Moral Values-Authoritarian Code Words: Rev. William Alberts

[teryang]

On "Moral Values"
Code Words for Emerging Authoritarian Tendencies in Americans
By Rev. WILLIAM E. ALBERTS

http://www.counterpunch.org/alberts01012005.html

<Dr. Richard Lerner, professor of Applied Developmental Science at Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts writes of the "peril" represented by the emerging state-legitimized authoritarianism masked as "moral values": "I believe we are entering into an era of state-based definition of 'true' religion and of patriotism, one that admits of no legitimate dissension and that promises to be the only perspective framing public and political discourse." He continues, "Conformity, rigidity of thinking, intolerance, prejudice and ethnocentrism-the elements that Adorno, et al identified more than a half century ago as the defining features of the 'authoritarian personality'-are being embraced as the only truly American approach to our nation and the world. . . <snip>.

<The apparently growing authoritarian tendencies in Americans are seen in a recently published nationwide poll of attitudes toward Muslim Americans. The study revealed that "nearly half of all Americans surveyed said they think the US government should restrict the civil liberties of Muslim Americans." Conducted by Cornell University, the survey "also found that Republicans and people who describe themselves as highly religious were more apt to support curtailing liberties than Democrats or people who are less religious -a finding similar to that reported by the social scientists in their major study of prejudice and "the authoritarian personality" over 50 years ago. <snip>

Worthwhile article about the confluence of "Christocentric" intolerance and authoritarian traits. The pivotal role of gay bashing and freedom of religion (for christian fundamentalists only) evaluated for the political ugliness it is.