‹ Back

Christian Nationalism is coming. Don't act shocked when it does. 

 

On this inauguration day, I accept that Trump won the election. That is because I don't deny facts and claim election fraud when no evidence supports such a claim. But I digress. 

 

As a journalist and social worker, I will continue to track the plethora of legislations proposed that are attempting to force Christianity on the general public. We cannot entirely predict the future, however reflecting on the wave, dare I say tsunami of Christian nationalism that transpired following the 2016 election, only begs the question of how bad it will be in his second term. Ten years ago, when I would analyze policies that attempted to bring Christianity into public policy, I would have to search for the very cryptic and coded language of the bills; however, now the language is becoming increasingly explicit and unabashed. It isn't very comforting. A perfect example: North Dakota House Bill 1222 titled  "A requirement for public school students to recite the pledge of allegiance each morning." The bill is being proposed by a solid republican base in North Dakota.

 

The bill would require all students to recite the pledge of allegiance each morning and the only way to opt out would be by written request by a parent or legal guardian. That means a student has to essentially rebel against a school system because the government is forcing a student to do something against their will. This would likely result in a student having a bullseye on their back because they would likely be viewed as un-American, and that student would likely be subject to harassment and retaliation. Let's call this exactly what it is: indoctrination. The same people attempting to introduce this bill are the same ones claiming the LGBTQ+ community has an agenda in schools. Yet they are the ones who are trying to persuade children when they are young and impressionable that the United States is a Christian nation, and that anyone who believes differently is an enemy. 

 

Sadly, this bill is a microcosm of what I feared would happen in a second Trump term: the continued erosion of democratic norms and values in the United States. As a result, I firmly believe we will see more abortion bans, marriage equality threatened, income driven payment plans for student loans canceled, public school systems overtaken by Christian nationalists, a complete denial of climate change, systemic racism will flourish, and trans/nonbinary people will continue to be viciously targeted. Even worse is the fact that the most ardent supporters of Christian nationalism probably don't even go to Church and couldn't quote scripture to save their lives. Yet here we are. 

 

So I will give everyone who chooses to watch Trump's inauguration with enthusiasm their constitutional right to do so. What I won't do is hold back when those same people complain about the harm that Christian nationalism will cause people in the United States further down the road. Y'all voted for him. Godspeed.