July of last year a man named Jim Adkisson saw that a local Unitarian Universalist church had begun welcoming Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered members of the community to come worship with them. He believed that homosexuality was an abomination and the tolerance of which was responsible for all manor of ills from floods to economic downturn. He believed that liberalism and secularism were causing the deaths of real human lives, endangering the nation he called home, and that tolerating it would lead to the silencing of himself and others who shared his beliefs. He took the rantings and ravings of the media darlings of the american right seriously. He took them literally. So he walked into that Unitarian Universalist church and opened fire on what he believed to be his enemies with a shotgun; killing two and injuring several others. Was he simply insane or was he reacting to what he believed to be a real existential threat to his way of life and everything he believed in? He has since released a manifesto that lays out his intentions and his motivations. I can’t say for certain whether this is an act of a madman who just happened to choose republican punditry as his object of obsession or whether this is the inevitable consequence of the politics of hate.
Pam’s House Blend, Sara Robinson (over at Orcinus), dday of Hullabaloo, Atheist Revolution, Daylight Atheism, and The Daily Doubter (a new favorite of mine) have even more to say on the subject. I suggest you click on these links and read what they have to say about this thin line.
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Actually, Dave didn't write the piece you linked to (though he did chime in a few days later). Check the byline — it was me. Thanks for correcting this…
I certainly wouldn't classify it as existential, although you make an interesting point. I think that the reference to a 'politics of hate' is an apt description of the climate we now find ourselves in. There will always be those on the fringes who make their reactive decisions based on things that most mature and reasoned adults would not. While this is sad, it is so, and has happened in every society throughout history to some degree. I really am glad that you presented such an interesting ethical debate. Ethics and politics are a subject we should address more. Love your blog by the way!
its seldom that one finds a relatively intelligent and balanced perspective on issues, especially those that have to do with challenges to and diversions from contemporary morality, so i cant be too hard on you for missing out some of, what i would consider, important factors in this case.
There is more to this than either madness or wanton manipulation of the lesser informed masses. this incidence was a manifestation of a problem typical of societies that have grown beyond their power to consolidate the growth. you (Americans, i mean; you ARE American arent you? ) have liberties and social freedoms that are not only unachievable for a large part of the worlds' population, but also nonviable. but the american mind, the collective moral unit, has not had the time, the respite from constant socio-economic growth, to consolidate this new and ever-changing position.
do the math; and keep up the good work.
I would be interested to here more about this idea of yours. What freedoms and liberties do you believe america has that are untenable? More specifically, which ones do you believe lead to this kind of dysfunctional dialogue?
this would be a long, LONG talk, friar: a real thesis. its not simply specific freedoms or liberties -though they do factor in- it is more how society comes to terms with an expansion of its collective thought and moral spectrum. the arguments pretty convoluted, and needs a lot to validate it; some day, when i have the time and the lucidity, we'll talk.
I greatly enjoy your blog as well.
The threat of "liberalism" is believed to be existential to some. Just take a look at Alan Keyes latest rant in which he says, "He is going to destroy this country and we are either going to stop him or the United States of America is going to cease to exist". Sound existential to me.
The problem I am seeing is that it's not just fringe members of society. Look at the popularity of figures like Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, and Sean Hannity. These fringe reactionaries are now the cheerleaders of the modern american right.
EC dropping, have a nice day!
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