Talk to Action, the first national interactive blog site devoted to discussing the theocratic Christian Right — and what to do about it — launches today! It is intended to provide a platform for the kinds of conversations that need to take place in order for us to see the strength of the theocratic movement recede in favor of a refreshed and rebounding constitutional democratic movement. That is a tall order, I know. But I think it is not only necessary, but possible. And I invite you to join us in making the vision a reality.
I have been blogging for only a little over a year — since about two months before the election. I had added a blog to my personal, professional web site because I thought I would like to post a few items a week. I honestly knew nothing about the greater blogosphere — then my friend Ann Rose told me about this place called The Daily Kos. It changed my life. It is a daily miracle of extraordinary writing and online political conversation unfolding before your eyes. I also learned new dimensions of what a scoop-based blog site could be this past year from Booman Tribune, My Left Wing, Street Prophets, and most recently Political Cortex — where I was privileged to be on the inside of it’s development at the same time fellow blogger Bruce Wilson and I were cobbling together Talk to Action. I am grateful to Tom Ball and my fellow Cortexans for all I have learned — and I just hope I can continue to keep up with them!
The blogosphere is growing, maturing, and breaking new ground all the time. Talk to Action embraces what has come before, at least those parts that Bruce Wilson and I, and other of the founding Talk to Action writers have experienced of it — but we are also striking out in some new directions.
Talk to Action will differ from other major sites in that it seeks to be less freewheeling in tone and content. Our focus is narrower — our topic is the religious right and what to do about it. We are also putting an editorial framework on the discussion. Here is a quote from our statement of purpose:
“We are pro-religious equality and pro-separation of church and state. We are prochoice, and we support gay and lesbian civil rights — including marriage equality. Therefore, debates about the validity of abortion and gay rights are off topic. We understand that some people who share our general concern about the politics of the Christian Right may not agree on all of these matters. That’s fine. Anyone who agrees with the general mission of this site is welcome to participate — but bearing this in mind. It is our intention to take the conversation forward, and not let it be held back by debating what, in our view are or should be, settled matters of human, civil and constitutional rights. Similarly, religious debates are off topic, especially debates between theism and atheism. Finally, we are nonpartisan. While political discussions are welcome, — even central to the purpose of this site — we do not wish the site itself to be a platform that is necessarily for or opposed to any particular party.”
We are also different from other major sites in that half of our writers are new to the blogosphere. We expect that many of our readers will be as well.
But like most of the progressive blogosphere, we see the need for changes in the way that we all think and act in political life. With regard to the religious right, consider this: If what people have thought and done about the religious right so far is so smart, how come it is the most powerful faction in the GOP in the Congress? How come intelligent design is one of the biggest issues in the country? Why is it that the bedrock notion of separation of state is increasingly being called into question by top appointees to the federal bench?
I hope that Talk to Action will be a place where we can reconsider some things. Refresh our political thinking and skills — and leave bad ideas and political habits behind. Our first post on our first day, I think epitomizes the kind of sharp-eyed analysis we want to bring to bear on history and current events. Contributing writer Esther Kaplan, author of with God on their Side: How Christian Fundamentalists Trampled Science, Policy, and Democracy in George W. Bush’s White House, discusses a major shift in the stance of the Anti-Defamation League with regard to the Christian Right:
“It seems to have finally dawned on Abe Foxman, head of the Anti-Defamation League and a highly visible Jewish community talking head, that he should stop making nice with the Christian right. Just a few years ago he was calling on American Jews to show evangelical conservatives some gratitude for their hard-line support for Israel. But last week, Foxman used the ADL’s annual conference to sound the alarm about attempts to “Christianize America” …. It’s great to see Abe Foxman wake up and smell the coffee.”
Also featured on launch day, are Chip Berlet, Senior Analyst at Political Research Associates who has been a leading thinker, writer and activist on matters involving the religious right for 25 years; and Jonathan Hutson, an attorney and progressive Christian activist who launches a series of essays he provocatively calls “Cross Examination.”
I am thrilled an honored by the remarkable group that has come together to make Talk to Action happen: In addition to Chip, Esther and Jonathan, here is the rest of the founding group of featured writers:
Joan Bokaer, founder, Theocracy Watch; Michelle Goldberg, senior writer, Salon.com; Joel Pelleteir is an artist whose remarkable painting American Fundamentalists is touring the U.S.; Michelle Murrain is a seminarian at the Pacific School of Religion; Bruce Prescott, executive director of Oklahoma Mainstream Baptists; Max Blumenthal writes about politics and religion for The Nation and The Huffington Post; Cynthia Cooper is an attorney, author, and playwright; Scott Isebrand operates the blog site Religious Right Watch; Lorie Johnson operates the blog site Dark Christianity; Carlos Stouffer operates the blog site Jesus Politics; Pastordan operates the blog site Street Prophets.
These short descriptions cannot begin to describe the depth of their knowledge, the vividness of their writing, and the originality of their thought. You’ll just have to stop by, see for yourself, and enjoy their company
At this writing, we are still scrambling to add features and work out the bugs. Each time you visit — and I hope you will — you are likely to see changes; some large, some small. Please be patient with us. We are in this for the long run, and we hope you will be too.
