More Americans need to start paying attention to the agenda being pushed by the well-funded Heritage Foundation. This organization is like the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing. They use flowery sounding, ‘patriotic’ rhetoric, pushed by well groomed men and women in suits to give them an air of respectability but the fact is, they are working very hard to undermine democracy in this country, strip rights away from people and push what is, in essence, a Christian nationalist agenda.
There is the document they have produced, Project 2025, which outlines the plans they have to take over the entire government and shape it according to their own vision. It really doesn’t take much digging to fully understand what they have in mind. A look at their website will provide you with a list of “America’s Biggest Issues” along with some slick videos. Below are some of these ‘issues’ and some of their intentions.
In an article entitled “The 3 Big Differences Between Conservatives and Progressives” I found the language something George Orwell would have dreamed up in 1984. One of the best lines is: “Conservatives say people should have choices. Progressives say one political solution fits all.” I guess that would be true unless someone chooses to have an abortion. Or chooses to marry someone of the same sex. Or chooses to use IVF to have children. Or chooses to try to gather signatures to put an issue on the ballot in your state. Or try to vote in a state that has been heavily gerrymandered to ensure the Republicans retain their grip on power. The fact is, if the Heritage Foundation gets their way, people will have fewer choices – think Russia, Belarus, Türkiye, China, Hungary!
In another article, “Religious Freedom: What’s at Stake if We Lose It?” argues in very flowery, Orwell-esque language if you read between the lines that religious freedom really means a license to discriminate against people with whom you disagree according to your own personal ‘religious beliefs.’ For example, if you don’t like gay people, you don’t have to serve them. The problem with this whole argument is that it is a very slippery slope. At what point will a white nationalist ‘church’ be given a license to discriminate against anyone who is non-Caucasian? The simple fact is the whole argument for ‘religious freedom’ is a ruse to allow Christians to discriminate against anyone whose lifestyle or choices they disagree with.
Many years ago, back in the early 70’s, some friends and I were on a ski trip up in Wisconsin. We walked into a local café and simply wanted a cup of coffee and some pie. We were all told they refused to serve ‘long-haired young men’ and were asked to leave. Two of my friends were students from Greece and I was appalled that they were seeing this side of America. Needless to say, we were all shocked. None of us had excessively long hair but these people made a decision that they simply didn’t like us because of our respective hairstyle choice. Will it come to pass that some restaurants or other business establishments will refuse to serve anyone sporting a tattoo? Dreadlocks? A hijab? All these people who are arguing for ‘religious freedom’ say that this would never happen. I’m here to tell you it will. ‘Religious freedom’ in the context being pushed by the Heritage Foundation is simply a license to discriminate. Full stop.
I will continue to peel this Heritage Foundation onion, but we all need to understand, the Heritage Foundation is one of the biggest threats to American democracy as we know it today. Don’t be fooled by the tailored suits and flowery rhetoric, your rights, your democracy, and your country are under attack.
