Posted on 11/13/2019 3:54:51 AM PST by Kaslin
This week, The Atlantic released its newest issue, provocatively titled "How to Stop a Civil War." Leading its collection of essays is a fascinating piece by Yoni Applebaum. In it, Applebaum posits that at the crux of America's vitriolic politics lies demographic change: "The United States is undergoing a transition perhaps no rich and stable democracy has ever experienced: Its historically dominant group is on its way to becoming a political minority -- and its minority groups are asserting their co-equal rights and interests." This, he suggests, has led to an impasse for the center-right, which refuses to adapt to changing demographics, instead doubling down on President Donald Trump's white, working-class base. Applebaum explains, "When a group that has traditionally exercised power comes to believe that its eclipse is inevitable, and that the destruction of all it holds dear will follow, it will fight to preserve what it has -- whatever the cost."
But Applebaum's thesis doesn't explain why, in his view, conservatives have abandoned the attempt to persuade new populations. Applebaum himself acknowledges that a "conservatism defined by ideas can hold its own against progressivism, winning converts to its principles and evolving with each generation." Why, then, have conservatives supposedly given up?
The answer lies in a simple truth: Conservatives haven't despaired of winning over new converts. While a slight majority of Republicans believe that immigration should be reduced, pluralities or majorities of Republicans in the majority of polls believe that immigration is good for the country; a heavy majority of Republicans favor a "merit-based" immigration approach.
Conservative opposition to increased immigration isn't driven by fears of demographic change. It's driven by fear of ideological change. And that fear of ideological change is actually driven by Democrats' radicalism -- and their overt suggestion that demographic change will provide the fodder for that radicalism. Applebaum rightly states, "The United States possesses a strong radical tradition, but its most successful social movements have generally adopted the language of conservatism, framing their calls for change as an expression of America's founding ideals rather than as a rejection of them." But today's successful social movements -- the movements of the Democratic left -- no longer bother with such niceties. Instead, they declare that America was, has been and always will be a racist place, riven by hierarchies of power, a corrupt structure to be overturned by that emerging demographic majority. These movements overtly call for curbing essential American freedoms -- freedom of speech, freedom to bear arms, freedom of religion -- in order to overthrow the corrupt power structure. The Democratic left then insists that immigration levels be increased both legally and illegally and suggests that its opponents are driven by unbridled racism.
In essence, the Democrats have decided that rather than expanding the application of American principles to new groups, they prefer to fundamentally change the definition of American principles and utilize immigration policy to facilitate that change. No wonder conservatives have responded by calling for immigration restrictions.
Conservatism must indeed root out and destroy any elements of race-driven policy from its midst. Conservatism speaks every language and can reside in any human heart. If the left wishes to avoid a civil war, it can start by doing the same: refraining from the argument that demographic change innately signals rewriting the definition of Americanism, and arguing in favor of that revision.
Little Ben is a “Grifter-Con.”
He hates the Groypers for busting his grift more than he hates the Left.
Is it racist to be opposed to demographic transformation of your homeland? Is it racist to not want your kids and grandkids to grow up in an unsafe environment where they are hated by new residents?
If this be racist, then racism stops being a bad thing.
It’s racist to label everything racist..
The essence of traditional conservatism, is the principle that each person earns his own way, strives to be productive for the sake of himself and his family, and deals honestly with his fellows.
Then there are people who are motivated by the idea that they have the right to steal from those who are more prosperous, that prosperity is a sin, and they are the instruments of punishment. That's how Communists come to power when they are elected.
The big defect of conservatives is thinking that conservative culture is universal. IT IS NOT. Conservative culture of doing right for strangers comes from Christianity. In the rest of the world, the culture is "Me and my own against the world". Importing that culture into the US would destroy us.
Americans believe immigration is always good because they have been browbeat by a constant litany of inanities like- “Diversity is our strength.” And- “America is a nation of immigrants.” These and other lies and half-truths have the average unthinking American believing that we must have a constant stream of foreigners in order to survive. Ridiculous.
The left is pushing “immigration” (i.e. invasion) by hordes of third worlders who have no idea how to live in a modern society. The only outcome of such an invasion is to turn the US into a third world country, complete with the massive corruption that characterizes much of the third world. No, it is not racist to want to prevent the US from sinking into a third world morass.
“The essence of traditional conservatism, is the principle that each person earns his own way, strives to be productive for the sake of himself and his family, and deals honestly with his fellows.”
I would say that is the “essence” of traditional values and the basis for a successful ‘melting pot’ society, but not necessarily “conservatism”.
I have some very liberal family members who believe in those principles.
I don’t read Shapiro, he turns me off, but I will comment on the title; conservatives have intentionally ignored our illegal immigration problem, by direction of Tom Donahue and the Chamber of Commerce. It’s Wall street before Main street for these Cucksters.
He’s just using the ‘R’ word to control the conversation. Same old crap every day.
“It’s racist to label everything racist..”
Agreed!
Everything is racist: PBJs, lawns, mathematics, good grammar, large vocabularies, reading to your kids, everything.
So, WHO CARES?
Thus began the conclusion of his piece. From that point on his little essay made eminent good sense.
“Little Ben is a “Grifter-Con.”
Yep. If he were just a bit older he’d have been hawking cruises with the rest of Conservatives, Inc.
L
Racism in defense of the Republic is good. Africanization is bad
OK Millenial.
Everything is racist to somebody.
So what if they are. People have a right to chose to live among their own. Try to take that right from them and watch what happens.
Yup
A question: Do these family members experience cognitive dissonance between these principles and the programs proposed by the current crop of Democratic candidates for President?
One of my kids has some liberal leanings, but votes third party or none of the above. He's been propagandized against Trump, but can see that today's Dem's are nuts.
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