Morning Briefing: Christian Nationalist 'Let Us Worship' Tour Heads to Seattle
Let Us Worship, the Christian Nationalist themed event organized by 'MAGA performer' Sean Feucht, returns to the U.S. after a cold reception in Canada.
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Morning Briefing: Sean Feucht, the MAGA branded Christian Nationalists with connections to far right extremists, will be hosting an event on Saturday, August 30th at Gas Works Park in Seattle, Washington — after moving the event from Cal Anderson Park in a historic LGBTQ neighborhood.
The Let Us Worship tour posted on social media that the group is planning a “Jesus March” on Capitol Hill prior to the beginning of the event, however, the Seattle Department of Transportation reportedly said that “Feucht’s group had not sought a street use permit from them for the Jesus March.”
Feucht’s tour returns to the U.S. after repeatedly being blocked from performing in various locations around Canada, and in the wake of revelations from former volunteers and staffers that accused Feucht of “mismanagement and claiming that the preacher and right-wing protester avoided accountability as his ministries’ annual revenue shot up into the millions.”
Richard Mack, former Arizona county sheriff and founder of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA), has voiced support for President Donald Trump's takeover of Washington, DC, and is now “urging sheriffs all around the country to follow suit.”
During a recent appearance a radio program hosted by Matt Shea, former Washington state lawmaker and far right extremist, Mack said that local sheriffs have to power to step in and completely take over "major cities that are run by Democrats."
Mark Anthony Tucci pleaded guilty to “federal charges that he made racist, violent threats against Black City of Philadelphia employees and a Black motorist,” and Tucci allegedly repeatedly used racial slurs and “stated several times that he was a part of the Proud Boys.”
In Tarzana, California, local law enforcement is reportedly “searching for the person who vandalized an elementary school in Tarzana, painting several swastikas across a fence,” and the incident is being investigated as “both vandalism and a hate crime.”
Must Reads
Michael Scherer writes that Laura Loomer “the proud, defiant, extremist troll, is one of the most influential public figures in what is still the most important country on the planet — ‘back from the dead and rose from the ashes,’ she told me. How did this come to pass? ‘I am a genuine person, and I speak my mind. I am not fake,’ she offered. ‘It’s a story of persistence. As I like to say, persistence will beat the resistance.’ Another explanation has to do with her champion and enabler, the most powerful person in the country, who has stuck with her despite the warnings, sneers, and eye rolls of his own senior advisers. ‘I know she’s known as a radical right, but I think Laura Loomer is a very nice person,’ Trump told reporters this month. His early mentor Roy Cohn had previously been an unapologetic adviser to McCarthy during his red-baiting Congressional hearings. Trump’s subsequent political adviser, Roger Stone, a friend and admirer of Cohn, has been a mentor to Loomer. Whatever the reason, her private research and public X posts have destroyed careers, shaped news cycles, and moved financial markets. Quite often, Trump doesn’t just listen to Loomer—he does what she wants.” [The Atlantic]
Chauncey DeVega writes that Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Republicans are “seeking to take away at least five congressional seats from the Democrats. Redistricting has historically occurred once every ten years. The districts that would be eliminated are predominantly Black and brown, and these millions of voters would be effectively disenfranchised. The effort is coming at President Donald Trump’s request as a means of securing an advantage in the upcoming midterms and beyond. This would also give Trump and his MAGA successors an advantage if the presidential election were to be decided by a congressional vote. The moves by Trump, Abbott and other Texas Republicans should be seen for what they are: Part of a much larger campaign to end multiracial democracy on a national level. It continues the trend of red states such as Texas, Indiana and Florida being laboratories for American autocracy and Trumpism… In total, this tactic of burrowing into a democracy and then destroying it from within is a classic strategy among authoritarians and autocrats.” [Salon]
Anthea Butler writes that James Dobson “was one of the last of a generation of religious leaders who began their political and ministerial work at the inception of the Religious Right in the 1970s. Rigid and unforgiving of those who aren’t Christian, Dobson’s beliefs helped pave the way for the strict authoritarianism that permeates the Republican Party today. His organizational skills and his relentless pursuit of what he considered biblical family values are largely responsible for Roe v. Wade’s being overturned and largely responsible for the political backlash against LGBTQ people today. His beliefs in conversion therapy and traditional gender roles are now embraced by many within the Republican Party… Dobson built a legacy on conservative biblical beliefs about children and family life at the expense of others in American society. His advocacy helped bring about book bans, recent renewed crusades about same sex marriage and restrictions on transgender rights. His authoritarian beliefs, broadcasts and political action committees made it harder for millions of people who love their children and families but don’t subscribe to his religious beliefs.” [MSNBC]
What to expect from Radical Reports: Morning Briefing provides a daily round-up of reporting on the Radical Right; Extremist Links offers a weekly round-up of extremists activities including the white supremacist and militia movements; Narratives of the Right delivers weekly analysis of the current narratives in far right online spaces and promoted by right-wing media; and Research Desk provides monthly highlights research and analysis from academia on the Radical Right.
