This past week, November 2nd, was both El Dia De Los Muertos and All Souls Day. It was a day to remember deceased relatives and pray for the faithfully departed. I’ve lived in San Antonio for over 20 years now, but I didn’t understand how connected these two holidays were until this week.
I also didn’t understand how bigoted some people truly were until some reacted to El Dia De Los Muertos. From the Anglo Religious Catholic Right, I heard comments like, “That’s pagan, that’s not Catholic/Christian, that shouldn’t be celebrated in a Church, that’s scary, Hispanic Catholics should give that up if they are truly “Catholic/Christian.” This bigoted attitude has resurfaced from decades ago. I had to ask myself, why has this bigoted attitude resurfaced at this level when it wasn’t like this a few years ago? I don’t remember seeing so much pushback. It’s for the same reason that Halloween candy in certain circles is now “evil.” It’s also the same reason that more anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been passed than any other time in our nation’s history. It’s also the same reason that there are recent increases in racial bigotry and different types of phobias which are rooted in historic hatred. As President Joe Biden said, it’s all interrelated. Let’s take a look at one of his recent videos from Joe Biden at the Human Rights Campaign.
(117) Biden addresses attacks in Israel at Human Rights Campaign dinner – YouTube
At this point, I don’t see how anyone can deny the overt increase and/or the fuller manifestation of hatred and bigotry at dangerous and violent levels. Our son with Autism, Sam, and I were discussing this morning, which is it? Is it a true increase or has it always been there? I think it may be both. Even people I know who have voted Democrat all of their lives say that they didn’t know that bigotry and hatred were this bad. It’s difficult to know if there is an increase in hatred and bigotry or if it has been hiding “under a rock” as Joe Biden says in this video. I think it is both.
In many of my articles, I’ve listed the traits of fascism and also added links for sources which indicate a substantial increase in bigotry and hatred and threat of fascism. I believe the threat of fascism is greater than ever before, and I also think one of the main sources of hatred and bigotry is rooted in right-winged media like Fox News. Let’s take a look at the featured quote from Father Jim Sichko.
I have a hunch that Father Jim is either speaking of Fox News or right-winged media as a collective. We need to realize that the fuller manifestation of right-winged ideology and hatred started many years ago. Rupert Murdoch historically has been core and center to right-winged Fox News hatred. Rupert Murdoch steps down as Fox and News Corp. chairman, sending shockwaves through media and politics | CNN Business
Just as Fox News is a key source of right-winged hatred today, the Propaganda Ministry, through its Reich Press Chamber, assumed control over the Reich Association of the German Press during World War II. Under the new Editors Law of October 4, 1933, the association kept registries of “racially pure” editors and journalists, and excluded Jews and those married to Jews from the profession. The Press in the Third Reich | Holocaust Encyclopedia (ushmm.org)
As I stated above, I think bigotry and hatred have been hiding and are manifesting more fully now due to a wide range of factors, particularly from right-winged media influence just as they did during World War II. I believe the only way forward is for the Catholic Church to continue to become more inclusive and fight bigotry with love through full implementation of Catholic Social Teaching. We cannot allow hatred to win. As Pope Francis says, “Todos, Todos, Todos.”
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