Calling all Culture Warriors

Continental Congress of Art ^ | 1/16/02 | Antoninus

[Antoninus]

On January 10, 1963, Democrat congressman A. S. Herlong, Jr. of Florida read, with unanimous consent, a list of 'Current Communist Goals' into the Congressional record. This prescient list, taken from a book called "The Naked Communist," by Cleon Skousen, has been posted on Free Republic several times.

Perhaps what's most shocking about this list are the cultural items. Goals that would have been considered absurdities 40 years ago are today eerily real. To review a few of the points on the list:

• 21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

• 22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

• 23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

• 25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

• 31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture."...

• 32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture....

Now, supposedly communism was dealt a political death-blow in the late 1980's. However, as we all know, the progeny of the original far-left culture warriors have created new bastions within our very own educational, media, entertainment, and cultural institutions. Our political attempts to disconnect these individuals from the government teat have been, on the whole, failures. In the face of these reverses, many social conservative commentators have thrown in the towel, declaring the culture war lost or unwinnable.

I disagree. In order to fight and win a culture war, your side must be able to present a viable alternative. The 'counter-culture' of the 1960s is a classic example of this strategy. With rare exceptions, conservatives, traditionalists, Americanists, and republicans (small R), were not able to respond to this counter-cultural tidal-wave effectively. Thus, the 'counter-culture' of the 1960s has become the dominant culture today. While individual writers or artists of a traditional bent may occasionally rise up and be recognized, they are now at the mercy of the anti-American, anti-family, anti-tradition, anti-religion dominant culture that rules the media, the publishing industry, Hollywood, and the art scene.

But with the advent of the Internet, we now have a way to circumvent completely the apparatus of the cultural elites. A single individual with an idea now has the capacity to reach most of the country and indeed the world with his or her message. As we all know, Free Republic has demonstrated this capability to an amazing degree. This single site and its army of Freepers has the ability to shape debate, cow or encourage the media and petty local officials, and influence elections.

Believing that more needs to be done on the cultural front, myself and Claud, two Freepers of long standing, have set up a website called:

The Continental Congress of Art

Our hope is that this site will "build interest in the vast artistic and literary treasure trove of American civilization, as well as serve as a hub for new ideas and endeavors, with the common goal being the advancement of literature and fine art in the United States of America." In short, we hope to turn the site into a network and free showcase for like-minded artists and writers, and play a part, however small, in a cultural reawakening in America.

Similar to the original Continental Congress of 1774, we are hoping to attract 'delegates' from across the country. As this effort is very much in its infancy, we have posted to date only four individuals on our delegates page (most of whom are associated in some way with our publishing program), representing three northeastern states. We are eager to add delegates from other states and regions and based on the popularity of the 'Free Republic Poet Laureate' threads, we know there are many Freeper writers and artists out there. If you think you've got what it takes to become a delegate, we encourage you to visit the site and give it a shot.

Even if you're not a writer or artist, you might be interested in visiting the site just to check out our links to America's Heritage, our Guide to Literary Form, or the photos of America scattered throughout the site taken by Claud and yours truly.

[He Rides A White Horse]

Most conservatives are actually very uneasy about getting involved in cultural issues. This in a large part is signaled by the dominance of neo-conservatives over the movement, who are little different than liberals on cultural issues, and have actually subtly conditioned liberal cultural concepts into most conservatives themselves.

(laughing)

[WRhine]

There you go. Who is winning this War?

[He Rides A White Horse]

I can see you are trying to lead somewhere, but you seem to hesitate when asked what you represent.

[tm22721]

Ever since Paul Weyrich gave up on our culture I have considered the cause truely lost.

BUMP

[Bernard Marx]

The whole thrust of your arguments are about culture.

I think we define "culture" differently. I'm using the word in the following sense: "The sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings, which is transmitted to one generation to another." I mean American culture.

I have no idea where you're going with the rest of your post. If you mean conservatives are so stupid and lacking in talent they can't read and understand great books, listen to great music and compose their own, write about big ideas and influence the course of history, establish their own film studios and media empires without becoming left-liberals themselves, then I think you're probably right. But in that case I think we define the word "conservative" a very differently too.

[WRhine]

Multiculturalism means, FYI, support for cultural diversity and opposition to assimilation and American "cultural imperialism" over minorities...Which of course makes sense if you assume everyone who opposes it is running around in white sheets. Used to be only ultra-left Democrats talked like that. Now its de riguor even in the GOP and around here. Thanks for proving my point.

Quite True. Multiculturalism has seeped into the ranks of the GOP as the party has been dragged to the left by the socialist vanguard in the Democratic Party. And the enzyme in this process is the borderless America the two parties have exposed our country to. As more and more 3rd world immigrants flood into America the PC forces of the left have intimidated the public into silence (in fear of being called racist) as they go about destroying every institution in America including the American culture itself. The GOP, reactionaries as they are, only resist on the extremes while giving ground elsewhere in the name of compromise. The typical GOP politician of today would make a Hubert Humphery democrat of the 1960s blush. Who is winning?

[185JHP]

Better days coming - this country isn't destroyed yet. FReegards

[FreedomFriend]

I've got to be honest, I see hope for this country. I mean, I feel like there has been a seismic shift in the country's attitude since September 11. Now, I know that a lot of the same liberal/leftist nonsense is still occurring among the media, politicians, etc. However, I believe that on the personal level, September 11 awoke that little thing called common sense. I believe that a lot of people have turned to God, and a lot more people have grown in their relationships with God. I also believe that more people are outspoken about their faith. Coupled with all the lies that are now being revealed about Liberal policies, along with the massive increase in sane, common sense, Conservative web sites and radio shows, I believe that we will see an even bigger shift towards Conservatism in this country, given that our politicians don't sell us out through amnesty, as well as all other types of socialism.

In brief, I see the truth being revealed moreso every day. I see fewer people at local bars. I see more people at church. I see more people speaking out about their faith. I see Conservative voices growing like never before. I think that it's only a matter of time before Liberalism meets its death, and that the Left is spewing on the fumes of a degenerate agenda that fewer and fewer people believe.

While we need to all work for the good, we also need to be patient. Things will turn around, granted the Lord doesn't come back soon.

[WRhine]

Great Post Okie...BTTT.

[He Rides A White Horse]

You can lead a white horse to water, but you can't make it drink. Especially when all its smarts are in the end shown above.

Oh yeah, Pat Buchanan, I remember him............that's right he's the dedicated conservative who tried to betray us all in Florida by lending vocal support to Al Gore during his recount efforts.

Horse's ass? Too funny.........your boy tried to sell us out to the DemoMarxists all because he had a beef with the GOP. A hissy fit that tried to give Gore 4 years to salve his own battered ego.

Thanks, that's all I need to know about you.

[He Rides A White Horse]

Yeah let's follow you folks...........(laughing)

[Antoninus]

It was in other words a whole attitude of criticism, or "culture of critique". Do a web search on that.

Actually, I know quite a bit about 'critical theory' and all the other buzz words that marxist academics use, like 'deconstruction' and 'unpacking'. What it comes down to is that marxists are always keen to criticize, tear down, attack, destroy, undermine. You put them on the spot when you ask them for solutions, innovations, new ideas, creativity, improvements. That's actually the secret to defeating them, if you ask me.

Here's a favorite quote of mine from marxist omnisexual philosopher Michel Foucault. Foucault was forever criticizing the capitalist oligarchy of the West for covertly exercising control over the masses (as if 'the masses' have no power of free will!). He advocated the absolulte overthrow and destruction of Western society. When asked what he envisioned to replace it, Foucault responded, [to paraphrase] "For me to even imagine what would come after would only serve to extend the current system." Basically, he had no idea. His answer was a cop-out. As with most leftists, he was an endless source of criticism with no innovative new ideas of his own.

[Antoninus]

I'd gone to Skousen's office one afternoon with the police reporter to learn the ropes of that particular beat. The reporter immediately got into a shouting contest with Skousen over the book and what then was considered anti-Communist "paranoia." I remember thinking that Skousen presented his ideas in a way I thought was calm, intelligent and reasoned and wondered why our guy was practically frothing at the mouth in contempt. Later, the paper's Executive Editor launched a series of Page One editorials -- unheard-of in that place and time -- denouncing Skousen as a charlatan and scoundrel. From that point on the paper was dedicated to getting Skousen fired, and it did. The attack was personal, vicious and completely disregarded the factual content of his book -- a technique that has become all too familiar over my lifetime. Liberals survive by suppressing thought and discussion. Political Correctness is a sophisticated refinement of that technique.

And yet, to see the film portrayals of the HUAC investigations and the Hollywood 10, you would swear that THEY were the true victims of the political climate. Truly disgusting. We must always remember that the people we're up against have neither shame nor scruples.

[Antoninus]

There you go. Who is winning this War?

Obviously, we've been losing it for about 40 years now. However, as I've said a couple times on this thread, there is no 'total victory' or 'utter defeat' in a culture war. If you stop resisting, the enemy just continues to kick you in the ribs.

The fight goes on and that sense of defeatism is perhaps our greatest foe right now. As long as old men die and new ones take their places, we have an opening. There are still a lot of us out there. We must continue to fight by getting the young on board. There's a heavy undercurrent of disgust among my generation (X) and later ones at the excess of the Baby-boomers. It's my opinion that there's a hunger out there for structure, stability, disiciple, and the need for a moral code among the MTV generation. Can we tap into that and encourage it?

[Antoninus]

Ever since Paul Weyrich gave up on our culture I have considered the cause truely lost.

Weyrich was premature and mistaken. His defeatism was not appreciated by those of us under the age of 30 that plan to live and raise children in this country for the rest of our lives. I think individuals who feel like Weyrich should look carefully at themselves and figure out how they've failed in the past, and how they can successfully renew the fight in the future.

As I've said a number of times on this thread, you don't suffer complete defeat in a culture war. The enemy just continues to pummel you until you get up the strength to fight back.