“New Crusaders”... Dangerous Right-wing Fundamentalists

The Burlington Township School District in New Jersey is the school that taught its elementary students a song to sing/rap/chant in praise to Barack Obama. This incident was supposed to have occurred in February of this year as part of the school’s celebration of Black History Month, but recently made the headlines as it came to light on YouTube. Interestingly, the school is much more concerned that the video was made public on YouTube than that it is blatantly propagandizing young and very impressionable children.

One panelist on a news program I watched said, “Mao would be proud!” Indeed!

In reference to the latest furor about the song, I have to disagree with many of the reports going around out there that they substituted God for Obama in a children’s song which used the term “red, yellow, black, or white” in it. I vaguely remember Obama using that particular phrase in a speech during his campaign. Thus far, I have been unable to get the actual quote and context. But, I grew up on that song and I don’t feel that there was any intent to substitute “Obama” for “Jesus” in the song. Perhaps it was loosely based on the song, but substitution of one name for another, no. The rhythm or the rhyme was not the same. The song goes, “Jesus loves the little children…. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” However, I am adamantly opposed to the elevation of a president to the level of a “savior” as was clearly done in this little song.

The Burlington Township School District is no stranger to political controversy, though. Nearly two years earlier, the BTSD stirred up controversy when it hosted an "emergency management exercise" at the Burlington Township High School. For this exercise, a mock terror drill was played out which centered around a fictional right-wing fundamentalist group which they called the “New Crusaders”. The defense the town officials offered was that the term “Christians” was never used. They said that “all groups experience right-wing fundamentalists in their organizations” and that it regretted “any insensitivities that might have been inferred” by their action.

(Hmmm. I’d like to meet a “right-wing fundamentalist” Sierra Club member or Green Peace member or PETA member, etc! )

Actually, it’s the other way around – these radical groups may have a few left-wing fundamentalists with somewhat more center-leaning views. The tactics of these groups are anything but peaceful, as proven by their activities which quite often include extreme and violent means they use to attempt to make their point. It is unfortunate that the so-called right-wing fundamentalist groups do have an occasional “wacko” in their ranks, but these groups do not pose the kind of threat as depicted in the Burlington re-enactment. If you look at the town halls of this summer and the recent march on Washington earlier this month, you will see exactly to what extent these right-wing fundamentalist go to when they’re really riled up! Not worthy of an emergency management exercise, is it?

Two things are very clear here in these examples from one school district’s philosophy: One, the indoctrination of leftist agenda and the restriction, if not abolition, of the freedoms of those who are opposed to their agenda. This a microcosm of what is occurring nationwide. So, those with conservative viewpoints who are opposed to being labeled as right-wing extremists had better be aware that the left is teaching their propaganda to the most impressionable in our society while practicing constraints and restrictions through branding right-wing fundamentalists/conservatives as dangerous.

Conservatives and right-wing fundamentalists stand your ground and don’t waiver in your opinions and beliefs. Exercise your Constitutional rights to speak, vote, and peacefully assemble – while you still have those rights!