Posted on 10/20/2003 9:31:19 PM PDT by kattracks
In part one, I described nine areas of major conflict between the Right and the Left in American life, a conflict that rivals the First Civil War in intensity, though thankfully not in violence. Here in part two, I describe 15 others.
The Left regards American nationalism as dangerous, is more comfortable celebrating world citizenship and prefers that America follow the lead of international organizations such as the United Nations. The Right celebrates American nationalism, distrusts world organizations, prefers that America lead humanity and regards the United Nations as largely a moral wasteland.The Left believes that sensitivity to minorities' feelings trumps the majority's will. The Right believes that when not immoral, the majority's will trumps that of the minority. For example, because some employees do not celebrate Christmas, the Left believes that organizations should rename their Christmas party the "holiday party." The Right believes that because the vast majority of Americans celebrate Christmas, the party should be called a Christmas party.
The Left believes that a woman must have an unrestricted right to choose an abortion but no right to choose a silicone breast implant. The Right believes that society must decide when abortions are moral and legal but a woman has the right to choose to have a silicone breast implant.
The Left believes that attacking world poverty will greatly reduce Islamic terror. The Right believes that poverty is largely unrelated to Islamic terror.
The Left believes that George W. Bush attacked Iraq mostly for economic gain. The Right believes George W. Bush attacked Iraq to protect America and to change the Arab world for the better.
The Left believes that a high rate of taxation of people who earn more money is a moral imperative. The Right believes that allowing people to keep as much of their money as possible is a moral imperative.
The Left identifies with the values of most university professors in the liberal arts and values their insights. The Right regards most of these professors as moral idiots.
The Left believes that the greatest danger to mankind, as former Vice President Al Gore wrote in his book "Earth in the Balance," is the threat to the environment. The Right believes that the greatest danger to humanity is, as it always has been, human evil.
The Left believes that marriage should be redefined and that judges alone are entitled to do so. The Right believes that the millennia-old definition of marriage as between members of the two sexes is inviolable and that it can't be redefined by jurists.
The Left believes that in terms of parenthood, all a child needs is love, whether that love comes from a single parent, two men, two women or some other adult. The Right believes that children do best with the love of two married parents of the opposite sex.
The Left believes that opposing race-based college dorms, graduation ceremonies, congressional caucuses or professional organizations is racist. The Right believes that race-based college dorms, graduation ceremonies, congressional caucuses and professional organizations are racist.
The Left believes that labeling any enemy of the United States "evil" is wrong. It was wrong when President Ronald Reagan labeled the Soviet Union an "evil empire," and it was wrong when President George W. Bush labeled Iran, Iraq and North Korea an "axis of evil." The Right believes that not labeling such regimes "evil" is a sign of moral confusion and appeasement.
The Left is preoccupied with health. Leftist parents are more likely to believe that it is preferable that their teenager cheat on a test than smoke. Parents on the Right are more likely to believe that it is better that their teenager smoke than cheat.
The Left believes that just as America and the Soviet Union were equally responsible for the Cold War, Israel and the Palestinians are equally responsible for Middle East violence. The Right believes that just as the Soviets were responsible for the Cold War, the Arab enemies of Israel are responsible for Middle East violence.
The Left believes that criticism of Christianity is important and that criticism of Islam is bigoted. The Right believes that criticism of Islam is important and that most criticism of Christianity is bigoted.
I am well aware that not everyone on the Left agrees with every leftist position and not everyone on the Right agrees with every rightist one. Nat Hentoff is a leftist who doesn't support abortion rights; Pat Buchanan is a rightist who doesn't support Israel. But the existence of individual exceptions does not negate the fact that all the positions listed here as Left or Right are correctly labeled.
The fact is that this country is profoundly divided on virtually every major social, personal and political issue. We are in the midst of the Second American Civil War. Who wins it will determine the nature of this country as much as the winner of the first did.
©2003 Creators Syndicate, Inc.
As for what the future holds, I adhere to the motto, "Strive for the best, prepare for the worst".
For better or worse, I wouldn't be surprised if the "Second Amendment Issue" isn't brought to a head within the next 25-50 years.
That "head" will be a conclusive case/decision before the United States Supreme Court, which will rule one way -- or the other -- that _individuals_ do (or do not) have an explicit right to keep and bear arms.
If the RKBA _loses_, look for national legislation in the order of a "Gun Recovery Act" (out of "The Turner Diaries"). Would this provoke real shooting, or just a collective sigh as gun owners are forced to give up their weapons?
Just a thought...
- John
Besides Praeger's not spending enough time on teh Second Ammendment there is another thing that needs to be included in the list of things that will help percipitate such a war. The destruction of the American economy by international unfair trade. As we have fewer and fewer jobs within the USA and more economic pressure on teh American middle class there will be fewer and fewer with a substantial stake in keeping things as they are and there will be an increase in radicalization of individuals.
I suspect that the attempted repeal of the 2nd amendment will come much sooner ... I predict that the first real attempt (which I believe will fail) will come during the term of the NEXT Democratic president. Other attempts will follow. I believe that the longer our schools are run by the dark side the greater the chance of the "collective sigh". However, I also believe that there will be a lot of resistance which will be addressed by the future tyrants on a one by one basis.
HG, you could not be more wrong. Prager talks about the American "cold civil war" every day on his radio show for the same reason I spent three years researching and writing EFAD. We both are trying to point out just how close the left and right are to a head-on collision today, because we want to avoid the violent collision while there is stil time.
Put another way: we are both lookouts on the Titanic, screaming ICE AHEAD! while there is still time to turn the ship.
Of course, some will say, "why are you shilling that book again," or "Prager must want a civil war, he talks about it all the time."
The Captain of the Titanic probably said, "What are those fools in the crow's nest screaming about now? Someone tell them to shut up."
I think what you're reading and registering is a clash between diehard party partisans . . . faction leaders . . . who have a difference in ideology but are still basically Americans merely shilling for their view of what America should be. Prager's admonission seems to me nothing more than an outline of his own political ideology, described as a polemic, not a roadmap towards certain civil war.
Political, legal, and societal remedies exist for all Prager's issues. Civil war occurs when those remedies are no longer available, or once one side determines the point of no return has been passed. I hardly see that dynamic in American politics today. If anything, the rhetoric from partisans has been amped up . . . and I daresay some, if not most, of that amplification is selfishly purposeful.
1. Additional geographic stratification (red zone / blue zone) Current trends have to continue so that states or regions are strongly self identified as "conservative" or "socialist" or "liberty" or whatever, and those who oppose these views are a small minority. Even the blue/red zones are not this way now. If you pushed the threshold for coloring in the map from 50% majority in county to 60% it would totally chnage it. If you imposed a 70% majority to color a state red the entire map would be blue. 2. One or more states disobeying the federal government. I think a State is the obvious unit for CW2 flash point. Until a State (or several) elect leaders who are anti-federal I think we have a long way to go. 3. "Lines in the Sand" are clearly drawn and understood. To some extent the 2nd Ammendment is already one such line. When new more explicit lines are drawn saying "we won't tolerate this" that is a big warning sign. Such things did take place at the start of CW1. 4. One or more political parties form with a focus on seccession or radial change. Not "reform". These parties attract 1 million or more members. 5. Military or militia units are formed outside the control of FedGov. These are large scale an include heavy arms. Tom Chittum's book has a bunch more, some of which I don't think are significant, some of which are.
Talk about folks ready to take up arms!
Florida 2000 was just a hint of things to come, just a taste.
That pretty much is a benchmark in my book as well.
The current crop of candidates and the DNC / DLC are a lot more desperate this time. There may not be a Dem who puts America first as Mr. Gore did in 2000. When the shooting starts is strictly up to the left. It's always been the left's war against America NOT the other way around.
From David Frums Diary, NOV. 19, 2002: GORE SPEAKS, based upon an ABC interview. The words are by Karenna Gore.
He said, "We have to do what's best for the country, and it is not good for the country to have this kind of divisiveness. And he was on the phone, really calling off the dogs. There were people who wanted to fan the ... the flames of the racial issue and have real unrest. And he was on the phone asking them not to, because of what was best for the country not because of what was best for him politically. And that's really who he is. [end]
Now the way I read that the Dems were preparing to have people killed and maimed. Property destroyed. Lives ruined. Mr. Gore stopped it.
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