Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 19, 1995 TAG: 9501190069
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-15 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHIP BERLET
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The courts will decide Salvi's competence to stand trial, based on 20th-century standards of psychological fitness. But his claim of a Freemason conspiracy dates back to the late 1700s. With armed militias peddling similar conspiracy theories in 40 states, this resurgence highlights a dangerous political current.
Today, proponents of this conspiracy theory point to Masonic symbols on the dollar bill as evidence of how deep the plot extends.
Most Masons engage in garden-variety male bonding and charitable fund-raising activities typical of fraternal organizations. But conspiracy crackpots such as Salvi believe secret, wealthy elites control the United States through the Masonic lodges.
Other far-right fanatics believe Jews, liberal secular humanists, the United Nations, or the Trilateral Commission hold secret reins of power.
Salvi cited passages from the biblical Book of Revelations to his friends. He met with a Catholic priest, demanding that he be allowed to distribute photographs of aborted fetuses at his church. On Christmas Eve, apparently frustrated that the church was not doing enough to stop abortions, Salvi even confronted his parish for not following devout Catholicism to his satisfaction.
While Salvi may appear to be a lone psycho, his deeds and his words reflect theological and political beliefs advocated by organizations throughout the Boston area and the country.
The source of Salvi's fetus photographs is Human Life International, a right-wing Catholic anti-abortion group active in Massachusetts. The extremely orthodox Catholicism of this group is critical of liberal Catholics who tolerate abortion, sex education, homosexuality and feminism.
In addition to the photographs, the group distributes books, including: ``Sex Education: The Final Plague,'' ``The Feminist Takeover'' and ``Ungodly Rage: The Hidden Face of Catholic Feminism.''
Salvi's Masonic conspiracy theory could well have come from the book ``New World Order: The Ancient Plan of Secret Societies,'' sold by Human Life International, which attacks the Freemasons for manipulating paper money and the economy to control the country.
These theories have a greater audience than many believe, and are spread in various forms by the John Birch Society and the Liberty Lobby. They are disseminated on the Internet, on radio and TV talk shows, on shortwave radio, and through hundreds of privately published books, pamphlets and flyers available through the mail.
Many right-wing Christian fundamentalists subscribe to another form of conspiracy theory, with the devil as the arch-conspirator and liberal secular humanists as his allies. Some believe that we are passing through the biblical End Times that precede Christ's return to Earth. Pat Robertson suggests this - along with Freemason conspiracy theories - in his books and on his TV program, ``The 700 Club.''
This is largely a Protestant phenomenon, but some groups of orthodox and charismatic Catholics also espouse End Times theology.
The most militant anti-abortion groups, including Operation Rescue, are increasingly influenced by a millennial brand of Protestant theology called Christian Reconstructionism. Also known as dominion theology, this argues that true Christians must physically challenge secular and sinful society and return it to God. Again, some doctrinaire Catholics embrace similarly confrontational beliefs.
Religious fundamentalism and right-wing populism have emerged in times of economic and social crisis throughout U.S. history. Some analysts dismiss them as ``paranoid,'' ``extremist'' or ``radical,'' but these movements and their conspiracy theories reflect deep divisions and unresolved grievances in our society. The combination leads to scapegoating, and combative divisions between ``us'' and ``them.''
Theological arguments encouraging direct confrontation - i.e., the murder of abortion providers - infect a growing right-wing social movement that indulges discussions of armed resistance and blames society's problems on gays and lesbians, feminists, immigrants and even environmental activists.
While Rush Limbaugh popularized the term ``feminazis,'' militants use it to bolster their belief that abortion is a genocide worse than Hitler's Final Solution for the Jews.
The most militant anti-abortion activists argue that it is morally justifiable to kill abortion providers. Their vigilante slogans include: ``If you really think abortion is murder, then act like it.''
John Salvi took that advice to heart. How many more are waiting to pull the trigger?
Chip Berlet, an analyst at Political Research Associates in Cambridge, Mass., is co-author, with Matthew N. Lyons, of the forthcoming book ``Too Close For Comfort: The Fascist Potential in U.S. Political Traditions.''
- Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service
by CNB