Christian Nationalists and the Defense of the Nation
From the White House to think tanks, and even mainstream media outlets like CNN, White Christian nationalists have been vilified, being labeled as the greatest threat to national security and religious freedom. Previously, being a nationalist or patriot was viewed positively, but now even love for one’s country can be interpreted as un-American. Athletes wearing the US uniform may choose not to stand for the national anthem as a signal of their virtue. Some Christians serving in the military feel they’re facing persecution. Concurrently, the U.S. military is grappling with a recruitment crisis, partially due to perceived exclusion of Christians and conservatives by woke policies, while many young people, influenced by woke ideologies, view nationalism negatively and are disinterested in joining.
Veterans from earlier generations express dismay at what they see as a targeted campaign against patriotic Christians with conservative beliefs. Robert Brown, a 56-year-old Army veteran and ordained Baptist minister, disagrees with the negative associations attached to the term “white Christian nationalist.” While he acknowledges the harm caused by extreme right groups like Nazis, he emphasizes that they represent only a tiny fraction of the 246 million American Christians. Brown remarks, “The people that talk about these issues tend to throw everyone in the same bucket. When they mention white Christian nationalists, I think of people who have faith and also care a whole lot about the government, and politics.”
Fifty-four-year-old Ken Talbert, a veteran with over seven years of service in the U.S. Army, has spoken out against what he perceives as unfair attacks from the media. ““Being white and Christian apparently makes you a Christian nationalist in their eyes,” he remarked. “They think we are nationalists because we don’t want open borders and millions of unvetted people coming over the border. We don’t agree with White House policies and that makes us white nationalists s.” Talbert clarified his understanding of the term, stating, “When I think white nationalists, I think about people who want a full white nation. That has never been an interest of mine, or anyone I know. I just want a nation of borders and laws.”