If we moral conservatives want to possess any hope of righting the ship of America in the ongoing cultural wars, we must get busy actually changing the culture.
That is the argument author, Mark Steyn makes in his latest book, The Undocumented Mark Steyn
Steyn makes some compelling points, including something I had not considered.
THE PROGRESSIVES ARE WINNING
Steyn points out that the reason the moral degradation of our country has been accelerated recently is due to the deliberate persuasion of the Left. The Left deserves credit for effectively changing our society by winning the cultural wars.
The sentiments of the American population has been turned onto so-called “gay marriage,” for instance. This occurred largely because the Left has carried out a large, detailed plan to execution.
Steyn says the reason the conservatives are losing, in part, falls on their short-sightedness. The Right has reduced morality to the policing of the politicians, in his view. If only the right political leaders could just get elected, then America can stop sliding down the moral sewer drain.
Steyn says the reason the Conservatives’ strategy has not worked is because even the politics are shifting to the left.
Because the propagandists of the Left have been so effective, the Conservative politicians seem to remain out of touch. In order to garner votes, they too must move to the left.
We see this happening all over. Supposed conservative Republicans are caving on so-called “social issues” at an alarming rate. Contraception use is just a given—seemingly, no politician opposes its use. They may, perhaps, oppose someone being forced to pay for someone else to use it, but that’s about it.
So-called “gay marriage” rarely gets opposed by the conservative politicians. Adoption by gay couples goes unopposed by many supposed conservatives, as well.
To find any politician calling for all abortions to be banned is next to impossible. The majority of politicians on the Right still grant that killing preborn children conceived by rape or incest, although regrettable, remains a woman’s moral “right.” All these, and many more, cultural wars are being lost.
THERE IS ONE EXCEPTION TO THE MORAL BACKSLIDING: ABORTION
That said, the immorality of abortion, as a whole, continues to be exposed in America. Fewer and fewer Americans are supporting death to preborn children (rape and incest being the exception).
This social issue remains the one anomaly in our culture.
Van Maren asked Steyn why he thought conservatives were winning on abortion. Steyn chalked it up to the Right being effective at influencing the culture on this topic.
Van Maren’s interviewee points out that the Supreme Court’s rulings on abortion in America have likely prevented its overturn to come from the top-down. Rather, abortion access must be defeated from the bottom-up. Steyn agrees the Right is doing well to change people’s minds on abortion from the grassroots level.
IN CLOSING
I think Steyn has summarized the state of moral determinism in America very well. In order to win the cultural wars, we must win back the culture.
We have seen success in employing this grassroots strategy on abortion. Now we need to unite and organize on other issues. Steyn is right, it’s the only hope we have.
YOUR TURN
Do you agree with Mark Steyn’s conclusions?
If not, why do you think conservatives are losing the culture battle?
Please sound off below!
