The key to Peace is hidden in the name of Fundamentalism. Pres. Bush has used the word, Fundamentalist, to describe the Islamic opposition that we should avoid putting in power. Recently, on C-Span, a married couple, returning from a visit to the Middle-East commented on Fundamentalism on a broader level. The Christenson's were CIA analysts, collectively, from 1950-1979. They isolated Fundamentalism, as the primary obstacle to Peace. Fundamentalist Islam, Jews and Christians. The Conway library had a speaker this winter who suggested the Fundamentalist's in Israel were in control of Israel's policy toward Palestine.
The word Fundamentalism is defined in the American Heritage dictionary " An Organized, militant Evangelical movement originating in the United States in 1920 in opposition to Liberalism and Secularism" ( separation of church and state). The fact that Liberalism today is a four letter word politically, resulted from a concerted effort to demonize the word and its definition. The word Liberal, among other things, means freedom from bigotry. You cannot be a bigot unless you demonize and you can't have an honest dialogue with a demon.
Some of the the recent Bush court appointments were described with some alarm as Ideologues by two former US attorney generals on C-Span. A spokesman for the National Council of Churches has identified the Fundamentalist' as media savvy opportunists who have hijacked the Christian identity from more moderate introspective Christians, aided by their zeal for media and cable Evangelism.
When Saudi Arabia was formed by the British in the 1920's a man named Bin Laden embraced Islamic Fundamentalism. Today Jewish Fundamentalists are embraced by Christian Fundamentalists. All three embrace Weapons of Mass Destruction.
The influence of the Christian right is not benign, the list of person's on the National Policy Council that have affiliations with or are Fundamentalist evangelicals is recorded for all to see. The way to Peace is in understanding what the word Fundamentalism means, and if that is what the new Millennia is all about. My hope is all Fundamentalist's stand down and open a liberal dialogue.

Copyright Michael Callis 2003