Snowflake Babies, Dominionism, Cultural Marxism and why I should stop reading the news

When I first heard President Bush refer to frozen embryos that are a product of IVF as "snowflake babies," I didn't pay it much mind. Obviously, he was using language to promote the idea that a frozen bundle of four to eight cells is actually a full fledged human being, and can go buy a car or run up a credit card like any good little American (but not a car from Ford!).

But as Maura recently said to me, it's creepy. It's clearly hinting that this administration is considering taking on the infertility industry; maybe they've taken a cue from the Pope.

Maura also sent me a link to this article in the current issue of Harper's. It chronicles the author's trip to the National Religious Broadcasters convention. One thing that stood out about the convention to the author was the fact that so many Christians sects were represented at this convention. Apparently, conservative Catholics, Pentcostal Christians, African-American Baptists and many others have set side their differences to promote the new doctrine called Dominionism. Here is explanatory quote from the article, which may be the most terrifying paragraph I've ever read:

"What the disparate sects of this movement, known as Dominionism, share is an obsession with political power. A decades-long refusal to engage in politics at all following the Scopes trial has been replaced by a call for Christian “dominion” over the nation and, eventually, over the earth itself. Dominionists preach that Jesus has called them to build the kingdom of God in the here and now, whereas previously it was thought that we would have to wait for it. America becomes, in this militant biblicism, an agent of God, and all political and intellectual opponents of America’s Christian leaders are viewed, quite simply, as agents of Satan. Under Christian dominion, America will no longer be a sinful and fallen nation but one in which the Ten Commandments form the basis of our legal system, Creationism and “Christian values” form the basis of our educational system, and the media and the government proclaim the Good News to one and all. Aside from its proselytizing mandate, the federal government will be reduced to the protection of property rights and “homeland” security. Some Dominionists (not all of whom accept the label, at least not publicly) would further require all citizens to pay “tithes” to church organizations empowered by the government to run our social-welfare agencies, and a number of influential figures advocate the death penalty for a host of “moral crimes,” including apostasy, blasphemy, sodomy, and witchcraft. The only legitimate voices in this state will be Christian. All others will be silenced."

For the record:

a·pos·ta·sy   (-pst-s)
n. pl. a·pos·ta·sies

Abandonment of one's religious faith, a political party, one's principles, or a cause.

blas·phe·my    (blsf-m)
n. pl. blas·phe·mies

1. 1. A contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God or a sacred entity.
   2. The act of claiming for oneself the attributes and rights of God.
2.      An irreverent or impious act, attitude, or utterance in regard to something considered inviolable or sacrosanct.

sod·om·y   (sd-m)
n.

Any of various forms of sexual intercourse held to be unnatural or abnormal, especially anal intercourse or bestiality.

witch·craft  (wchkrft)
n.

1. Magic; sorcery.
2. Wicca.
3. A magical or irresistible influence, attraction, or charm.

These would offenses punishable by death. DEATH.

I'd be first up, I'm sure. Let's see: I abandoned the religion of my childhood (Methodist); I've got an entire catagory on my blog called "Dear God: You Suck"; I write about blowjobs, that's gotta be sodomy in some eyes; and I've seriously considered Wicca as a personal spiritual path. So I'm definitely going to get the chair in the new order.

Oh--and did you hear that a judge can decide what religion you practice with your children?

After reading that article, Blurbomat directed me to this one about Pat Buchanan (yes, I've defended him in the past, since he hates the Neo-Cons so much, but no longer) his assertion that liberals have secretly organized a movement called "Cultural Marxism." Here is a quote from the article:

"The phrase refers to a kind of "political correctness" on steroids — a covert assault on the American way of life that allegedly has been developed by the left over the course of the last 70 years. Those who are pushing the "cultural Marxism" scenario aren't merely poking fun at the PC excesses of the "People's Republic of Berkeley," or the couple of American cities whose leaders renamed manholes "person-holes" in a bid to root out sexist thought.

Right-wing ideologues, racists and other extremists have jazzed up political correctness and repackaged it — in its most virulent form, as an anti-Semitic theory that identifies Jews in general and several Jewish intellectuals in particular as nefarious, communistic destroyers. These supposed originators of "cultural Marxism" are seen as conspiratorial plotters intent on making Americans feel guilty and thus subverting their Christian culture.

In a nutshell, the theory posits that a tiny group of Jewish philosophers who fled Germany in the 1930s and set up shop at Columbia University in New York City devised an unorthodox form of "Marxism" that took aim at American society's culture, rather than its economic system.

The theory holds that these self-interested Jews — the so-called "Frankfurt School" of philosophers — planned to try to convince mainstream Americans that white ethnic pride is bad, that sexual liberation is good, and that supposedly traditional American values — Christianity, "family values," and so on — are reactionary and bigoted. With their core values thus subverted, the theory goes, Americans would be quick to sign on to the ideas of the far left."

Um. Ok. And they say the political left is full of whacko consipiracy theories?

After I waded through that article, I went ahead and read the New York Times. Turns out that Indiana is attempting to do the same thing they did in Kansas--demanding the records of Planned Parenthood patients under 14 years old to allegedly investigate sexual molestation of minors. This time, however, abortion isn't involved at all--they just want to monitor the sexual behavior of minors. I was sexually active at 14 (I know, I know--it seems crazy to me now); and I was also a patient of a local Planned Parenthood type clinic. The idea that the state would be allowed to review my records and then call me in for questioning to determine exactly how I was sexually active is just beyond words.

There were some signs of hope, however.

Everyone is all excited about the news that Deep Throat was W. Mark Felt, the number two man at the FBI during Nixon's reign. Charlie and I were talking about it last night and Charlie wondered what made Mr. Felt come forward now; it got me thinking.

Perhaps in light of the recent Newsweek scandal (where a story was retracted because the "anonymous source" changed his/her tune), Mr. Felt thought coming forward would remind people of the important role the press plays in this country--and that anonymous sources are a critical part of that role and can bring down a president.

At least that's my theory. Course, most conservatives think that Mr. Felt is a traitor. But then, most conservatives these days would think Nixon was a liberal.

I'll say it again; this is all breaking my heart. All of this crazy stuff I've linked to has happened in the last WEEK. I love my country, and the idea of making it a Christian Dominion makes me want to tear my hair out.

I'm going to go cry now. At least Jon Stewart is back from vacation.

Comments

[Sarah]

1.

That Dominionism section you quoted is some of the scariest shit I've ever read...more scary because it fits the current administration so fucking well.

I've 'joked' about one day being forced to wear a yellow star because I'm Jewish in THIS country...but it doesn't even seem that far-fetched a possibility. I suppose it won't be a star...that info will be on my Identity Card.

Just finished reading the Pat Buchanan post on Blurb when I came over here to see if you posted. I'm depressed now...

[Celeste]

2.

People who have frozen embryos on ice for future FET cycles (frozen embryo transfer) often call their embryos "snowbabies". However...."Snowflake babies" refers to a faith-based organization which is in favor of adopting the frozen embryos out to infertile couples who would use them to try to conceive. This group feels that simply discarding the embryos is tantamount to abortion. Now should that program get federal funding or even a nod from the prez? There is no way that the people who have the embryos to donate/place for adoption would consider somebody outside their faith (and we all know it's the Christian faith), so is it really proper for the president to endorse this group even obliquely?

For the record I have no problem with one couple helping another one out, and I have no problem with government support for reproductive medicine. But I have a lot of problems with the faith-based aspect of it all.

[Ria]

3.

Oh my...oh my...that IS some scary stuff!

Re: "snowflake babies" and the idea of adopting all these frozen embryos like we do with children - what drives me nuts is no one ever mentions any of the reasons so many of you have turned to IVF. There are problems, known and unknown. Sometimes simply "old eggs" too. In my own case I *know* no one wants to take a chance on my 41.7 year old eggs and any embryos resulting. I wish they'd stop pretending it's so easy for "any" embryo to result in a successful live birth. Sorry for the rant - it's a pet peeve, along with all the references to doctors'
implanting embryos"...grrrrrr.

[Ninotchka]

4.

Sign me up for the ol' "tickly chair."

blas·phe·my (blsf-m)
n. pl. blas·phe·mies
A contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God or a sacred entity.

Have you read my entry today? ROFLOL I've gotta laugh, otherwise, I would cry. And if I start that, I'm not quite sure I could stop. The world really HAS gone mad, hasn't it?

[Jen (yup, another one)]

5.

Man, I'm gonna have to stop coming by here. It scares me too much!!! That Dominionism rhetoric is utterly terrifying.

Almost everything that I read about politics, Bush, the religious Wrong, and so many things going on in our country right now bring up a fear that is palpable. We risk drowning under a creeping tide of censorship, repression, and imposing individual morals on an entire society. You know that sort of parable about boiling frogs? If you put a frog in boiling water, it will jump out to save it's life, but if you put it in cold water and warm the temperature a degree at a time it will boil obliviously to death? Seems like a lot of people in our country are willing to die by degrees.

When I first read the post, though, I read too fast and thought it was "Domino-ism" which conjured up garbled images of the children's game and Vietnam. I think I prefer that to the reality....

[Julie]

6.

Excuse me while I go dig a huge bunker in my back yard to hide in. Think I'll be safe from them there?? YIKES!

[Elena]

7.

Obviously, he was using language to promote the idea that a frozen bundle of four to eight cells is actually a full fledged human being, and can go buy a car or run up a credit card like any good little American

Using that logic, I didn't become a full-fledged human being until around age 21.

[Jill]

8.

When I read this awful stuff, I stifle my hysteria by telling myself it has all been going on for a long time, and it is only due to the Internet that we are aware of it. My country isn't changing, we just have more knowledge of the stupid stuff people throw around to see what sticks.

[Kate]

9.

>>>

SCARY STUFF!

[Ollie]

10.

It's good to know who will be sitting next to me in the executioner's chair.

Snowflake Babies. That one's going to take a while to mull over.

Excuse me while I start sewing my Scarlet Letters.

[Anne]

11.

Wow, I had so many thoughts about this post, I hardly know where to start.

Snowflake Babies ~ We believe that life begins at conception. Notice I say we "believe". We believe this because that is when one recieves all the genetic material needed to begin the journey toward adulthood. Certainly baby needs a place to grow, food, fluids, and other sustenance, but that never changes, not even after birth. Since we don't know when a human becomes sentient, we don't feel that it's the best indicator of when life begins. Personhood is a legal distinction, and far too wishy-washy to base something as important as human rights. That's where I'm coming from as a Catholic anyway. Just thought I'd try to explain. I don't really have a problem with frozen embryos. I just wish they could all be used.

Celeste ~ The president is a Christian. I understand the whole separation of church and state thing, but I don't think that means that anyone has to set aside their beliefs. The moral/religious background that one comes from affects how they view the world, and how they will behave in politics. I tend to think it's part of the fabric of our nation.

Dominionism ~ This is just wrong. While my beliefs certainly influence my world view and my vote, I believe strongly in the separation of church and state and in religious freedom. Faith cannot be forced on people. There must be freedom to follow one's own concience. And I, as a conservative Christian, will NEVER support such ideas. I think they come from a completely backward understanding of scripture and theology. It scares the bejeezus out of me!

Choosing Your Kids' Religion ~ I'm a homeschooling Catholic mom, and I would go through the roof if someone told me I couldn't raise my children in my own faith! I don't think the judge has ANY legal ground to stand on, and I'm praying that it's overthrown on appeal. That's a threat to ANY believing person. Grrrr...

Planned Parenthood ~ While I agree with you on the privacy issue, PP has had issues with not reporting (as they're legally required to do) when a minor is being abused by an adult. I know all the arguments here about the kids needing a place to go for treatment, but, I worry about the 14 year old girls who are getting treatment only to be sent back into the abusive or statutory rape conditions. I don't have an answer, I wish I did. I'm just saying I see the other side.

I too love my country. I fear the direction we're taking. I worry about the media bombarding our kids with sex and consumerism. I fear the parents who are just giving up on parenting and allowing the TV to raise their children. I fear this country is losing it's heart, and most people care more about being right than doing right (and I TOTALLY include conservatives in that!)

I've decided to do my part in a small way. Starting with my kids.

[KimN]

12.

Stuff like this makes me sad to call myself a christian. I feel really sad about what has happend to the so called people of christian faith.

KimN

[Donnie]

13.

Hi Cec,

Wow. You were on a roll today.
I've heard of the "snowflake" organization as well, and I think it's a fine idea for couples who want to help others become parents. Now, whether they do that because they can't stand the thought of "wasting" a perfectly good embryo, or because they think that letting the cells thaw and die is morally wrong-- that doesn't affect the good the program does. Do I think ALL embryos should become "snowflake babies?"
*shrug*
As for Dominionism- I think there's a myth in this country that the radicals in the extreme religious right are running things for the Republican party. I guess as a society we define political groups with the boldest brush: Liberals are all big-spending, PC, godless university educated heathens, while Conservatives are banjo-lovin', bible-thumpin' red-necks. I'm not saying that the idea of "Dominionism" wouldn't please some (horribly misguided) people, I just don't think you can pin that as the agenda of all conservatives.
Buchanan is an idiot.
With all respect to your awesomeness, 14 is just too damn young to be sexually active. I think our government, and our parents have the obligation to protect the interests of a 12 or 13 year old child who may not have the maturity to realize they're being molested. I personally know of a case like this where the adolescent girl thought this man (15 years older than her) was her "boyfriend." He molested her for 3 years (until age 15) because she didn't see anything wrong with what was going on.

-I consider myself fairly middle of the road, and whenever I start to lean one way or another, something or someone from that side will piss me off. But all things considered, I guess I'm a little more conservative than not.

And I don't think Mark Felt was a traitor OR Nixon was a liberal.

What got ME so chatty today? Thanks for sparking some serious discussion, Cec. Don't cry! Keep voting and speaking your mind; that's what we need.

-D.

[Ren]

14.

I agree wholeheartedly with everything Anne said (except you know, the starting with my own kids bit, since I don't have kids.) I'm too lazy right now to try to say it in my own words. :)

[(the other) Anne]

15.

I can remember reading/watching the Handmaid’s Tale and being comforted by the knowledge that it was a work of fiction. I remember feeling secure that the story told of a not to distant American gone wrong COULD NOT happen in the country I know and love. It really bothers me that I don’t feel so secure in that knowledge anymore.

And what bothers me even more is how freakishly Evangelical Christians (as opposed to just your regular run of the mill Evangelical Christian or strongly religious Christian) don’t get that they are JUST LIKE THE TALIBAN with the ONLY difference being the book of faith they use and the name they give to their god.

We had a beautiful ceremony take place here in Honolulu on Memorial Day, Toro Nagashi or lantern floating ceremony, where lanterns are lit and adored with a prayer and set adrift to honor and assist the ancestors in finding their way in the afterlife. What I find so wonderful about this event is that it is a Buddhist/Japanese tradition that has been adjusted to fall on Memorial Day and is open to and attended by people of ALL FAITHS. The organizers of the event here in Hawaii have a goal of making this more that just a Buddhist or Japanese festival they want to bring a message of respect, love, and tolerance to all people. On good days I like to think that what was achieved on the beach at Waikiki this past Monday is a goal we as an entire nation can reach.

About the event if you’re curious http://starbulletin.com/2005/05/31/news/index2.html

Oh and Cecily I’m so going to the electric chair with you.

[RainbowW]

16.

felt came forward because he was hoping to make some money for his granddaughter's college education.

[Angela]

17.

My husband says he thinks that Dominion thing is a GREAT idea ::hear sarcasm:: He says that those who want it passed, they should be the FIRST subject to a mandatory 10-20 people WITH AXES watching them have sex, if he or she twiches in the wrong way they should be immediately executed.

I'm thinking that impotence is going to run rampent at that point...

And we are both in absolute SHOCK over that judge telling that family they can't raise their son pagan!!! I'm up in arms and already writing a scathing letter to the justice department of that county. You realize that his ruling doesn't just restrict the teaching of paganism though, it restrict at least Buddhism and Hinduism as well not to mention SEVERAL other religions. Hmm, maybe if they take the kid OUT of parochial school then it would be okay since he wouldn't be "confused" then.

I too am going to hell, I've left Catholicism and Charismatic Christianity, I've said goddamn many times, I've questioned god, I've commited many many acts that are considered sodomy (especially oral sex), and I AM Wiccan. So I'm even MORE dead...though I guess dead is dead, so more dead isn't really an issue is it?

Though, I'm pretty sure that the electric chair won't be sufficient, there is a very specific reason they burned witches and the bible says witches must be burned, so I have a feeling they will be chopping firewood - I'll make a lovely torch, all this fat will act like the oil in a lamp...

[jenn]

18.

Yeah, I can't even think about "dominionism." La la la, fingers in ears.

slate has an article up on embryo donation/adoption and on Snowflakes specifically. anyone else think choosing that particular image to evoke/describe frozen embryos is just a bit racially charged? just a little bit, in a probably unconscious but nonetheless disturbing way?

http://slate.com/id/2119845/

[lauralu]

19.

"snowflake babies" or dominionism - which is more terrifying? hard to say.

[kimberly]

20.

It is so nice that a state worried about molestation is going to wait until a teen goes to PP. Don't worry about the two year olds (or three year olds or four year olds or five year olds...) being molested and don't worry about prevention. Yes, wait until they are 14.

[Maura in VA]

21.

Hey, Cecily, thanks for the shout out.

Some things that struck me powerfully when reading the "Feel the Hate" article related to what I perceive as a gross perversion of Christianity.

It makes me feel like I've been robbed. Mugged. Like we proud American progressives felt when the American flag was symbolically stolen from us - we were called "America haters" for saying that the America we're proud of does not pre-emptively invade a sovereign country when we're not in imminent danger. But all of a sudden we're not patriots for pointing out that we believe this is bad policy. They stole the flag from me and plastered it on the back of their gas-guzzling SUV's in a yellow-ribbon shaped magnet which was Made in China.

Likewise, these so-called Christians have stolen the modest wooden cross of Jesus, turned it into gold, studded it with diamonds, and declared themselves the only true Christians.

It would be perfect if it was just a symbol, but right there in the article was the in-the-flesh self-righteous "Christian" woman with her diamond-studded cross pendant, wearing it without the slightest trace of irony!

With so many people in poverty - people progressive Christians like me care deeply about - is it not the ultimate symbol of the perversion of Christianity that these so-called "true Christians" are wearing diamond-studded crosses? What would Jesus do, indeed.

And then there's this passage:

"MacDonald quotes liberally from the Book of Revelation, the only place in the New Testament where Jesus (arguably) endorses violence and calls for vengeance against nonbelievers. It is, along with the apocalyptic visions of St. Paul, the movement’s go-to text. Rarely mentioned these days is the Jesus of the four Gospels, the Jesus who speaks of the poor and the marginalized, who taught followers to turn the other cheek and love their enemies, the Jesus who rejected the mantle of secular power."

Yeah. That Jesus of the Gospels, who never once preached about abortion or homosexuality, but who taught us how to love one another, the poor, the disenfranchised, the condemned, the suffering, the homeless, the hopeless. I miss that Jesus. I sure don't see much of him in their brand of "Christianity".

On one side note for Anne and others who believe that "life begins at conception":

The word "conception" is often erroneously equated with "fertilization". In medical terms, "conception" usually refers to the implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterus.

Interestingly, the etymology of the word "conception" from Latin and Greek strongly supports this interpretation. "Conception" comes from the Latin concipere (pp. conceptus), which means "to take in and hold"...and it later became used to mean to take in and hold in the womb. So under that definition, an embryo created through IVF has not undergone "conception" at all, merely fertilization.

And in a final note, we have legislators here in Virgina who support legislation to grant full constitutional rights to fertilized eggs. Yep - full consitutional rights. It does lead to some absurdity and makes me wish I could be a political cartoonist. You know, with the frozen 8-celled embryo who seeks to assert a right to bear arms. The fertilized egg wanting freedom of speech, freedom of assembly.

[Maura in VA]

22.

Woops - meant to "preview" there, but posted accidentally!

Anyway, I was going to say it would be funny if it weren't so absolutely SCARY and serious.

But I appreciate the sentiment of some commenters here that all of this stuff is just too overwhelming and scary to process sometimes. I only wish it was just a matter of us being more aware of it going on now...I really do see this movement as a serious threat, one we can only fight by carving out a little bit of time in our lives (and a little bit of budget, too) for getting involved in community leadership and politics.

For instance, has anyone in the infertility/AR blogosphere considered getting together and forming a political action committee? I just started a Virginia PAC and it's actually quite easy to do. It's remarkable how much more attention I get from politicians when I introduce myself as the Executive Director of a PAC, even though we're an all-volunteer grassroots group and just getting off the ground.

We've already seen the kind of remarkable political power this community can have -- especially because it brings together women who on other issues are often ideologically opposed. We'd multiply this power many, many times over by forming a PAC consisting of ordinary women who are grassroots supporters of reproductive freedom focusing on assisted reproduction and infertility. Just a thought.

[Mel]

23.

I've been scared to death for the last 4 years over the direction the US is taking under its present administration. But just lately I've had reason to hope. I truly believe that the neo-cons are getting too crazy for their own good. Here's a sample of the stuff I've seen on mainstream news shows in just the last few weeks:
1. Numerous US states' education boards having serious debate as to whether to teach evolution as a widely held fact in the scientific community or just another "theory" along with creationism as yet another "theory".
2. A mass exodus of leading US stem cell researchers from the US to labs in the UK, South Korea and Singapore where they are making great strides in unfolding this potentially revolutionary therapy. I will be interested to see how many neo-cons tow the line when a cure is found for alzheimers/diabetes/parkinsons/you-name-it and choose to live with the disease rather than curing it. It is now widely acknowledged in the scientific community that the US (even California) are so far behind the rest of the world in stem cell research that it would be almost impossible to catch up. And by the way, THAT is where the Bush administration is denying the 4-8 cell embryos go - stem cell research.
3. A group of kids from some small Arizona high school beat out the best at MIT in a robot building competition but when they all graduate not one of them can go on to college because they are the children of illegal immigrants. So goodbye to the future engineers of the US and hello minimum income jobs for the rest of their lives. One Arizona congressmen said their parents should have known better when they came to the US illegally and they will just have to live with it. Mind you, the parents are the ones cleaning your toilet when you next stay at a hotel. Of course, there are SO MANY Amrecicans lining up to do those jobs. Yes, give us your huddled masses people. BTW the US graduated just under 7,000 engineers last year while India had graduates in the hundreds of thousands.
4. The Pentagon recently referred to the Koran desecration as "Koran mishandling incident". Remind anyone of the "wardrobe malfunction" excuse. And Rumsfeld himself said he doesn't take the Amnesty International report into human rights abuses at Guatanamo Bay "seriously". Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't they put that jail in Cuba because it was outside US jurisdiction and therefore was not subject to US justice laws.
I truly believe the silent majority are going to get fed up with this slow march to fundamentalism and we'll see a huge backlash. The majority of people in a free society just will not tolerate this assault on their senses on a daily basis forever. You can only kid yourself for so long that you live in the "best country in the world" when all evidence starts pointing to the contrary. The clock is ticking on Mr Bush and his neo con cronies.

[Chrissi]

24.

Hey C....Luigi has received the voting paperwork from te Italian consulate in Philly to vote on the ref regarding IVF. We also receive Italian tv and they have a million pro/con commercials on the subject, all the Italian talk shows are discussing it, it's huge. I find it hard to believe th Pope is going to convince enough people not to vote...at least I hope so!!

It would be pretty scray if we lived in Italy and had to follow their IVF laws, I guess they would flip out if they knew we fertilized 27 embies, transferred 8 and on no Mr. Bush...I have 26 total frozen snowbabies, you can't have them and we decided what to do with them, not the government, it's personal so stay out of my life.

Keep posting...we love your blog

[emma]

25.

This really is unbelievable stuff. I'm so grateful you found these links, I think every person in America should read those articles.

I'm really, really scared by where all this is headed. It's like no-one has learnt from history. It's a short step indeed from saying that people guilty of blasphemy should be killed to saying that anyone who doesn't believe in their god is a blasphemer... then where will you be.

And the stuff about the Wiccan child, unbelievable. I had to read it a few times before I understood that both parents are Wiccan and the judge had just taken it upon himself to include this nonsense.

[runnerwoman]

26.

The stuff about the embryos really pisses me off. My husband and I are seriously considering using donated embryos, mostly because they are cheap. We've spent so goddamn much money on failed procedures that "only" having to shell out $2500 looks pretty appealing.

But, I feel like I'm playing into some sort of propaganda by even thinking about this. At least I know I'll stay far, far away from Snowflakes (yeah, your $4500 "administrative fee" is a pretty Christian way to bilk money from desperate infertile folks) and stick with a broker, who treats the whole transaction like the property exchange that it is.

[Cat, Galloping]

27.

Well yes, obviously we Jews are the root of all evil. Wasn't that firmly established by the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion? (It's true that I've got horns on my head, too, in case you were wondering.)

[Cat, Galloping]

28.

Jill, I disagree that the country is not changing, the Internet is just making us more aware. Maybe the general viewpoints aren't changing, but isn't the whole point of Dominionism to gain the power to force these beliefs on the rest of us?

Runnerwoman, I don't think you're playing into propoganda by considering donated embryos. The point is that the biological parents have CHOSEN to donate this. But I'll bet it might feel differently if you knew that the donors may have been FORCED to do it, possibly against their beliefs.

[amy]

29.

The minute Bush got elected, I feared for the worst. I live in NYC and everyone here thought I was crazy for saying that I worried that anti-Semitism is on the rise and the re-election of Bush is going to contribute to a growing environment of religious intolerance. But I've seen it up close. I'm Jewish and I grew up in a medium-sized southern town. I saw these evangelical, extreme right-wing Christians and felt their prejudice, judgement and exclusion up close and personal. Sometimes I felt as if I might as well have been wearing a yellow star because my last name was "Jewish" and compared to everyone around me, I "looked" Jewish, or at least ethnic. (And really here in NY I don't look all that ethnic.) Honestly, the political climate here in the US is not so unlike that of Germany right before the Holocaust. There were plenty of politicians opposed to Hitler, but the "left wing" party was not as organized and didn't have as clear a message as the right wing, so people liked Hitler's direct, simple message better. And he rose to power.
Not to be a doomsday-er - but blogs like Cecilys are really important because people don't realize all of this scary stuff is out there. On the other hand, my mom always says "I remember McCarthyism and we lived through that." She maintains that the nation will swing back to the left (or at least away from the right) eventually.

[Leslie]

30.

One of my friends was talking the other night about something she'd seen where some right-winger (wish I knew who-didn't find anything with a quick google search) was talking about "orphan" embryos. She was asking me and another friend who'd been through IVF if "orphan" was a proper term to use for embryos left over from the IVF process. I'd have to say not since the parents are well documented and trackable and should be the ones to decide what to do with their embryos whether it's donate to another infertile couple (pick me! pick me!), donate for research, or destroy them. I know at my clinic it's a document you sign before you even start the cycle.

[DMouse]

31.

Fucking scary.

There just isn't anything else to say.

[Kat]

32.

#@$%!#$#$@##$!!@@! I just... don't... know... where... to... begin.... #@#$!#$@#$#. This is so fucking scary. This frightens the hell out of me. I've been worried about the direction of our country for the last few years and now this just reinforces it. I am so enraged I can barely type.

Cecily, thank you for writing this.

[Kat]

33.

Okay, I've calmed down a bit. Just a bit.

I'm a very disillusioned Democrat. It seems like the "liberals" and the "progressives" and the "left" are all completely fractured... which may be one of the reasons that the Religious Wrong is able to take over like this. We're not organized. We're complacent. Hell, I'm the first to admit that the most "radical" I've been was in college almost 20 years ago.

So what I guess I want to know is, Cec, or Maura, or some other commenter here... is there some organizing group, some umbrella organization that helps connect the dots between the whole stem cell/ivf/religious extremism/war for oil/identity tracking card/homeland security profiling debacles and mobilize people like those of us reading your blog. To bring us together, collect funds, work to get the word out on more than just the war (michael Moore, Daily Kos) or voting (Howard Dean).

It's so hard to know where to send my time and money... the Dem party is almost just as corrupt as the Reps, but I'll never leave and go independent because we need all the votes we can get.

Aaaagh. Must. Go. Blog. About. This. Now.

[Case]

34.

Delurking: Did you see this article in today's NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/02/national/02embryo.html

I'm glad we can all pull our hair out together over this. It's making me sick.

[Sandy]

35.

I was just getting on to write to ask what you felt about the politicization of "snowflakes," and now I know. I fear. That's my new mantra. I fear religion. I fear Pope Scary I. I fear the federal government. I fear I will have to vote for that half wit Casey because I fear that no wit Santorum even more. I fear...

[KC]

36.

I can't even speak...It makes me want to cry. This is not the way I want to raise my son, this is not the environment in which I want my son to be raised.

Oh shit - I really hate it and it makes me sooo sad.

[Debe]

37.

this makes me really want to move to Canada, if only it weren't so damn cold there

[karinsamira]

38.

Eek, if you edit out all the "christian " words of this dominion thing it sounds like a taliban pamphlet. Majorly scary.

[Minna]

39.

scary shit. reading that made me sick to my stomach.

[Susan]

40.

This all makes me want to move very far away.
What can I do to change what is happening?

[Gerah]

41.

It helps to know that there are people like you out there, and that you're speaking out. That's whats so cool about blogging. Fuck mainstream media. Lets talk as REAL PEOPLE and not listen to sound bites.

Love your blog. Keep it up. I'm glad you're there cause it makes me feel less alone in the world when it comes to political and religious views.

[amy]

42.

another depressing thought: did anyone see that 60 minutes about how evangelical Christians are proselytizing in the Air Force academy? Supposedly there's an official investigation of incidents of religious intolerance there -- basically it was incidents of anti-Semitism. One chaplan was "transferred" because she was telling the evangelicals that it was NOT ok to proselytize at the Academy - that basically it created an environment of religious intolerance and exclusion.
Now I'm all for religious freedom, but this is where the problems start. When does it cross the line? I realize that proselytizing is part and parcel of the belief - but this can easily veer off into intolerance.

[amy]

43.

another depressing thought: did anyone see that 60 minutes about how evangelical Christians are proselytizing in the Air Force academy? Supposedly there's an official investigation of incidents of religious intolerance there -- basically it was incidents of anti-Semitism. One chaplan was "transferred" because she was telling the evangelicals that it was NOT ok to proselytize at the Academy - that basically it created an environment of religious intolerance and exclusion.
Now I'm all for religious freedom, but this is where the problems start. When does it cross the line? I realize that proselytizing is part and parcel of the belief - but this can easily veer off into intolerance.

[Mimi]

44.

Throughout history, there have been lots of things that Christians have argued / killed each other over. Are we saved by works or by grace alone? Infant baptism? Can uncircumcised Gentiles become Christians? Will Jesus's foreskin resurrected at the endtime? Because, you know that's the really important thing.

We can only hope that the Dominionists will turn on each other soon.

Oh, and where are all those homophobes complaining about activist judges now?

[KelliAmanda]

45.

Thanks again, Cecily, for spreading the word about the hate and scary shit that's out there. I keep telling myself (because it's the only way to keep from losing it!) that this fanaticism can't possibly last forever, right? But, truthfully, I'm terrified of what's currently happening, and of what's to come. (And I'm *not* talking about the coming of Christ.) How the fuck did this country get so far off track? Or have we always been this way? And if 50% of us who voted, give or take, voted AGAINST W, why are we hearing so much from his supporters and so little (in the mainstream media, that is) from the rest of us?

I think more of us (myself included) need to speak up. Seriously, and soon.

[ivy]

46.

I recently ordered Marjane Statrapi's autobiography after looking at a few pages of it at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0375422307/ref=sib_rdr_dp/102-7837466-3845759). She writes about growing-up under the Islamic Revolution. She wrote it in a graphic novel format, and there are pics in which she's running around with boys and girls at a French non-religious school, and then the very next year she's at a school for girl's only and they all have to wear veils. If I'd seen that five years ago, I'd have wondered how in the world the fundamentalists could have taken over their country when so many did not agree with them. But like one of your other commenters mentioned, over the past few years the Handmaid's Tale has seemed more and more like a possibility to me.

Anne points out that our president is a Christian, and that a person shouldn't have to set aside their personal beliefs to participate in politics. I agree- unless that person works in public office. Once you take a job working for the public on the government payroll, then you have agreed to protect and uphold the constitution, and that includes the idea of separation of church and state. So then you should not be using your power to mold legislation to fit your religious world view. I live in a city where a Wiccan priestess has been denied the right to say a prayer before the board of supervisors meetings while Christians have been praying before the meetings for years. They should never have been praying before their meeting at all. If they hadn’t, it wouldn't be an issue. But now some of us are feeling alienated, it is being debated and taken to courts and the ACLU has become involved- all because one group of people feels their religious world view is okay to push onto others. If they'd kept religion separate, they'd just be there to get their jobs done. I know it’s hard to believe, because our own beliefs are so dear to us, but one person’s religion can be alienating to other people. If our president were Muslim or Jewish or Pagan, I have no doubt that evangelicals all over the U.S. would be whole heartedly supporting separation of church and state and expecting our president to keep his religious beliefs well out of politics.

[tracy]

47.

No one has touched on the scariest part of this, which is that I now feel morally obligated to buy a Ford. Yaaaaagh!

[Orodemniades]

48.

"I write about blowjobs, that's gotta be sodomy in some eyes"

Is this some sort of comment on sex ed?

:p

Oro

[chris]

49.

It's making me sick too. I mean, in my heart, I don't think it will work, but what if it does?

Jon Stewart is back? Thank goodness. I was getting tired of having tawdry fantasies while watching his re-runs. Fresh Jon Stewart. Delightful.

[Jody]

50.

All the other stuff is too huge and frightening to get through in a comment, but Mark Felt is 91, has suffered a stroke, and has lost some of his memory. Bob Woodward has doubts about whether Felt is really the driving force behind the decision to come forward: the Post published a story more or less blaming the daughter for wanting to profit from her father's fame.

The relevant paragraphs of the Post's first story on the Felt Family's decision to come forward are at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/31/AR2005053100655_2.html

(You do have to register but in all my years as a registered user, I've never gotten a single e-mail from them.)

I only wish Mark Felt did have the motives you describe. ANY motives would be better than a daughter exploiting her enfeebled father. On the other hand, medical bills are onerous, and I wouldn't want to be in her position--knowing you have something to sell that could help you pay those bills.

Of course, if she just wants to throw a big party, that's icky.

[wix]

51.

i think this is when we put on the skatenigs track "chemical imbalance" for a little inspiration.

after reading all those articles, i am sad and furious.

how did we become so complacent as we grew older? and is this the kind of world we want our children to come of age in?

[Marilyn]

52.

Keep in mind, folks, that Sara is referring to an "article" in Harper's. More like an opinion piece, it really seems to be taking an extreme view.

I don't see a need for all of this angst, but then I (apparently) look at this through a different filter than most of you.

If you already have the mind-set that Christians are out to get you, you will see conspiracies everywhere.

[john hildreth]

53.

in the link below, see the 'journal' area for articles on dominionism in the united states government ('a quiet national crisis'), with additional readings listed, as well as resources you can use to combat it:

http://johnhildreth.buzznet.com

all i can say is that i hope the goodness of humanity will prevent a takeover from happening. if not, i'll be headed to the chair with you (!)

[Lisa]

54.

WOW!!! The more I read the comments here, the more shocked I become!

Fewer "snowflake babies" means less embryos with which to do stem-cell research. Isn't that what they are needed for?? Stem-cell research? They're all going to die anyway! Don't you all want stem-cell research to advance the quality of human life or something like that???

Let's just use the criminals on death row for the stem-cell research. They're going to die anyway, aren't they??

You people HIDE BEHIND the most IDIOTIC reasoning I have EVER read!!! Dominionism????? DOMINIONISM???? Please.... give me a break!

OOOooo......christians everywhere...be VERY afraid!!!!

May I just say, DUH!

[Amy]

55.

Heh, the asshat above me used an email address, lets ask her really hard questions. Daily

[Rach]

56.

Why is she an asshat? Because she asked some rhetorical questions? Because she doesn't agree with you?

Nice.