This citation from the article is right in line with Slozhenitsyn's astute criticism of western democratic culture. The knee jerk reaction that many express when our shortcomings are pointed out, "My country, right or wrong," misses the point.
It is good to take a dispassionate look at who and what we are. Indeed, we have done wonderful things; including helping rid the world of two tyrannies in this century. We have also done not so good things; including legalized child murder and creation of inane and obscene entertainments.
Like the good folk of Middle Earth, most of us prefer our ease and comfort. However, as the screenwriter said in the article, in the past, when challenged with evil on the move, we (our parents and grandparents), have responded to the evil.
Today, we have evil enshrined in our institutions (Roe v Wade; Federal protection for obscenity). This evil is not on the move; hence it remains to be seen if we will be aroused ever to confront and defeat it.
For a few weeks after 9/11, with folks filling churches and people just being nicer to each other, I had some hope.