Tori Williams Douglass

Preparing for War

Ethics, Culture & Social Issues

“Preparing for War is Bradley Onishi's exposition of White Christian nationalism from its roots in the antebellum South, to the 'family values' discourses that took control of Republican Party in the 1980s, all the way to the reactionary movement that still puts Donald Trump at the helm of a culture war. That movement wants to turn back time to a point when everyone other than White, Christian men knew their place, and White Christian men had a social order to keep everyone else in their places through violent displays of both public and private force. At this moment, when those reactionary forces threaten to regain control of the American state and impose their theocratic vision on the rest of us, Onishi's thorough and meticulous history is crucial. If you've ever found yourself confused and questioning how a nation supposedly founded for 'religious freedom' could evolve to become a 'Christian nation' bordering on theocracy, Preparing for War is necessary reading.”