Salon Magazine: MAGA Republicans, Christian Nationalism ‘Bigger Threat to America than Hamas’

Today’s Republicans, as well as Christian nationalism, are a greater threat to the United States than the Hamas terrorist organization, which is responsible for scores of terror attacks including the most recent massacre of over 1,000 civilians — according to a recent Salon piece that is drawing fierce backlash for the “gross” assertion.

Following the deadliest attack on Jewish people since the Nazi Holocaust, Salon magazine published an essay declaring MAGA Republicans and Christian supporters a “bigger threat” to America than the Hamas terrorist perpetrators. 

The Thursday essay, titled “MAGA and Christian nationalism: Bigger threat to America than Hamas could ever be,” was penned by columnist Brian Karem, the former senior White House correspondent for Playboy.

Painting a stark picture of the current political landscape while juxtaposing the threat of Christian nationalism and the MAGA movement in America against the Hamas terrorist organization, the article begins by warning that the world “inches closer to a war that only psychopaths want to see.”

Karem suggests that the internal divisions and the radicalization of the Republican Party, personified by figures like newly-installed Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, pose a greater danger to American democracy than external terrorist threats.

“While the world burns, Johnson and the MAGA wing of the Republican Party — which seems to have swallowed the evangelical movement while also embracing it (a T-1000 morphing into Sarah Connor is just about the right image) — is embracing the darkest verses of the Bible, apparently pushing for apocalypse with an enthusiasm only rivaled by Saul’s slaughter of Christians before he changed his name to Paul,” he writes.

The article addresses the broader political context, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s effort at a bipartisan approach to threats posed by AI. 

However, he claims, there is a disdain for bipartisanship within the GOP, where even figures such as Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who support aid to Ukraine, are increasingly isolated.

In contrast, he claims, the MAGA faction, now led by Mike Johnson in the House, is determined to bring about a Christian theocracy.

“The House of Representatives, now run by Johnson, offers a discount version of the apocalyptic orgasm the holy rollers have dreamed of for years,” he writes. “They’ve renewed the Inquisition and seem determined to convert the U.S. into a theocracy run by people who will thump you with the Bible, but haven’t read much of it.”

He also accused Republicans and their supporters of embracing “only the Old Testament angry God and the apocalyptic parts of Revelation brought on by ergot poisoning.”

According to Karem, such Republicans “want no separation of church and state.” 

“They want an isolationist country surrounded by walls and dedicated to the proposition that the First Amendment guarantees them the right to worship any way they want — while forcing the rest of us to worship the way they choose,” he asserts, accusing them of appearing “hellbent on returning to the Middle Ages, driven there by the first Christian nationalist House speaker.”

He also claims that modern Republicans are unconcerned about the possibility of theocratic threats to freedom.

“They revel in their own chicanery. They despise free thought and independence, and are happy to play games with a government shutdown — the modern equivalent of fiddling while it all burns,” he writes. 

The longtime White House correspondent concludes with a reflection on President Joe Biden’s dwindling popularity and the broader challenges facing the country, from climate change to the potential of widespread violence and political turmoil.

In response, many took to social media to express outrage over the essay.

“Good grief,” remarked Tesla CEO and X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk.

“Did Hamas write this?” asked Students For Trump founder Ryan Fournier.

“They really do want you dead. They’re not trying to hide it,” wrote conservative talk show host Matt Walsh.

“Yes!  Slowly we inch to the abyss of infinite lunacy,” wrote evolutionary behavior scientist Dr. Gad Saad.

“Just when you were wondering if we have an emerging #PoliceState regime that downplays genuine foreign threats and instead targets its domestic political opponents…,” wrote conservative filmmaker and author Dinesh D’Souza.

“Is [Ruben Gallego] writing for @Salon now?” asked Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake.

“Defending Hamas while attacking Christians is why Democrats will now have to cheat even more to ‘win’ elections” wrote conservative influencer Paul Szypula.

“Hamas killed 31 Americans last month. This is gross,” wrote former Senate staffer Steve Guest.

“Can you name some of the crimes committed by MAGA and ‘Christian nationalism’ and then compare and contrast with what Hamas has done?” asked Alliance of Los Angeles County Parents founder Julie Hamill.

“Salon thinks Christian nationalism (read: Trump supporters) is a bigger threat than Hamas terrorists,” wrote Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

“This writer should feel free to move to Gaza, enjoy Sharia law, volunteer to be a human shield for one of their rocket depots, and then write the follow up piece,” he added.

“The people at @Salon should be ASHAMED of themselves!!!!” wrote conservative podcaster Graham Allen. “Not only disrespectful to Christian’s but to those who were brutally killed by Hamas…”

“THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE,” he added.

“Yep. Some editor at Salon actually signed off on this piece by Brian Karem, who somehow is a credentialed WH ‘reporter,’” wrote columnist Joe Concha.

“In a sane world they’d be out of a job in about 30 seconds. Instead, Salon is actually promoting it,” he added.

The U.S.-designated Islamic terror group, whose charter calls openly for the murder of Jews and the elimination of the Jewish state through relentless jihad, perpetrated the worst terrorist attack in Israel’s history last month, in an operation stemming from its radical beliefs. 

Hamas’ attack last month, which drew parallels to scenes from the Nazi Holocaust, saw some 2,500 terrorists burst into Issrael by land, sea, and air and gun down participants at an outdoor music festival while others went door-to-door hunting for Jewish men, women, and children in local towns who were then subject to torture, rape, execution, immolation, and kidnapping.

The attack resulted in more than 1,400 dead inside the Jewish state, over 5,300 more wounded, and at least 242 hostages of all ages taken.

The vast majority of the victims are civilians and include dozens of American citizens.

On Tuesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray warned of heightened threats in the U.S. due to the Israel-Hamas war.

“We assess that the actions of Hamas and its allies will serve as an inspiration the likes of which we haven’t seen since (the Islamic State group) launched its so-called caliphate several years ago,” Wray told the Senate Committee on Homeland Security.

Salon has a history of smearing Republicans and Christians.

In March, a Salon piece insisted that Republicans are in the midst of waging a “fascist war” against freedom and democracy.

Last year, an article in the progressive publication described the GOP as being a “de facto terrorist organization” as well as the “world’s largest white supremacist” group.

Previously, Salon published an interview in which “the Republican fascist movement” was referred to as “objectively evil,” and “white Christians” were accused of embracing lies, terrorism, white supremacy and fascism.