A Disturbing Snapshot of Gov. Rick Perry (R, Texas) and the Religious Right

[NGNM85]

Rick Perry was formerly Liutenent Governor under George W. Bush, and assumed the office of Governor when Bush Left his office to run for president. Perry was elected Governor in 2002, and has won two subsequent elections, in 2006, and 2010. Perry has begun to recieve national attention as scuttlebutt on the political grapevine strongly suggests he is considering entering the running for the nomination of the Republican presidential candidate. Furthermore, some polls place him just below Mitt Romney, who is currently the frontrunner for the Republican nomination. The clip below, from the Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC, defies description. You simply have to see it for yourselves, I believe it speaks volumes as to Rick Perry's ideology, as well as a disturbing picture of the Religious Right in America. I simply cannot do it justice. The most relevent parts are in the first 6-10 minutes.

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[PhoenixAsh]

This is going to be really, really frightning! O_O

How popular is this guy?

[NGNM85]

This is going to be really, really frightning! O_O

How popular is this guy?

In his home state, he's won over a million votes in each of his campaigns for governor of Texas. In '02, he won by 57%. (?!) In '06, he didn't fare nearly as well, winning by a little less than 40%, over the four other candidates. In 2010, he bounced back hard, winning with just a little over 55%. Of course that's in Texas, which is like an alien planet. He has yet to emerge on the national stage, but he may do so. I really doubt that he has any serious chance of becoming the Republican frontrunner. The Democratic party leadership have seen the footage I posted. If he ran, you can bet they'd make sure the whole country sees it. My concern, really, is twofold;
First; the rabid fanaticism of the American Religious Right., and, second; the mainstreaming of this kind of religious fanaticism, the concerted effort to legitimize this kind of madness, and the attempt by these crazies to slither their way into the political mainstream.

[Lenina Rosenweg]

The ruling class needs to enforce even more austerity. Traditionally a faction of the Republicans appeals to the "religious right", "social conservatives" in order to enact laws which go against the economic self interest of their constituency. The need for austerity is now greater than ever before so its nesecary to toss the fundis even more red meat.

There is a definite whiff of fascism in this guy.More than a whiff. Perry sounds like someone out of a Heinlein novel.. Most likely he doesn't believe half the shite he spews but still. He results from the passivity of the Dems and the virtual non-existence of any visible left alternative.

This is nothing really new though. Watch the 1992 Republican convention. Pat Robertson was one of the main speakers and he virtually called Bush I, the candidate, an anti-Christ.

Rick Perry is a scary nut job but lets put this into context.Lets not panic. Its no accident that Rachel Maddow is playing this. She's a Democrat.

[Ocean Seal]

I thought that this was going to be a story about some Republican's perverted activity which his constituents wouldn't approve of. Anyway, this is why I stay out of mainline politics.

[PhoenixAsh]

This concerns me as well.

There was a time here in Holland we would point and laugh at some of the weirdest things we heard from the religious right like it was some anamoly in thought. Something which could not possibly be believed or accepted by large groups.

But in the decades past these sort of insane messages have become so much the norm, rather than the exception, that it doesn't even raise an eyebrow. People here just say: "Yes, thats America for you".

They do not realise that somebody like that can actually win something and become president or part of the ruling elite. Hell...everybody was upset about Bush but even he had a large group of people who thought he couldn't be that bad or serious.

People here do not take Christian religious fundamentalism very serious. It would never become accepted like it is in the US and hence they underestimate the dangers.

[Lenina Rosenweg]

This is scary but the way to fight this is not by rallying around Obama, its explaining socialism to people.

[PhoenixAsh]

If anything the Democrats are just as responsible for this as the right itself. By continuously failing to provide any solutions which in fact aleviate the problem they only offer different roads to the same exact point...thats not helpful.

[tradeunionsupporter]

I agree the right is bad.

[NGNM85]

There is a definite whiff of fascism in this guy.More than a whiff. Perry sounds like someone out of a Heinlein novel.. Most likely he doesn't believe half the shite he spews but still. He results from the passivity of the Dems and the virtual non-existence of any visible left alternative.

I think he really believes it. It' also interesting to me that, unlike McCain, he doesn't seem to be distancing himself from this at all. McCain saw winning these peoples' support as a necessary evil, by all appearances, Perry considers them his base. Of course, in Texas, that's probably correct. Of course, like I said, Texas' political culture is like some alien dystopia.


This is nothing really new though. Watch the 1992 Republican convention. Pat Robertson was one of the main speakers and he virtually called Bush I, the candidate, an anti-Christ.

Yeah, but I think the landscape is changing. The Evangelicals came onto the political scene in a big way with the election of Jimmy Carter (Whom they quickly turned on, and is now an object of hatred.) and they haven't gone away. If anything, I think their power is growing. I also think the more lunatic fringe elements are becoming more accepted in the mainstream.


Rick Perry is a scary nut job but lets put this into context.Lets not panic. Its no accident that Rachel Maddow is playing this. She's a Democrat.

That, and because it's really disturbing. I have no particular love for the Democratic party, but at least you won't see people like this at any of their functions.


This concerns me as well.
There was a time here in Holland we would point and laugh at some of the weirdest things we heard from the religious right like it was some anamoly in thought. Something which could not possibly be believed or accepted by large groups.
But in the decades past these sort of insane messages have become so much the norm, rather than the exception, that it doesn't even raise an eyebrow. People here just say: "Yes, thats America for you".
They do not realise that somebody like that can actually win something and become president or part of the ruling elite. Hell...everybody was upset about Bush but even he had a large group of people who thought he couldn't be that bad or serious.
People here do not take Christian religious fundamentalism very serious. It would never become accepted like it is in the US and hence they underestimate the dangers.

I don't think a lot of Europeans don't truly get this because it is so radically different. In terms of religious extremism, America has far less in common with the rest of the industrialized world, it bears a much closer resemblance to Afghanistan, or Iran. I mean, roughly two-thirds, two-fucking-thirds, of our population completely reject evolution. Another roughly 20% are highly suspicious of it. This is the 21st century, for Christs' sake.

[NGNM85]

***UPDATE***

Rick Perry has officially announced that he is seeking the Republican Presidential nomination.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/08/13/perry/index.html

[Blackburn]

This guy will be the next American President. I'm already calling it. He looks and comes across like a right wing action movie star.

Reactionaries and undecideds will love this guy.

Meanwhile... it's not good news for America.

[Aspiring Humanist]

Where is Leon Czolgosz when we need him

[NGNM85]

Things I learned from Rick Perry and Co.;

That the freedom of religion guaranteed by the Constitution does not apply to non-Christians, especially not Muslims,, despite the fact that the Constitution makes no such distinction, and, in fact, the Treaty of Tripoli, ratified by then-President John Adams, (You might’ve heard of him.) made it clear that Muslims, specifically, should not be deprived of the right of religious worship. (?)

President Obama is ‘not authentically black.’ (?!)

DODT kills birds. (??!)

Oprah, while ’winsome’, and ’kind’, is the ’utterly deceived’ prophet of the ‘Harlot Babylon’ and the ‘Harlot movement’ which is preparing the world to receive the Antichrist. (???!)

Hitler was a ‘hunter’ sent by God to drive the Jews back to Israel. (???!)

That Abortion must be prohibited, and as punishment for tolerance of abortion the United States must experience some kind of civil war or cataclysm with a death toll upwards of several hundred thousand.(????!)

The Affordable Health Care Act was a secret Illuminati plot to reduce the worlds‘ population.(?????!)

Japan’s economic woes stem from ritualized sex with the sun goddess, which has ‘demonized’ the culture, and stunted their stock market.(??????!)

[Sasha]

http://bentcorner.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/rick-perry-german-salute.jpg

[Nox]

http://leftwingnutjob.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/perry_clown.jpg

[Sasha]

http://chzdailywhat.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/64dd522c-346c-43fe-8e60-1e1c3066f2b3.gif

[#FF0000]

That the freedom of religion guaranteed by the Constitution does not apply to non-Christians, especially not Muslims,, despite the fact that the Constitution makes no such distinction, and, in fact, the Treaty of Tripoli, ratified by then-President John Adams, (You might’ve heard of him.) made it clear that Muslims, specifically, should not be deprived of the right of religious worship. (?)

This is p. funny because the founding fathers were a-okay with Islam. Thomas Jefferson taught himself Arabic through the Qu'ran and held the first White House "Iftar" during Ramadan.

And John Adams was a big fan of Muhammad for some reason too.

They all basically wanted to kiss islam

[Jimmie Higgins]

If anything the Democrats are just as responsible for this as the right itself. By continuously failing to provide any solutions which in fact aleviate the problem they only offer different roads to the same exact point...thats not helpful.

I really think the best way to think of the two US parties and their relation to the ruling class is "good cop/bad cop". Of course anyone whose ever seen a cop show knows that the point of good cop/bad cop is that they both want the same thing and neither is "good" or really has the interests of the person they are intimidating.

As long as the Democrats can point to the other party, the Perry's and the Walkers and Bachman's and appeal to the real apprehension of those politics felt by millions of workers, without offering anything fundamentally different.

I wonder what the political discussion is right now among the establishment Republicans in regards to strategy. I wonder if in a sense they would rather support a religious fundamentalist because the evangelical churches have stronger discipline over their members than the astroturf "Tea-Party" movement. I mean a religious fundie can talk "small government/personal responsibility" rhetoric - but, if necessary, could switch over to some kind of stimulus, if needed. He wouldn't be held to as high of a libertarian standard as Bachman or some other tea-party favorite and so he's have more political room to maneuver and still have a base of evangelicals and their institutions to support him and push his political arguments.

Anyway, if someone has some links to articles about this sort of thing, I'd be interested. It's just speculation but I have the impression that while the ruling class is obviously happy to have the tea-party making people think that Keynesian policies are off the table and that universal healthcare or taxes on business are not possible, that they are uncomfortable with the political as opposed to religious fanaticism. Religious dogma, especially coming form top-down institution and religious-political machines, can mostly be amended to fit the current needs of the ruling class. For example, you can argue for welfare on the basis of community responsibility and being charitable to your fellow man or you can argue the exact opposite and the whole "teach a man to fish" line.

[Nox]

The Affordable Health Care Act was a secret Illuminati plot to reduce the worlds‘ population.(?????!)



HAHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHA :laugh::laugh:

It would have the exact opposite effect

[gendoikari]

The Illuminati have stated it as their goal to...

um.... the illuminati are dead.... they were wiped out in nothern europe shortly after their inception. and if they were still around they aren't stating anything.