To increase the number of Americans who understand the real harms white Christian nationalists present, People For the American Way Foundation and political analyst and popular cultural influencer Kat Abughazaleh have teamed up to produce and promote a new digital video series called “The Dangerous Reality of White Christian Nationalism.”
In a longform video essay launched today, Abughazaleh examines Christian nationalist ideology, its relationship to white supremacy throughout American history, and its real-life impacts on everyday Americans.
“White Christian nationalists are trying to take away our freedoms and control us based on what we look like, where we come from, how we worship and whom we love,” said People For the American Way President Svante Myrick. “Understanding their agenda is essential to stopping them from gaining more power and enforcing their worldview on all Americans.”
In the weeks ahead, shorter video segments and accompanying resources will be released on https://www.peoplefor.org/white-christian-nationalism-explained and major social media channels, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X and Threads. Together, they will educate millions of Americans on the toxicity of white Christian nationalism—and the many ways it threatens American freedoms. Among the major themes explored are:
- Authoritarianism
- Political violence
- Bodily autonomy and reproductive rights
- LGBTQ equality
- Education
- Religious pluralism.
From its founding more than 40 years ago by Norman Lear in response to the rise of the religious right, People For has established itself as a leading authority on exposing and countering far-right ideologies, serving as an indispensable resource for journalists, policymakers, scholars, and advocates. The national advocacy organization is at the forefront of championing the values of religious pluralism and an inclusive democracy for all.
With social media quickly becoming a primary source of news for more and more Americans, the Foundation chose Abughazaleh as a creative partner because of the massive following she has built online. Her sharp, insightful and entertaining commentaries have made her a TikTok star with legions of devoted fans and posts that often go viral.
Abughazaleh makes it clear that this is a critique of an ideology that manipulates the symbols and language of Christianity to advance a harmful anti-democratic agenda; it should not be mistaken as a critique of Christianity or Christians.
She says, “…this movement is masterful in disguising itself as a fascist in a Christian’s clothing” and calls White Christian nationalism “a unique and dangerous ideology that poses maybe the most dire threat to our country and our democracy right now.”
Through a series of examples, the video series makes clear the dangers go beyond an aspirational vision or disturbing rhetoric – white Christian nationalists have implemented policies that already restrict and endanger the lives of tens of millions of Americans. But their vision for America is not inevitable, and all people can speak out against it.
“America’s history includes a series of struggles between people seeking to build a more expansive and inclusive democracy and those seeking to restrict democratic participation and political power to a narrowly defined group of what they consider ‘real’ Americans,” said People For the American Way Foundation Research Director Peter Montgomery. “Challenging and overcoming the ideology of White Christian Nationalism is necessary to build a future of freedom and justice for all.”
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About Us
People For the American Way Foundation is a national progressive advocacy organization that inspires and mobilizes Americans to defend freedom, justice, and democracy from those who threaten to take them away. For more than four decades, we have been dedicated to making the promise of America real for everyone and have worked toward a vision of a vibrant America where basic rights and freedoms are upheld for all, not just the wealthy and the powerful. Learn more: http://www.peoplefor.org
