All Hail the Culture Wars

[Mythsaje]

Is it better to condemn gays than to feed hungry children?

Is it better to TALK about morality than actually consider the morality of fighting a war of aggression?

Is it better to claim to be "born-again" than to actually follow the teachings of Jesus Christ?

We Americans stand on one side or the other of a great divide, glaring across the chasm and spewing venom at one another with no real consideration of the issue at stake.

The stake in the game? The future of America. When people vote their "consciences" in opposition to gays and secularism, they are also voting to support measures that strip Americans of their dignity and strip America of its ability to hold its own in a world that's grown not only increasingly competitive economically, but increasingly skeptical of America's motivations for playing the "Lone Ranger" on the world stage.

Americans used to value honesty, integrity, and truth, and yet many of those who claim these principles with the most volume seem most inclined to ignore their absence in the name of pushing their side of the "culture war."

They'd rather hide the unpalatable away from the eyes of the American public than place it out where people can see and discuss it. But, then again, it's always been this way. Consider the New York City of a hundred years ago. While the robber barons and slum lords ruled, the teeming masses were ground underfoot, and the newspapers regularly buried stories that spoke of the inequities or things "decent Americans" didn't want to consider.

There's nothing new about child molestation. It's not a sudden epidemic. It's ALWAYS been here, hidden behind closed doors and studiously ignored by those who didn't want to know.

There's nothing new about domestic violence. Until the women stood up and finally were able to state publicly, "this will not stand," most decent Americans would have been much happier to pretend it never happened.

There's nothing new about homosexuality. It's been with us since the dawn of time. But it's always been easier to pretend that it didn't exist than deal with reality.

There's nothing new about racism. All races of humankind have a history of denigrating and abusing their fellows--even if they were simply a neighboring tribe with a slightly different philosophy.

There has always been abortion. Only recently has it become a safe procedure. If you take away that safe option, people will go back to the methods that have been used for centuries. You won't eliminate it, you will simply drive it undercover.

What those who claim the "culture war" are saying is "We don't want to know!" They should be perfectly aware that these things will continue, out of the limelight, and by closing their eyes and repeating to themselves "it's not happening. It's not happening," they achieve nothing but the dubious advantage of fooling themselves.

Civilizations do not grow by promoting ignorance, by ignoring truth.

The "culture war," such as it is, is not between "decent people" and "purveyers of inequity" but between people who want to know the truth of things, however unpalatable they may or may not find them, and those who'd prefer the truth be hidden from them...from all of us.

That said, it's no doubt which side of the chasm upon which I stand. I stand for reality...for truth...for revealing the pretty lie that hides the bare facts.

Call me crazy. I'm not fighting a war. I'm simply speaking truth.

Won't you join me?

[Kiouni]

1. I agree entirely with your contentions but...

I have run into wall in about every argument i have ever had, and you hit it on the head, "we don't want to know." I read George Smith's Atheism and while it was a very well written book it would do little more then convert people to agnostics, basically to the point of "ok, we don't care." I'm trying to ask, where do we go from here. It seems that with all growths in society all we, the right-minded, can do is be patient and guiding. How sorry I am for those who get lost in this change of the times.

[Mist]

2. Once again, Mythsaje, a cogent read! But speaking the truth is never

acceptable, to some people. The most radical thing to do is to speak the truth! I think the "culture war" is being waged, by RW pundits and the corporate media, to play to a section of the populace that's part of the RW base. It's partly about the truths you write of and partly about what I'd call "identity politics." The larger issue of speaking truth is always an issue, probably, in any culture. And of course there are always those who don't like the reality that speaking truth exposes. Here at DU, even, one has to watch which "truths" to discuss, sometimes.

[IntravenousDemilo]

3. This would make a great speech, and I can almost hear Jesse Jackson as I read it. n/m

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Know ye the truth....

I think the best way to deal with the so-called "culture wars" is to act in a way that shows your priorities. So feed the hungry. Welcome everyone, no matter what race, sexual orientation, etc. Keep to your priorities, and keep focused on them. You may be surprised to find that by doing this, you set an example that others decide to follow.

[randy5235]

5. Lead by example

Sometimes it is hard to remember ones own principles. the world is an ever present challenge. I see lots of folks on BOTH sides of the aisle uttering nasty stereotypes about the other side. If I hear another person try to turn the word Liberal into a bad word I am going to puke. HOWEVER, I have been just as guilty as have many others of the exact same thing only in the other direction. Some Republicans are crooks but so are so Democrats. The people of this Country are best served by genuine debate and conversation between Statesmen. Not all people have the same ideas or ideals. Thats the beauty of our Country. We all have the right to our opinion. I personally don't like it when others try to force their opinion on me, but I have been guilty of this as well. I think that the demonization of an entire group of people based on pretty much any quality is short sighted, whether it be sex,religion,ethnicity,sexual orientation or even political affiliation. I am sure that *most* Right Wing Americans want mostly the same things that *most* Liberal Americans want. We all would like to live in a secure ,free country that allows us to do better for our children than we did for ourselves. The problem lies in getting from here to there. The devil is in the details as they say. I believe that we should reach across the aisle. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't prosecute those that committed crimes ( regardless of party affiliation) but in the interest of the Citizens of this Country what is more important? Taking care of business or consolidating power? Just remember that when everyone else is a zealot , You are on the only one that is right. Its the same for everyone every where. It is easy to become what we abhor.
</rant>

Randy.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Dialog and mutual respect is in order

one of my good friends is a lifelong Republican, and yet we've been able to have many a good and insightful talk. BTW, this last election, she didn't vote for a single Republican, she was that fed up with her party. I'd like to think that our talks and our respect for one another helped her make her decision.

[political_outcast]

7. GOP: "Culture War!" Dems: "Anti Culture War". What about progressive taxes? Universal healthcare?

Here is how the overclass game works:

Round 1:
GOP leader gets on TV or blog and screams: "Culture War Topic #1 is Vital!" (e.g,. abortion or religion)

And the Democrats counter with "Culture War #1 is bullshit! Culture War Topic #2 is Vital!" e.g., racism or choice or religion
...
Round N:

GOP leader gets on TV or blog and screams: "Culture War Topic #3 is Vital!" (e.g,. abortion)

And the Democrats counter with "Culture War #3 is bullshit! Culture War Topic #4 is Vital!"


And neither side talks about populist economics issues like taxing the rich or universal healtcare.

gee, I wonder why....