Higher Power

So you know how I am constantly carping about how the Christian Right is always telling women what to do with their bodies?

Via Sociological Images, this -- which explains a lot.

It's from a new book called Authoritarianism and Polarization in American Politics, co-written by Marc. J. Hetherington and Jonathan D. Weiler.

(I added the boldface.)

Hetherington and Weiler expand and update the authoritarian literature by applying it to contemporary controversies. For example, what they measure and define as "maximum authoritarian" types show much lower support for gay marriage and gay adoption (19 percent, 28 percent) than do "minimum authoritarians" (71 percent, 89 percent). Maximums are three times more likely than minimums to support the government use of wiretaps without a warrant in the war on terror (60 percent to 19 percent), and four times more likely to say it is unacceptable to criticize the president about fighting terrorism (33 percent to 8 percent).

And what do authoritarians look like? The table above--which I have reproduced from Table 3.2 (p. 39) of their book--shows average levels of authoritarianism by descriptive characteristics that, taken together, produce a composite image: rural, southern, under-educated, evangelical Protestant churchgoers. Is it any wonder that when George W. Bush was down to his bottom 30 percent of public support during his second term so much of that support derived from people fitting this profile?

These are also, you betcha, the folks who love Sarah Palin and who get their Onward Christian Soldier marching orders from Fox News. Anti-gay rights, anti-feminism, anti-choice, etc.

Most important, they are not a uniquely US demographic.

Their counterparts can be found throughout Canada, especially in those areas which sent Conservative  MPs to Ottawa.

Which gives me an excuse to repost Pale's video.

Comments

[hysperia]

I can't help thinking about the less than highly educated working poor of the southern US who don't fit the evangelical stereotype. That must be so hard. I suspect the liberal elite bunches them together and blames them for what's wrong while otherwise ignoring them completely. I'm not sure who these people are in Canada - it seems not as clear. To me anyway.

[Ian]

Define, please, "authoritarian" in this context?

[Antonia]

Follow the links, Ian.

[Jim M]

I have a different understanding of one “economic parable” from the New Testament, which, if correct, is not understood the same by others for it’s “full free-market meaning.”
I think the story of Jesus driving the money changers from the Temple is understood correctly now except that the Temple of God is supposed to be understood as referring to the whole world, not only the walls of the courtyard where Jesus busted up just one dog and pony show... as seen in this video clip of the rowdy scene the way it was presented in the 1973 movie Jesus Christ Superstar. Just in case anyone forgets how the West was won, sort of:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFVgOTJTqyk&feature=related