The Wild Hunt » Hillary Clinton

Starhawk on Obama’s Magic

Jason — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 16:44:00 +0000

The Washington Post’s “On Faith” blog asks its panelists to weigh in on if presidential candidate Barack Obama elicits “religious fervor” among his followers. Pagan author and activist Starhawk’s response is that Obama is casting a “good and needed spell”.

“If politicians hired Witches or magicians as consultants, we’d tell them that your deep mind responds to positive words and images, and doesn’t get ‘no’ … Magically speaking, then, Obama is casting a good spell. Whether he wins or loses, he’s filling the psychic and emotional atmosphere with words like ‘healing’ and ‘hope’. The effect is like a clean breeze blowing through a morass of stinking, noxious fumes. People want to believe, because they like the way he makes them feel about themselves … Obama evokes some powerfully appealing archetypes. Think of all those myths and fairy tales about the humble-seeming outsider who turns out to be the true king, throwing out the corrupt rulers and restoring health and healing. We’re a contradictory people – we love underdogs, while we despise losers – but there’s nothing we love more than the little guy who comes from behind and beats all the odds to win the pennant.”

Starhawk also takes some time to advise Hillary Clinton to drop the experienced “responsible mom” meme she has been spreading as part of her campaign, stop attacking Obama on issues of “faith and trust”, and go the route of the visionary instead.

“In the contest of archetypes, women are at a disadvantage, facing a deep, unconscious sexism that limits our collective imagination … if I were Hillary Clinton’s campaign advisor, I’d tell her, stay away from that archetype. Responsible Mom is not going to win over Aragorn the Exiled King. Instead, I would urge, be Joan of Arc. Find your vision, and be so passionately driven by it that you would stand forth and challenge kings and armies. Show us your courage, which we know you have. Tell us ‘I stood forth and went into realms where few women dared to go, because I care so deeply about the welfare of all of us.’”

As the March 4th primaries approach, it remains to be seen if Obama’s “magic spell” will hold out, or if Clinton will be able to break through with her own visionary message. But win or lose, it seems apparent that Obama’s “good and needed spell” will continue to resonate, and like all primal archetypal magic, may change the Democratic party, and America, more deeply than we may realize now.

A Christian Nation, A Christian President

Jason — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 14:20:00 +0000

Republican Presidential hopeful John McCain caused controversy this week by stating his belief that America was founded on “Christian” principles, and that he would hesitate to elect a non-Christian to office.

“I just have to say in all candor that since this nation was founded primarily on Christian principles…. personally, I prefer someone who I know who has a solid grounding in my faith … I would probably have to say yes, that the Constitution established the United States of America as a Christian nation. But I say that in the broadest sense. The lady that holds her lamp beside the golden door doesn’t say, “I only welcome Christians.” We welcome the poor, the tired, the huddled masses. But when they come here they know that they are in a nation founded on Christian principles.”

While the criticism towards this rather narrow view of American history is warranted, Heathen blogger Hrafnkell points out that a large number of people believe exactly what McCain said:

“McCain only represents a very visible manifestation of a much more serious and widespread problem. That 55% of Americans think the United States was founded as a Christian nation and cite the Constitution as proof of this, we are in trouble. And this demonstrates how effective the big lie can be.”

Sadly, McCain’s Christian-centric view of America isn’t unique from either party. Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton is a member of the overwhelmingly conservative (and secretive) Christian organization “The Fellowship”, which seeks to bring Jesus back to Capitol Hill, and Christian-oriented “God-talk” has been a dominant theme in the race to the White House.

“This effort is apparent on the stump, where many of the Democratic candidates speak openly of religion and God and present moral justifications for their policies. It’s also going on behind the scenes, with presidential campaigns hiring strategists to coordinate their outreach to religious communities and holding weekly conference calls with religious leaders.”

We still live in a country where the election of a Muslim Congressman who doesn’t want to swear in on the Bible causes controversy, where Pagans who do participate in the political process risk being “outed” by their political opponents, where a Hindu is shouted down in the Senate and not a single candidate decries the action, and where a debate on indigenous issues is blown off by all of the Democratic front-runners. The message to religious minorities is clear: you aren’t valued, and we will pander almost exclusively to Christian voters in order to win.

None of this is to say I expect Obama or Giuliani to start pressing flesh at Pagan festivals. I understand that a clear majority of people in America identify as Christian, but I do want to see more talk about the Separation of Church and State and less talk about how awesome they think Jesus is. Otherwise, it becomes difficult to know who is merely expressing a personal belief, and who is establishing a mandate for a Christian-led society. It is clear we will be electing a Christian President in 2008, but we must be ever-vigilant that it won’t be as the executive of a “Christian Nation”.

I Guess We Have Our Candidate*

Jason — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:11:00 +0000

Humorist Jon Carroll, writing for the San Francisco Chronicle, reveals Hillary Clinton’s real platform.

“All the manipulative people think I’m manipulative. They can’t figure out how I do it. Heh. I don’t do it; they do it for me. All the controlling people think I’m controlling, but they’re just mad because they can’t control me. And organized — have you ever known a truly organized Wiccan lawn bowler? Mythical creature. This whole running-for-president thing is basically a goof. Everyone should lighten up. Suppose I get elected? Could I be worse than the current guy? That’s my real platform: goddess worship, lawn bowling and better than Bush.”

Carroll’s satirical expose only confirms what conservative Christians knew ALL ALONG!

“She’s a witch Do you actually need proof? Okay, consider this: UK First Lady Cherie Blair has admitted to wearing .a ‘magic pendant’ known as the BioElectric Shield, which is filled with ‘a matrix of specially cut quartz crystals’ that surround the wearer with ‘a cocoon of energy’ and ward off evil forces. Who gave it to her? The ex-First Lady, Mrs Bill Clinton!”

But the real question is can Hillary reach out from her strong Wiccan polling base and charm libertarian-leaning Asatru to vote for her?

* All the articles linked in this blog post are satire, and resemblance to the truth is coincidental. Though, if you see Hillary at PSG, say “hi” for me.