Boycott Chicken! by Wayne Northey

Sometimes the most obvious things are hardest to see.  That President Bush is a tyrant, for instance.

In Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11, the movie ends with Moore’s agreeing finally with the President who said: “There's an old saying in Tennessee. I know it's in Texas, probably Tennessee, that says: ‘Fool me once... shame on... shame on you.
[thinks] Ya fool me... ya can't get fooled again.’” 

In fact Bush has hoodwinked Americans repeatedly, is working diligently at it again for the approaching election.  In a July 4th quiz, “Down With King George!”, Stephen R. Shalom drew nine amazing parallels to England’s tyrannical King George in 1776 and President George in 2004.  Take it yourself, and follow the links: http://www.tomdispatch.com/index.mhtml?emx=x&pid=1519.

In Hans Christian Andersen’s brilliant fairy-tale, The Emperor’s New Clothes, it takes a little boy with unblinkered eyes to point out “King George’s” nakedness.  Why are we so willingly duped?  Theologian Luke Johnson contends we live with a spirituality of deep fear and insecurity – ultimately of our own mortality.  Psychologist Ernest Becker wrote that fear of death leads to “…the disguise of panic that makes [us] live in ugliness…”  We are consequently willingly lied to, self-deceived. Desmond Tutu said of white collusion with South African apartheid, not unlike the white Evangelical vote for President Bush: “The former apartheid cabinet member Leon Wessels was closer to the mark when he said that they [South African whites] had not wanted to know [about the terrorist acts of police and military], for there were those who tried to alert them.” Like Pilate we easily wash our hands in self-absolution; we choose to look the other way.

Psychologist Sheldon Solomon contends that “fear of death promotes allegiance to charismatic leaders”.  He writes: “George W. Bush became a charismatic leader as a result of the events of 9/11; prior to 9/11, President Bush was a not-quite-elected lame-duck in the making with no coherent plan for America and rapidly waning appeal to the American public.”  (Michael Moore depicts scathingly the same truth in his recent movie.) 

Then the catastrophe struck, and fully 58% of Americans reported posttraumatic stress symptoms 6 months after September 11, 2001!  America was ripe for the “charismatic leader” into which George W. Bush magically morphed.  Suffering under what Professor Solomon calls “mortality salience” (constant fear of death) that America has felt since 9/11, “we give knee-jerk votes for charisma.”, claims Solomon.  Under similar circumstances, he points out, “Hitler and Mussolini were duly elected…” Psychologist John Brand calls people controlled by this mob mesmerism “reptilian”, ever given to violence as final solution.

Principal amongst these in America are “born-again” Christians.  Theologian Paul Tillich describes religion as two-edged sword: opening humanity up to soul-satisfying transcendence, “the experience of the Holy, of something which is untouchable, awe-inspiring, an ultimate meaning, the source of ultimate courage….   But beside its glory lies its shame.  It makes its myths and doctrines, its rites and laws, into ultimates and persecutes those who do not subject themselves to it.”  It is no surprise that white Evangelical America, comprising over 80 million believers, voted for President Bush in 2000, and promises the same in 2004.  Solomon sees Osama bin Laden in this respect as President Bush’s alter ego, observing wryly: “A charismatic fundamentalist in a tie is just as dangerous as a fanatic in a turban!”  And the best-known C.I.A.-trained terrorist, notes political scientist Mahmood Mamdani in a counter-intuitive publication on the roots of terror called Good Muslim, Bad Muslim, is Osama bin Laden.

Jack Ramsay was a Reform Party Member of Parliament from Alberta when I once discussed at length criminal justice issues with him.  He was a former police officer, a born-again Christian, vehement supporter of the return of the death penalty – and use of other harsh punishments.  He was subsequently charged and convicted of a sexual offence against a minor, committed years before while an RCMP officer. 

I told him of an organization in America that marched annually in a death penalty state. One of those was born-again Governor George Bush’s Texas, whose Huntsville was site of the most “killing fields” in the history of American governors.  One could not be a member, I explained, of “Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation” unless one had lost a loved one to murder.  When they marched with banners and pronouncements, “Don’t Kill for Me!”, people listened.

Mr. Ramsay retorted: “Then they shouldn’t eat chicken!”  To explain, he told of his brother who hated catching, beheading and cleaning chickens – but loved eating them!  Likewise, he intoned, one cannot enjoy the benefits of American – or Canadian – citizenship, and not support killing: for us and our children.  I asked him if that meant two million innocent civilian casualties in over 100 cities carpet bombed by the Allies with napalm in World War II, including atomic bombs unleashed on Hiroshima and Nagasaki – the greatest instantaneous mass slaughter of civilians in the history of humanity.  He said without blinking it did.  He added that Western civilization rightly continues to do so wherever and whenever necessary.

I said, “You’re a sick man, Mr. Ramsay.”  I quoted Jesus whom he claimed to follow: “But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’”

You’re a sick man, Mr. Bush.  I wish you and your supporters would boycott chicken…

Comments

[Wanda Vincent]

Dear Wayne,
I have a few comments concerning your article.
In this commment I say we, because I am not without sin in this area either.
The Clarion is about spirituality and justice, I do not think it is for Political bashing.
One thing important to remember is that the media has an agenda and is very one sided. They never show the whole picture. The media never shows the 2 hours of hostile remarks and badgering that the Politician has just gone thru, they just show them reacting finally to all that was just thrown at them.(this comment is from someone who has been in the Parliment often; not as a Politician but as an intercessor)
I AM NOT FOR WAR, KILLING OR INJUSTICE but I have noticed something that seems to be in ways just as bad.
Calling PM Steven Harper a fool, among other things I believe is wrong according to Matt. 5:21,22.
I Tim 2:1,2 tells us to pray for those in authority,whether we agree with them or not. Name calling gets us nowhere. It does not bring glory to God and it does not bring justice and mercy to those in need. According to Rm 13:1,2 God is the one who puts people in authority ( even though we think we do because we have a vote).
What makes us any better than they are if we are killing them with our words or in our thoughts.
We can pat ourselves on the back and say well done, good word ... but I wonder what Jesus is saying when we slander Politicians.
If we want to see justice for those in Iraq and other places then we need to actively pursue it. God is love and He actively pursues us. Love is active. Actively speak to the Leaders in gentleness and kindness in / with the fruits of the Spirit, respecting the Leaders and the position that God has put them in. Actively petition them to change laws or actions. Actively give aide to those in need and go and help.
Above all PRAY there is so much power in prayer. Countries have been changed because of it.
We can say we disagree but as Christ followers we need to be careful what words we choose. And be careful we are not slandering and reacting like the world does.
If we saw Bush or another Politician face to face would we see Jesus in them? How would we treat them, what words would we say to them? Would Jesus be patting us on the back saying well done??? I don't believe Jesus ever slandered the Politicians of His day. I think the only ones He spoke out against were the religious leaders, the ones who said they were speaking for God. The ones who were suppose to be there to lead people to God, not leading a nation.
Well that's it.

God Bless you!
Wanda