When Fascism comes to America

You may recall the story of the school kid in Kearny, NJ who secretly tape recorded his teacher who told the class that they deserved to go to hell if they didn't accept Jesus Christ as their saviour. He also told them that the world was flat, evolution was wrong and that a "being" created the world. Here's a statement (via Blue Jersey) from the kid's father, Paul LaClair:

"If Fascism ever comes to America, it will come wrapped in the flag, carrying the cross." This prophetic statement from Sinclair Lewis is being played out in Kearny right now.

My seventeen-year-old son is at the center of a "controversy" about a history teacher who was misusing his position to proselytize biblical fundamentalism (he is a Baptist) in a public school. Among the many galling aspects of this saga is that the matter is considered a controversy at all.

This teacher did not merely say "Jesus loves you," or lead a prayer. He told high school juniors who do not share his beliefs that they "belong in hell" --- not merely that they will go to hell, but that they belong there.

In the face of my son's obvious skepticism, he dogmatically asserted that the universe must have been created by a being. On this and many other points, he was not expressing a mere opinion, but stating his beliefs as fact.

He dismissed evolution and the big bang in favor of biblical creationism, in direct violation of settled Constitutional law. Quite apart from the illegality of this behavior, his "knowledge" of science is questionable to say the least. After all, how many high school teachers are publicly called "ignorant and scientifically illiterate" by a world-renowned astrophysicist? He also implied that all non-conservatives (we can only imagine what he means by that) are like Nazi appeasers.

He even had the audacity to tell my son that if he is sincerely seeking, he will "put his hand into Jesus' side," implying that the young man's mother and I are not sincere in our religious beliefs. Where I was raised, that sort of thing would be considered --- let's put it charitably --- rude.

Since my son reported this misbehavior, Mr. Paszkiewicz and his apologists have persisted in a series of denials, obfuscations and shell-gaming that would make Karl Rove proud. True to form, Paszkiewicz and his radical-right apologists have circled the wagons around him with a pitiful collection of arguments, including the notion that my son somehow forced him to say these outrageous things. Next they'll be telling us that Matthew can walk on water.

Do not underestimate for one moment what is at stake here. This sort of thing goes on in the Bible belt all the time. Looking at the abuse my son has endured ten miles west of Manhattan, can you imagine what would happen to a student who had the courage to report something like this in those parts of this country?

Paszkiewicz's behavior is part of a movement called dominionism: right wing Christians literally and fervently believe that because most Americans are Christian, they have the right to have dominion over everyone else. History tells us where that leads, as group after group is dropped from the list of the acceptable. We are confident the vast majority of Americans reject this dark vision.