I guess I’ve been reading too many Family Research Council newsletters.
For months, FRC’s President, Tony Perkins, has been railing and wailing that fundamentalist Christians are a persecuted and silenced minority that has been run out of the public square. So, imagine my surprise this week to see, hear, and witness the fundie Christian message everywhere. There were times on my drive from Oklahoma City to Cairo, Nebraska, when the only radio stations I could pick up had fiddles or fundie preachers. Along the route, there were many signs promoting fundie Christian themes. Indeed, no other groups or issues were represented in the nearly eight hour drive. Certainly, there was not a single gay-themed billboard along the route.
Perhaps, Tony Perkins lives in a different country than I do. In the one he describes, fundamentalists aren’t seen or heard — but can be found quivering in the closet — effectively quieted by mean liberals. In the America of his newsletters, the message of fundies is on the verge of being banned — and people like him are only moments away from being arrested for their beliefs. However, out in the heartland, the facts tell quite a different story. By far the most dominant voice is that of fundies. Here are a few snapshots I took from my journey to illustrate my point:
