Friday, May 21, 2004
Religious nationalist parties
Someone I know raised this question on a mailing list -- Why isn't the Republican Party called the Christian Nationalist party, given that every western media outlet insists on labelling the BJP as a Hindu Nationalist party.
I think this is a very valid question. Both parties are heavy on the religion thing and on nauseatingly jingoistic nationalism. However, every media outlet in the west consistently refers to the BJP as a hindu nationalist party while the republican party is called just that. If anything, the agendas of the last 2-3 republican administrations have been more influenced by religion than the BJP's agenda the past 6 years. You could argue the BJP didnt get a mandate for that kind of change in the 1999 elections, but the lack of a mandate hardly stopped the Bush administration from ruthlessly following their agenda.
Hypocrisy?
I think this is a very valid question. Both parties are heavy on the religion thing and on nauseatingly jingoistic nationalism. However, every media outlet in the west consistently refers to the BJP as a hindu nationalist party while the republican party is called just that. If anything, the agendas of the last 2-3 republican administrations have been more influenced by religion than the BJP's agenda the past 6 years. You could argue the BJP didnt get a mandate for that kind of change in the 1999 elections, but the lack of a mandate hardly stopped the Bush administration from ruthlessly following their agenda.
Hypocrisy?
