picture."

Well-said! And certainly NOT "inept"! :hi:

sw

And many thanks for the other links in the thread -- esp the one that educated me on the fact that there IS a UU congregation in my town. I had no idea. And, because there is no buddhist temple... I really thought there was just no spriritual avenue that I could use here in my town -- other than my occasional pleas of "Oh dear god, what has bush gone and done now?!!" LOL Okay, it isn't occasional. It's daily; sometimes many times a day!

Great christmas miracle for me.... I have a congregation to join.

Thanks to all!

I'm so happy you've found a spiritual home!

My thanks goes out to all the other posters in this thread -- you all rock!

sw

It IS an amazing piece, for sure!

sw

FUU's sound okay by me...reason and reality go a long way.

Thanks for posting

http://www.uua.org

To see what UUs believe, check out http://www.uua.org/aboutuua/principles.html.