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Micah Beckwith, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, is a self-described Christian nationalist and encourages others to be the same. Who is Beckwith? Per his campaign website, he says he will “work to ensure that our children are taught the fundamentals, prepared to compete in the marketplace, and taught constitutional literacy,” among other far-right-wing talking points.
What is a white Christian nationalist? White Christian nationalism is a movement that insists the United States was founded as a Christian nation and that seeks to erase the separation of church and state. According to Brad Onishi—author of “Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism and What Comes Next” and host of the podcast “Straight White American Jesus”—Christian nationalists believe the United States should be a Christian nation today and in the future.
Is WCN problematic? Those who identify as white Christian nationalists are more likely to believe it is too easy to vote in the United States and that voter fraud is rampant. They look to enact tougher voting restrictions. Considering that Indiana’s voter turnout in 2020 was 46th in the country and dead last in 2022, the plan to limit who votes is working. White Christian nationalists also tend to treat minorities and non-Christians as second-class citizens. And because of their desire to define the United States as a Christian nation, they would also look to end protections for the religious liberties of Jews, Muslims and any other non-Christian faith.
Article VI of the U.S. Constitution specifies that “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” This prohibition is also known as the No Religious Test Clause. Furthermore, the First Amendment to the Constitution specifically states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”
I’m no constitutional scholar, but my reading comprehension is pretty good. And in plain text, the Constitution states more than once that we are not a Christian nation. How could Beckwith proclaim that he is a Christian nationalist and promote constitutional literacy when he clearly does not understand the words written in the Constitution? Or maybe the better question is, why are people like Beckwith trying to gaslight us into believing otherwise?
It is about power and who has it. While WCN has been around since the 1600s, the movement tends to have a rise in activity during periods when white Christians feel threatened. Another term for it is white backlash. It has been estimated that, by 2045, non-Hispanic white people will be less than half of the U.S. population. The steps that white Christian nationalists are taking now would enshrine minority rule and end democracy as we know it.
Beckwith represents WCN. He does not represent the type of leadership we need in our Statehouse. He supports book bans, does not believe in LGBTQ+ rights or body autonomy for women, and is a history denier. He created chaos when he was on the Hamilton East Public Library Board, from which one could conclude he lacks the ability to legislate holistically. Heck, Sen. Mike Braun didn’t want Beckwith as his running mate. I say we take Beckwith out of his misery, vote for Jennifer McCormick, and help protect the rights of all Hoosiers from Beckwith and his WCN views on governing.•
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Black is former deputy chairwoman for engagement for the Indiana Democratic Party
and a former candidate for the Indiana House. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.
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