The most powerful weapon of liberalism

Last updated on: March 17, 2016 at 7:49 am by Dave Griffey

The most powerful weapon of liberalism 2016-03-17T07:49:00-04:00 Dave Griffey

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Is its ability to dismiss yesterday’s truth. We see it in censorship. Anyone my age remembers that when a record store wouldn’t carry a Madonna album, or a radio station refused to play The Rolling Stones, it was Fascism! all the way. Cries of Big Brother and McCarthyism abounded.

Those same progressives now have no problem boycotting or pressuring television shows or entertainers who say what they don’t like. They have no problem threatening people or companies who don’t share their values. Heck, they even support elected officials who try to use the government to legally eradicate free speech.

How do they do that? Easy. They have the media and the popular culture to back them up. For most of the history of educational institutions, popular and artistic culture, and journalism, those institutions were cutting edge. They were there to critique the powers that be. They were there to undercut, poke fun at, and even seriously challenge the status quo. If you think about the history of Western Civilization, how many bold breakthroughs against the establishment do we attribute to movements that found common cause with the artists, the writers, the poets, the educators and intellectuals of bygone days?

But not today. In a rare turn of events, and unheard of in the brief history of Democratic societies, those institutions are now almost fully behind and supportive of a particular philosophy and political establishment. Therefore, when someone who they deem to be part of that movement or establishment does or says anything convenient, it becomes part of the cultural landscape. And when it is no longer convenient, it is able to be dismissed out of hand. That was yesterday’s Truth. Or it doesn’t count. Or there is some reason why it’s different. Or through the constant pounding of propaganda, we’re convinced that there is a new absolute morality that should punish hate and evil as currently defined. With the threefold cultural venues behind you, it’s easy to redefine just what constitutes the hate and evil that is the exception to the tolerance and diversity rule.

So as the GOP struggles against Obama’s well played hand, if anyone thought appealing to Joe Biden’s previous statements was going to give them that ace in the hole, think again. Already, the press is leaping ahead of most Democrats to explain why what the Democrats pondered in 1992 clearly doesn’t apply today. As it never does. Just like the post-Bork progressives who, in 1993, asked why couldn’t we set aside partisanship and just get along. Or the progressives who blasted and assaulted the last two popes who now make it an egregious sin to do anything less than celebrate and fall behind the current pope.

You can’t fight a movement that is always one step ahead of its own standards. You certainly can’t do it when the institutions that define a culture are prepared to play by the same non-rules. Using principles and truth against a movement willing to flaunt its disdain for either gives you the handicap every time.

As an aside, I can’t help but think that is part of the reason for the frustration and anger from the non-Left. It’s one thing to be bested in a contest. It’s another to lose to cheaters. And when you see the Democrats barely have to lift a finger because everything across the pop culture and media world will rush ahead to twist and turn the last principles in order to win the moment, that can be beyond frustrating. Just as losing to any cheater always is frustrating.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

March 16, 2016

Of sports and human nature

Next Post

March 17, 2016 Stop reading right now

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Atheism Awesome things Bigotry for the hip American Blogging Books Catholic Catholic Teaching Catholics on the Internet Christian Persecution Christian Unity Christianity and America Christianity in the Post-Modern World Christianity in the world Culture of Death Culture of Life Current Events Decline and Fall of the Christian West Defending Liberty Fun Stuff Global Warming Good Causes Good News Gun Control Health Care History Holidays Homeschool Humor Important things Inspiring Stories Interesting Insights Interesting Stories Islam and the West Liberal "Tolerance" Liberal observations Life in a post-Christian world Memorial Movies Musings News Other Blogs Our Big Politically Correct Bother Politics Popular Culture Post Modern Values Prayers Pro Life Promoting LGBT Protecting Liberty Racism in the world today Scientism Social Observations Sports Strange Stories The Boys The Catholic Church and the Left The Decline and Fall of the American Dream The end of liberty The Faith and the Left The Faith and the Right The Family The Greatness of God The Internet The Leftist Juggernaut The LGBT Question The Media The Pope The post-liberal Left The Power of Propaganda Tributes Twilight of the American Experiment Uncategorized Uneducating Postmoderns When the Church is wrong Why learn from history when we can repeat it instead Wisdom in the Post Modern Age World Events

Select a Month August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I am a day when tongues of fire appeared and people spoke in languages they had never learned. Three thousand believed that day. What am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Easter The Day of Atonement Passover Pentecost