After I began this topic, I did a quick survey of our La Parola pages. It seems at least one-third of all articles and letters dwell on one topic: the Right's crusade against gay freedom in America.

And most of those were written to respond to anti-gay defamation by the so-called "Christian Right".

It doesn't let up, because they don't let up. After all of the analysis in these pages, it would seem even to me there's very little left to say that hasn't been said before.

I've known, in my lifetime, a large number of delightful, wonderful, thoughtful Americans who were also, by any measure, deeply and devotedly religious people. Many of these friends inspired me in my youth to do my best, and encouraged me to always keep trying to do the right thing.

We never felt, in those days, that our religious preferences had to be negotiated at the table before we could celebrate our common values.

It occurs to me from time to time that many of them might have felt homosexuality is wrong. We had no cause to go there. People are entitled to their beliefs and opinion, even though we've had many spirited and memorable disagreements on what the right and the wrong might be, and for whom.

What separates these Americans from the sectarian hatemongers I'm going to write about -- again -- is the cheerful, positive outlook of the first group upon life, and for mankind's potential to live up to the best within it.

I have never heard any of those friends ever utter harsh words of absolute condemnation, or advocate persecution, against another solely because of a matter of belief or birth.

I have never heard any of those friends ever condemn or advocate persecution of another solely because of a matter of belief or birth.

All these years, the "Christian Right" has seemed an enigma. Part Grand Inquisitor, part Waffen SS, part unquenchable preacher, these fundamentalists sects have earned a reputation for being divisive, elitist and agressively, disagreeably combative.

On the other hand, the gentle Watchtower folk who knock on door after door are friendly to all, but know to only ask for the time of those who are open to their message.

As distinct from the merely dedicated and hard-working, zealots of any stripe are hard to figure out.

Take fringe wackos like the Rev. "God Hates Fags" Phelps. Phelps is a Storm Trooper for the Falwell and Robertson crowd, but he marches to a different drumbeat. He makes the Falwell and Robertson crowd look respectable. They do far more harm to civil liberty than Phelps, but Phelps is seen as the wacko; they are seen as the esteemed moral and spiritual leaders of millions of citizens.

The tough answer is that Falwell and company are skilled politicians who couch their threats and smears carefully. As politicians, they usually have a tuned ear for what they can get away with.

Phelps is long past caring about appearances; personally I would give him more credit in the honesty department.

We don't seem to be getting any closer to explaining the venomous hatred and HUAC-style gay-baiting of the religious right establishment. It may help to see that some elements of this group share common origins with the KKK of the postbellum south.

It is still difficult for many of us to imagine how such groups maintain such enormous grassroots support in certain strata of society.

And then some fellow like freelance writer Bob Wieder, in the San Jose Mercury News Perspective, comes along and puts a fresh face on an old enemy of freedom and reason.

The religious rights' war against Disney Enterprises is not news. Disney promotes a benevolent, positive image of all life and the idea that good guys always win (without benefit of any particular religious outlook). Disney joined thousands of other corporations in promoting a discrimination-free workplace, which means rights and benefits for gays and lesbians which are approximately equal to those already enjoyed by the heterosexual majority.

It's no big secret that the Disney philosophy, off-screen or on, appeals to many people, including many of us who are sexual minorities. I don't pretend to completely understand this phenomenon, or the Dorthy/Toto/Judy Garland thing either.

In religious right parlance, Disney would be "pandering" to homosexuals. We've addressed anti-Disney activities of the religious right before.

An unofficial "Gay Days" is about to start at Disney World, where legions of gay mouseketeers will convene in what appears to have become a tradition.

"Operation Rescue", the religious propaganda arm which prays for and contrives the fruadulent "conversion" of people born with exclusively homosexual orientations, plans to stage a mass demonstration at Disney World to make gays and lesbians, and Disney, feel as uncomfortable as possible

I received a "GLAADAlert" from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation , which excerpted a column covering this strategy written by Bob Wieder for the San Jose Mercury News.

On the Mercury web site http://www.sjmercury.com/, you may find the ogirinal article. It is already archived, so I had to enroll as a Library member to purchase it. The full text of the article is available through the Mercury News for $1.95. It's title is "Why The Right Throws Hissy Fits Over 'Gay Days' At Disney World".

GLAAD's abstract of the Wieder article has been reproduced here. GLAAD did a very good job of recreating the content and spirit of the original article.

As I wrote Mr. Wieder, I think his theory and analysis is the best I've seen. The compulsive "punishment" behavior fits. It fits the consuming anger, monomaniacal conversion activity, and assignment of guilt and blame to others.

After reading my letter to Mr. Wieder, many of you may think I have gone too far. I don't think we've scratched the surface. But I'm going to take the easy way out, and refer you to the references below, asking you only to look at my premises and make up your own mind.

I think all we have to do is ask this question: What happens if these people get their way?

I think you will find adequate pointers elsewhere in this website. My examinations of the religious right hit hard on isolated actions of the movement, though I myself find them strangely lacking in original or scholarly thought. Something is missing. A "unified theory" is needed.

I find myself pulling my punches for at least two reasons. First, I'm reluctant to attack individual adherents of a sect, even an insanely anti-humanity sect, purely because of their belief in a moral code with which I disagree and which I can disprove, QED.

Secondly, it is better to wait for those sectarians who will cross the line by entering into the political arena to press for legislation against fellow citizens, such as myself, whom they see fit to punish for not voluntarily kowtowing to their religious dogmas.

I include in the second category people who engage in organized defamation and slander, even if it is labeled "non-political".

Third, it is easier to let them take enough rope to hang themselves, as Falwell is so ably doing to himself ands his people.

But something bigger is going on. I see a spectre with the mixed characteristics of religious revival, Third Reich "ethnic cleasing", and the basest political hucksterism. There is a lot more work to be done to establish such a thesis, and it is not going to be done here, and it is not going to be done soon.

The soul of the religious right movement is corrupt to the core. It is closer to its roots in institutionalized racism than any other current American political movement, with the possible exception of the KKK, to which it is closely related. What it would accomplish, if unchecked, is the destruction of personal liberties everywhere.

References:

Totalitarianism, Hannah Arendt
The True Believer, Eric Hoffer

commentary by Alex Forbes 1999. Last updated June 20, 1999