>Chip Berlet wrote:
>
>>Conservative White Christian evangelicals were 32% of the Bush vote in 2000.
>While some liberals use hyperbolic language to describe these folks, it
>they were not powerful,
>Ashcroft would not be Attorney General. The Christian Right is a powerful
>force in
>American politics. I am in Madison, WI at a conference on the history of
>Print and Religion in the U.S. From progressive to conservative,
>religious to secular, the attendees would dispute the claim that the
>Christian right lacks power.
>
>Of course they would dispute that claim. They are academics. Academics are
>always behind on the curve and they will say shit to justify their
>position in academia. If the religious right isn't a threat anymore (and
>it isn't) a whole bunch of experts and academics would be out of work.
>
>And that would include experts like Mr. Berlet, who has made a living off
>of being an expert about the fringe right.
>
>You are going to have to do better to refute my conclusion that the
>religious right is on the wane and has lost pretty much everything they
>fought for. Channeling the opinion of those at an academic conference who
>aren't part of this discussion just isn't going to cut it.
>
>Chuck
As you know Chip, you can't just go around quoting facts and opinions from academics to support your position or refute Chucks. You need to quote "activists" in the trenches to have any credibility. The religious right is as dead as a Dodo. It only looks so lifelike because it's been stuffed! I guess this thread is just as dead at this point.
John Thornton