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Cursor.orgMediaTransparency.org sponsor More stories by Bill Berkowitz PERC receives Templeton Freedom Award for promoting 'enviropreneurs' Media Transparency writersAndrew J. Weaver FundometerEvaluate any page on the World Wide Web against our databases of people, recipients, and funders of the conservative movement. |
ORIGINAL RESEARCHBill Berkowitz Paul Bonicelli/USAID: The rest of the storyA number of high-powered Christian evangelical organizations have set up shop in Africa, aiming to transform the continent one small country at a time. USAID's Paul Bonicelli may help fast track these projectsMost Americans pay little attention to what's going on in Africa, and even less to the work evangelical Christian organizations are doing there. Except for the occasional article about the AIDS pandemic, a devastating drought, or an armed conflict, generally speaking only Africa-focused academics, inveterate news junkies, and/or former and current Peace Corps volunteers have their fingers on the pulse of developments in Africa. Several high-powered U.S.-based Christian evangelical organizations are not only following developments in Africa, but they are making news. Some of these groups view the small countries of Africa as a Petri Dish for religious and social transformation. Evangelicals' evangelizing is not surprising. However, the fact that many of these groups have teamed up with -- and are receiving significant support from -- the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) (website), is worth paying attention to. While the AIDS pandemic may have provided an entry point, evangelical Christian groups working in Africa have laid out a much larger mission for themselves. And that's where Paul Bonicelli comes in. In late-December I wrote an article posted at this site about the appointment of Paul Bonicelli, the former dean of academic affairs at Patrick Henry College -- a small fundamentalist Christian college located in rural Virginia -- to oversee USAID programs as the new Deputy Assistant Administrator at the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance. The report focused on two points: a) Whether Bonicelli was qualified for the USAID position, and b) the goings-on at Patrick Henry College (website), the relatively unknown school founded primarily for home-schooled kids by longtime Christian Right activist and home schooling advocate Michael Farris. Shortly after the story appeared, it was cited at a blog called "Herescope." The Herescope blog is organized by the Discernment Research Group, a project of Discernment Ministries, Inc. (website.) Discernment Ministries was founded in 1989 by Travers and Jewel van der Merwe, who after years of "pastoring" became "deeply concerned with what they perceived within the church as a radical shift away from the authority of Scripture." Herescope "contains information revealing heresies and false teachings affecting the Church today." It doesn't take the proverbial rocket scientist to figure out that Media Transparency and Herescope are light years apart politically and philosophically. Here, for example is a quote from a Herescope post dated Friday, December 23: "We've observed with growing alarm how the continent of Africa has been targeted to receive an onslaught of the heretical theologies, marketplace transformation, collaborations with the United Nations, poverty programs of rock stars, and Rick Warren's global "P.E.A.C.E. plan." Despite its mixed bag of concerns, Herescope's research into the activities of major Christian evangelical organizations in Africa is worth checking out. And, their revelations helped place the appointment of Paul Bonicelli in a much broader context. In a posting titled "Christian Imperialism: Update #1" (December 21, 2005) Herescope maintained that Bonicelli's appointment "is a key development because USAID has been a major player in the 'transformation' of the African continent." In a February 2004 interview with Timothy C. Morgan, the deputy managing editor of Christianity Today, Anne Peterson -- a former missionary doctor to Zimbabwe and Zaire who was appointed by the Bush administration as head of global health for USAID -- commented on the administration's policies regarding AIDS in Africa. She was also asked about the work of Christian evangelical groups: Morgan: "Some prominent Christian leaders such as Bruce Wilkinson, Rick Warren, Franklin Graham, Rich Stearns from World Vision, and Clive Calver from World Relief have recently seized on this issue. What do you see as their role in addressing the HIV/AIDS problem?" Peterson: "I think there's a huge role, because this is an issue that fits with the Christian message. And the prevention of AIDS fits with the righteous living and moral standpoint [of Christianity]. But equally important is the church's role in giving a message of forgiveness, of compassion, of caring for the sick, of caring for the widows and orphans; there's almost no part of the AIDS epidemic where the faith orientation doesn't have a very, very strong message. I think there is an absolutely huge role, and I am thrilled to see this outpouring of interest." Peterson wasn't understating the case: Herescope pointed out that a brochure posted at the website of USAID entitled "Faith-Based Partnerships," described a number of the African faith-based funding initiatives undertaken by U.S. evangelical groups. One of the projects listed amongst the "examples of USAID partnerships with faith-based organizations," was Bruce Wilkinson's Dream for Africa in Swaziland project: "Swaziland: In June 2005, more than 500 Swazi pastors participated in a USAID-funded HIV/AIDS prevention conference. The conference was led by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson, Chairman of Dream for Africa, a faith-based organization that mobilizes volunteers to work in sub-Saharan Africa on many issues, including AIDS. As a well-known pastor and author, Dr. Wilkinson has trained pastors on ways of talking appropriately and effectively to their congregations about abstinence until marriage, fidelity to one's partner, and reducing stigma. Unequal treatment of women contributes to the spread of HIV/AIDS, so he challenged pastors to make clear to their congregations that men and women are, according to their own sacred text, created equal." In late-December, however, the Wall Street Journal reported in an article titled: "Unanswered prayers: In Swaziland, US preacher sees his dream vanish" that Wilkinson's Swaziland Dream had come up short. In May, Wilkinson "tried to win the Bush administration to his side ...T[aking] U.S. Ambassador Lewis Lucke to the proposed site of the Dream Village." According to the newspaper, Lucke, who " had served in Haiti, Jordan and Iraq, much of the time with the U.S. Agency for International Development ... admired ...Wilkinson's enthusiasm and altruism, but [Lucke] was wary of groups with little overseas history claiming to know the answers for Africa." In short order, Ambassador Lucke told Wilkinson that "he considered it unwise to move orphans away from their villages. 'It's laudable that you're trying to do something about Swazi orphans,' he said, but he suggested that he "do it in a way that doesn't conflict with Swazi culture.'" The Wall Street Journal continued, "Mr. Wilkinson felt the situation was so urgent that the time for cautious measures had passed. Mr. Lucke wasn't persuaded, and he didn't think the Swazi government would be either. 'You'll never get the land,' he warned. The ambassador's words seemed prophetic a couple of weeks later, when a Dream for Africa draft plan found its way into Swazi newspapers, turning public opinion sharply against Mr. Wilkinson. Under the headline 'British Colony or Dr Bruce Colony?' one op-ed writer in the Swazi News wrote, 'Why can't he simply tell us that he wants to be given the whole country so that he can gloat to his friends overseas that he owns a modern day colony in Africa called Swaziland?'" Another USAID web posting, this one titled "Faith and Community-Based Organizations," maintained that "Community and faith-based organizations have a critical role to play in the provision of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment. They possess an extensive geographic reach and a well-developed infrastructure in the developing world. This, in addition to their unmatched staying power, makes them an invaluable asset in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic." In a story titled "USAID's Work with Faith and Community-Based Organizations" the agency talks about how the U.S. has made fighting AIDS "a top priority, not only for humanitarian reasons, but because the HIV/AIDS crisis threatens the prosperity, stability, and development of nations around the world." The agency pointed out that it "is proud to be a partner in the $15 billion," which President Bush announced in 2003, and noted that to fulfill its goals, USAID was working together with community and faith-based organizations. "USAID's Office of HIV/AIDS is reaching out to these groups with increased funding, technical support, networking, capacity building, and information outreach including workshops, new publications, and the development of additional website content." The Bonicelli "appointment to USAID, coming out of the political dominionist sect, means that there will likely be even more financial payoffs for the corporate/mission structures that are being put into place," Herescope concluded. (For more information see "The Second Reformation", published in the July/August issue of Discernment Newsletter, "which details how these corporate/mission partnerships are working with USAID.") sign in, or register to email stories or comment on them.
Reader CommentsThis article very clearly identifies the modern day iteration of the Crusades now being performed by the USAID/Christian theocracy and unfortunately many of the young interns who seek placeholders on their curriculum vitae (sarcasm aside, I realize that while many are well intentioned, their efforts are co-opted). I almost feel, especially after reading this article, that every single time an American citizen leaves the U.S. borders, we should scrutinize intent and whatever results. It is embarrassing to understand the true meaning of imperialism, and be able to identify its threads in what is most often displayed to our own citizens as aid of one kind of another. This article brilliantly illustrates how the AIDS epidemic in Africa opens the door to resources, labor, minds and souls. It makes me very scared on this Sunday morning... but I'm extremely grateful to see it posted. --- Tamara Baltar | 1-8-2006 | 9:44 am
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MORE ORIGINAL RESEARCHBill Berkowitz PERC receives Templeton Freedom Award for promoting 'enviropreneurs'Right Wing foundation-funded anti-environmental think tank grabbing a wider audience for 'free market environmentalism' On the 15th anniversary of Terry Anderson and Donald Leal's book "Free Market Environmentalism" -- the seminal book on the subject -- Anderson, the Executive Director of the Bozeman, Montana-based Property and Environment Research Center (PERC - formerly known as the Political Economy Research Center) spoke in late-January at an event sponsored by Squaw Valley Institute at the Resort at Squaw Creek in California. While it may have been just another opportunity to speak on "free market environmentalism" and not the kickoff of a "victory tour," nevertheless it comes at a time when PERC's ideas are taking root.
Bill Berkowitz Neil Bush of Saudi ArabiaDuring recent visit, President’s brother describes the country as a 'kind of tribal democracy' In late February, only a few days after Saudi Arabia beheaded four Sri Lankan robbers and then left their headless bodies on public display in the capital of Riyadh, Neil Bush, for the fourth time in the past six years, showed up for the country's Jeddah Economic Forum. The Guardian reported that Human Rights Watch "said the four men had no lawyers during their trial and sentencing, and were denied other basic legal rights." In an interview with Arab News, the Saudi English language paper, Bush described the country as "a kind of tribal democracy."
Bill Berkowitz Newt Gingrich's back door to the White HouseAmerican Enterprise Institute "Scholar" and former House Speaker blames media for poll showing 64 percent of the American people wouldn't vote for him under any circumstances Whatever it is that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has come to represent in American politics, the guy is nothing less than fascinating. One day he's espousing populist rhetoric about the need to cut the costs of college tuition and the next day he's talking World War III. One day he's claiming that the "war on terror" may force the abridgement of fundamental first amendment rights and the next he's advancing a twenty-first century version of his Contract with America. At the same time he's publicly proclaiming how "stupid" it is that the race for the presidency has already started you know that he's trying to figure out how to out finesse Rudy, McCain and Romney for the nomination. And last week, when Fox News' Chris Wallace cited a poll showing that 64 percent of the public would never vote for him, he was quick to blame those results on how unfairly he was treated by the mainstream media back in the day.
Bill Berkowitz American Enterprise Institute takes lead in agitating against IranDespite wrongheaded predictions about the war on Iraq, neocons are on the frontlines advocating military conflict with Iran After doing such a bang up job with their advice and predictions about the outcome of the war on Iraq, would it surprise you to learn that America's neoconservatives are still in business? While at this time we are not yet seeing the same intense neocon invasion of our living rooms -- via cable television's news networks -- that we saw during the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, nevertheless, a host of policy analysts at conservative think tanks -- most notably the American Enterprise Institute -- are being heeded on Iran by those who count - folks inside the Bush Administration.
Bill Berkowitz After six years, opposition gaining on George W. Bush's Faith Based InitiativeUnmentioned in the president's State of the Union speech, the program nevertheless continues to recruit religious participants and hand out taxpayer money to religious groups With several domestic policy proposals unceremoniously folded into President Bush's recent State of the Union address, two pretty significant items failed to make the cut. Despite the president's egregiously tardy response to the event itself, it was nevertheless surprising that he didn't even mention Hurricane Katrina: He didn't offer up a progress report, words of hope to the victims, or come up with a proposal for moving the sluggish rebuilding effort forward. There were no "armies of compassion" ready to be unleashed, although it should be said that many in the religious community responded to the disaster much quicker than the Bush Administration. In the State of the Union address, however, there was no "compassionate conservatism" for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Bill Berkowitz Frank Luntz calls Republican leadership in Washington 'One giant whining windbag'On the outs with the GOP, legendary degrader of discourse is moving to California He doesn't make great art; nothing he does elevates the human spirit; he doesn't illuminate, he bamboozles. He has become expert in subterfuge, hidden meanings, word play and manipulation. Frank Luntz has been so good at what he does that those paying close attention gave it its own name: "Luntzspeak."
Bill Berkowitz Spooked by MoveOn.org, conservative movement seeks to emulate liberal powerhouseFueled with Silicon Valley money, TheVanguard.org will have Richard Poe, former editor of David Horowitz's FrontPage magazine as its editorial and creative director As Paul Weyrich, a founding father of the modern conservative movement and still a prominent actor in it, likes to say, he learned a great deal about movement building by closely observing what liberals were up to in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Bill Berkowitz Ward Connerly's anti-affirmative action jihadFounder and Chair of the American Civil Rights Institute scouting five to nine states for new anti-affirmative action initiatives Fresh from his most recent victory -- in Michigan this past November -- Ward Connerly, the Black California-based maven of anti-affirmative action initiatives, appears to be preparing to take his jihad on the road. According to a mid-December report in the San Francisco Chronicle, Connerly said that he was "exploring moves into nine other states."
Bill Berkowitz Tom Tancredo's missionThe Republican congressman from Colorado will try to woo GOP voters with anti-immigration rhetoric and a boatload of Christian right politics These days, probably the most recognizable name in anti-immigration politics is Colorado Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo. Over the past year, Tancredo has gone from a little known congressman to a highly visible anti-immigration spokesperson. "Tancredo has thoroughly enmeshed himself in the anti-immigration movement and with the help of CNN talk show host Lou Dobbs, he has been given a national megaphone," Devin Burghart, the program director of the Building Democracy Initiative at the Center for New Community, a Chicago-based civil rights group, told Media Transparency.
Bill Berkowitz Institute on Religion and Democracy slams 'Leftist' National Council of ChurchesNew report from conservative foundation-funded IRD charges the NCC with being a political surrogate for MoveOn.org, People for the American Way and other liberal organizations If you prefer your religious battles sprinkled with demagoguery, sanctimoniousness, and simplistic attacks, the Institute on Religion and Democracy's (IRD) latest broadside against the National Council of Churches (NCC) certainly fits the bill.
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