Discord, Disharmony and Disaster

John Hagee has apologized to professional complainer / holier than thou pundit Bill Donohue. This is of course a typical non apology apology, in which Hagee apologizes for people being offended by his statements, not for making them in the first place. This highlights the difference between how the media treats the religious right and their republican allies who routinely engage in hate speech against homosexuals, and other fringe groups, and how they treat religious left leaders such as Jeremiah Wright. This situation is also an example of the value of the political tactic known as framing. Because John Hagee has framed himself as being pro Israel, and a defender of Judaism, this allows him to spread his own unique breed of antisemitism. Hagee only supports Israel because of a type of theology known as Christian Zionism, a part of which is that all of the worlds Jews must move to Israel, in order to hasten the second coming of Christ, and that all of the Jews will either convert or die in the battle of Armageddon. This attitude is showcased by this video filmed at a conference held by one of Hagee’s organizations. If the views expressed by the Hagee followers in this video are not anti-semitic, there is not much else that can be called anti-semetic. But because Hagee has framed himself as a defender of Israel, despite anything that he might say, this is what he will be promoted as by the mainstream media. Thus, Hagee has only gotten in trouble for his anti catholic statements, and not his implication that Jews brought antisemitism on themselves for not doing exactly as god commanded.

The exact opposite is true of Barrack Obama and his preacher Jeremiah Wright. Because of the standard media frame, Democrats are seen as godless, and anti Israel. More on that later, but first I am going to focus on this comment by Wright:

“The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing ‘God Bless America.’ No, no, no, God damn America, that’s in the Bible for killing innocent people…God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme.”

While it is not acceptable for Jeremiah Wright to say “God Damn America”, it is however acceptable (and patriotic) for those wonderful defenders of the American Way, mom, apple pie, and baseball, our good friends the Religious Right to ask “Why should god bless America” as displayed in this video, which to the best of my knowledge has never received any press outside of the left wing blogosphere.

Because of Wright and his supposed endorsement by Hamas (The endorsement seems to have come from a member of Hamas’ political wing) Obama has had to go hat in hand to Jewish organizations, and promise to support Israel. (as shown in this New York times article, notice the Israeli flag in the background)

Because of the Right wing frames, Hagee is seen as a supporter of Israel, and Obama is seen as someone who would waver in his support for Israel. One of the side effects of this is that the defination of Antisemitism has changed from openly anti Jewish statements such as those made by Hitler and Co, to anything that suggests that there is any solution to the Palestinian/Israeli crisis other than complete support of Israel, and no two state solution. Never mind that a two state solution appears to be the only way that there could be any kind of resolution to this issue. This definition has caused famous African Bishop Desmond Tutu to be deemed as antisemitic because of his support of the Palestinian people.

In conclusion, I just want to point the ease with which Hagee is able to get out of trouble, with the incredible distance that Obama must go to distance himself from Wright.

(UPDATE: Fixed spelling errors, and added the page break) (Added to a new Category)