[Right Wing Professor]

You use the term "fundamentalist" very broadly -- including, it appears, anyone who desires a restoration of traditional morality. You can reject the religious authority that that morality is based on, but authority do you offer as an alternative? Ayn Rand?

I use fundamentalist to describe anyone who insists on the absolute authority of a foundational text, such as the Bible or Koran. I am not in the least interested in debating the absurd and obnoxious contention that your particular sectarian belief system is the only one that can provide a basis for morality.

Ayn Rand was a mediocre political philosopher at best, and wrote awful novels, but she had some success attracting people to libertarian ideas, for which she deserves kudos.

[Alain Chartier]

I am not in the least interested in debating the absurd and obnoxious contention that your particular sectarian belief system is the only one that can provide a basis for morality.

I do not contend that. I do contend that all morality is an appeal to authority, and religious authorities are as valid as secular ones for public discussion. Moreover, secular disputes can be as intractible and violent as religious ones. So there is no reason to exclude religion from the public square.