The results of a new University of Maryland Critical Issues poll reveal the cognitive dissonance of Christofascist Republicans who claim a passionate regard for the Constitution, but only when it serves their interests and beliefs:
We started by asking participants if they believed the Constitution would even allow the United States government to declare the U.S. a “Christian Nation.” We found that 70 percent of Americans — including 57 percent of Republicans and 81 percent of Democrats — said that the Constitution would not allow such a declaration. (Indeed, the First Amendment says Congress can neither establish nor prohibit the practice of a religion.)
We followed up by asking: “Would You Favor or Oppose the United States Officially Declaring the United States to be a Christian Nation?” The findings were striking.
Overall, 62 percent of respondents said they opposed such a declaration, including 83 percent of Democrats and 39 percent of Republicans. Fully 61 percent of Republicans supported declaring the United States a Christian nation. In other words, even though over half of Republicans previously said such a move would be unconstitutional, a majority of GOP voters would still support this declaration. (our emphasis)
Those results should shock and repel any American who truly stands by the Constitution and the doctrine of separation of church and state. It should not be necessary in 2022 to restate this, but: We were not established as a Christian Nation; the Founding Fathers instituted a secular- based form of government, bolstered by the very First Amendment to the Constitution's "Establishment Clause" (see this historical discussion for more clarity). That we are a "Nation of Christians" is very debatable, given what we see many self- identified "Christians" doing in the name of their religion.
The near- full embrace of rightist Christian Nationalism by the Republican Party has been ongoing for many decades. As they see their world changing around them, becoming more diverse and secularized, and their cult leader under criminal investigation, they're responding with calls from some of their most prominent sub-morons to "rise up", and with acts of performative cruelty toward the weakest and most vulnerable by others in power (i.e., DeSantis' human trafficking and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's various publicity stunts).
That's the road they're trying to take us down. In 47 days, we have a chance to respond.
BONUS: See Ed Kilgore's "Mixing Christianity With Nationalism Is A Recipe For Fascism."
