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A conservative Christian quietly battles against right-wing hysteria

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
This is behind the WaPo paywall but hopefully a few excerpts are sufficient. I specifically wonder what some of the dedicated Christians on RF such as @KenS have to say about the points in this piece.

Personally while I might not agree with David French on any number of topics, I find his approach refreshing and positive.

A conservative Christian quietly battles against right-wing hysteria

The latest iteration of the right-wing culture war is fueled by a messianic, seemingly unshakable terror that the all-powerful cultural left is laying waste to all our institutions...
...
One exception to this is David French, the conservative Christian writer and First Amendment lawyer. He has quietly carved out a niche as a leading foe of these new right-wing crusades, arguing that they betray classically liberal principles and liberal democratic constitutionalism.
...
David French: Look back at the last 20 years of the conservative legal movement, and you’ll see a host of lawsuits brought against speech codes on campuses. You’ll see a long-term effort to vindicate the free speech rights of private corporations. You had a long-running effort to protect the free speech and free exercise rights of public school teachers.
...
In about a 12-month span, you’ve seen a dramatic reversal. You see an increasing effort on the part of red-state legislators to adopt speech codes, most applying to K-through-12 schools. You have seen an effort to regulate the speech of private corporations.
...
The root of it is a kind of cultural panic, a thought that conservative political views, religious views and cultural views are in retreat everywhere. That the culture wars are irretrievably lost. That all that’s left to the right is the exercise of raw political power.
...
On every one of those fronts, I say, “Good news!” Divorce has been decreasing. The percentage of kids being raised with their parents is increasing. The abortion rate is lower. If you look at these markers of cultural health, time and again you’ll see they’re actually improving.
...
In more culturally conservative areas of the country, the percentage who identify themselves as very religious far outstrips the percentage even in countries that the most panicked far-right-wingers embrace, like Hungary. Even the least religious American state is more religious than Hungary.
...
I’ve encountered people who get actively angry at the mere recitation of statistics indicating that catastrophe is not imminent.
...
What makes the state of Total War even worse is that it’s motivated by a sense of perpetual persecution and victimization. What is the injury that Disney has inflicted? The injury for which Disney must be punished is opposition. It’s just speech.

Disney’s speech is not victimizing Florida.
 

Watchmen

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
He who makes the most noise gets heard. There are plenty of conservatives who are not extreme or crazy. There are plenty of liberals who are not extreme or crazy. We just hear about the crazies most of the time because they are the ones who get “clicks,”‘which translates to $$$. It’s unfortunate that each side points to the other and focuses on the fringe crazies rather than pointing to so much that each side has in common.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
He who makes the most noise gets heard. There are plenty of conservatives who are not extreme or crazy. There are plenty of liberals who are not extreme or crazy. We just hear about the crazies most of the time because they are the ones who get “clicks,”‘which translates to $$$. It’s unfortunate that each side points to the other and focuses on the fringe crazies rather than pointing to so much that each side has in common.
And it doesn't help the fan clubs get to pick who's on the ballot, and that's who were stuck with under a system of winner take all that has no semblance of proportionate representation, or even representation at all in many states that are so heavily one way or the other that those who vote the other way often get nothing.
This arrangement is painfully failing us today.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
And it doesn't help the fan clubs get to pick who's on the ballot, and that's who were stuck with under a system of winner take all that has no semblance of proportionate representation, or even representation at all in many states that are so heavily one way or the other that those who vote the other way often get nothing.
This arrangement is painfully failing us today.
Proportionate representation?

That's a laugh coming from a party that leads in the most oppressive states in the nation.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
Proportionate representation?

That's a laugh coming from a party that leads in the most oppressive states in the nation.
I'm not registered or affiliated with any party.
And, yes, proportionate representation to open up America to real choices for alternative parties and give more people more representation.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
And which are those, please?
The ones he lists usually say it's the states that don't allow corporations to run amok and do willy nilly whatever they please. They call it "economic restrictions." But ironically Canada has more of this alleged "economic restriction" thingy going on but apparently does Capitalism better than America.
I'm willing to wager those states who ban abortions won't be promoted in terms of most repressive states according to these sources.
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
This is behind the WaPo paywall but hopefully a few excerpts are sufficient. I specifically wonder what some of the dedicated Christians on RF such as @KenS have to say about the points in this piece.

Personally while I might not agree with David French on any number of topics, I find his approach refreshing and positive.

A conservative Christian quietly battles against right-wing hysteria

The latest iteration of the right-wing culture war is fueled by a messianic, seemingly unshakable terror that the all-powerful cultural left is laying waste to all our institutions...
...
One exception to this is David French, the conservative Christian writer and First Amendment lawyer. He has quietly carved out a niche as a leading foe of these new right-wing crusades, arguing that they betray classically liberal principles and liberal democratic constitutionalism.
...
David French: Look back at the last 20 years of the conservative legal movement, and you’ll see a host of lawsuits brought against speech codes on campuses. You’ll see a long-term effort to vindicate the free speech rights of private corporations. You had a long-running effort to protect the free speech and free exercise rights of public school teachers.
...
In about a 12-month span, you’ve seen a dramatic reversal. You see an increasing effort on the part of red-state legislators to adopt speech codes, most applying to K-through-12 schools. You have seen an effort to regulate the speech of private corporations.
...
The root of it is a kind of cultural panic, a thought that conservative political views, religious views and cultural views are in retreat everywhere. That the culture wars are irretrievably lost. That all that’s left to the right is the exercise of raw political power.
...
On every one of those fronts, I say, “Good news!” Divorce has been decreasing. The percentage of kids being raised with their parents is increasing. The abortion rate is lower. If you look at these markers of cultural health, time and again you’ll see they’re actually improving.
...
In more culturally conservative areas of the country, the percentage who identify themselves as very religious far outstrips the percentage even in countries that the most panicked far-right-wingers embrace, like Hungary. Even the least religious American state is more religious than Hungary.
...
I’ve encountered people who get actively angry at the mere recitation of statistics indicating that catastrophe is not imminent.
...
What makes the state of Total War even worse is that it’s motivated by a sense of perpetual persecution and victimization. What is the injury that Disney has inflicted? The injury for which Disney must be punished is opposition. It’s just speech.

Disney’s speech is not victimizing Florida.

So IOW the right is winning or at least holding it own so there is no need to panic.

Ok, but it is fear and panic that get people motivated to participate in the voting process.
If things are going well then many I suspect will have a more hands off approach.

If folks saw voting more as a duty I suspect there'd be a lot less fearmongering.
 

Evangelicalhumanist

"Truth" isn't a thing...
Premium Member
The ones he lists usually say it's the states that don't allow corporations to run amok and do willy nilly whatever they please. They call it "economic restrictions." But ironically Canada has more of this alleged "economic restriction" thingy going on but apparently does Capitalism better than America.
I'm willing to wager those who ban abortions won't be knocked down the list in terms of most restrictive.
I can't say I think Canada does capitalism "better," but we do tend to focus not on telling companies what they must do, but what they must not.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
New York, California, and Hawaii for the top oppressive states with the least freedoms in the entire nation.

https://www.freedominthe50states.org/

All ruled by authoritarian Democrats.
And yet I have more freedom to just be me here than I ever did in Indiana. And because I also make tons more money I have even more freedom to do things (whoever said money doesn't buy happiness has never been poor or struggled). I also got to vote on DST here, unlike in Indiana where the governor just made it happen.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
And yet I have more freedom to just be me here than I ever did in Indiana. And because I also make tons more money I have even more freedom to do things (whoever said money doesn't buy happiness has never been poor or struggled). I also got to vote on DST here, unlike in Indiana where the governor just made it happen.
You must like having your life controlled by the government.
 

Evangelicalhumanist

"Truth" isn't a thing...
Premium Member
New York, California, and Hawaii for the top oppressive states with the least freedoms in the entire nation.

https://www.freedominthe50states.org/

All ruled by authoritarian Democrats.
Man, I have got to love this! What are the recommendations for New York, to make it "less oppressive?" Here they are -- from your link:

  • Fiscal: Cut spending on hospitals, highways, housing, public buildings, public welfare, education, corrections, fire, sanitation and sewerage, employee retirement, and “miscellaneous,” which are all above national averages. Cut all taxes and pay down debt.
  • Regulatory: Abolish the housing anchor that is rent control.
  • Personal: Slash cigarette taxes, which are so high as to be almost tantamount to prohibition

You really might want to think about those: Less hospitals, less saving people's lives, less highways, more traffic jams and smog, less housing, more homeless ...I'll presume you have the ability to read and assess the rest of that list for yourself. (You're welcome.)

Rent control? Yes, hard, but it does keep a few families indoors, rather than on the streets. You may not approve, but that's on you.

Cigarette taxes? Really? You don't want to tax what is a known KILLER of millions of humans? No, of course not -- dying should be free.

Over to you.
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
This is behind the WaPo paywall but hopefully a few excerpts are sufficient. I specifically wonder what some of the dedicated Christians on RF such as @KenS have to say about the points in this piece.

Personally while I might not agree with David French on any number of topics, I find his approach refreshing and positive.

A conservative Christian quietly battles against right-wing hysteria

The latest iteration of the right-wing culture war is fueled by a messianic, seemingly unshakable terror that the all-powerful cultural left is laying waste to all our institutions...
...
One exception to this is David French, the conservative Christian writer and First Amendment lawyer. He has quietly carved out a niche as a leading foe of these new right-wing crusades, arguing that they betray classically liberal principles and liberal democratic constitutionalism.
...
David French: Look back at the last 20 years of the conservative legal movement, and you’ll see a host of lawsuits brought against speech codes on campuses. You’ll see a long-term effort to vindicate the free speech rights of private corporations. You had a long-running effort to protect the free speech and free exercise rights of public school teachers.
...
In about a 12-month span, you’ve seen a dramatic reversal. You see an increasing effort on the part of red-state legislators to adopt speech codes, most applying to K-through-12 schools. You have seen an effort to regulate the speech of private corporations.
...
The root of it is a kind of cultural panic, a thought that conservative political views, religious views and cultural views are in retreat everywhere. That the culture wars are irretrievably lost. That all that’s left to the right is the exercise of raw political power.
...
On every one of those fronts, I say, “Good news!” Divorce has been decreasing. The percentage of kids being raised with their parents is increasing. The abortion rate is lower. If you look at these markers of cultural health, time and again you’ll see they’re actually improving.
...
In more culturally conservative areas of the country, the percentage who identify themselves as very religious far outstrips the percentage even in countries that the most panicked far-right-wingers embrace, like Hungary. Even the least religious American state is more religious than Hungary.
...
I’ve encountered people who get actively angry at the mere recitation of statistics indicating that catastrophe is not imminent.
...
What makes the state of Total War even worse is that it’s motivated by a sense of perpetual persecution and victimization. What is the injury that Disney has inflicted? The injury for which Disney must be punished is opposition. It’s just speech.

Disney’s speech is not victimizing Florida.

I am not familiar with David French nor many of the points such as "what does liberal democratic constitutionalism stand for".

A couple of points that I would agree with and/or have a problem with:

  1. Disney's speech is not victimizing Florida... Free speech is everyone's right! (Although free speech does have its counter free speech rights)
  2. "You see an increasing effort on the part of red-state legislators to adopt speech codes, most applying to K-through-12 schools" - I'm not sure what came first, the chicken or the egg. Speech codes have happened for those who profess Jesus in schools, not to mention you can't call an XX a female if she doesn't want it (or visa versa). For that matter I'm not quite sure what "speech codes" he may be referring too (Pardon my not being up to date on French.)
  3. The latest iteration of the right-wing culture war is fueled by a messianic, seemingly unshakable terror that the all-powerful cultural left is laying waste to all our institutions... I'm not sure what this means. Certainly, in the Christian perspective, culture has changed. But my faith still remains that no matter what happens to culture, the Gospel still is applicable. Grace is more-so available for all.
  4. A lot of the verbiage seems to grandstanding as if they are trying to present a fearful victim mentality Christian group - I personally don't see it that way but certainly there may be those who do... there is a big group of varied types of people. I would probably venture that the left is also concerned about the faith based conservative right?
So... some good points but I may not totally agree with all of his points.

Good to discuss (I assume)
 
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Viker

Häxan
Proportionate representation?

That's a laugh coming from a party that leads in the most oppressive states in the nation.
Which states? GOP runs mine and it has low marks implying it is an oppressive/repressive state. We have a flip flop Dem governor but pretty much everything is GOP.
 

F1fan

Veteran Member
You must like having your life controlled by the government.
No, we like government protecting all people from the irresponsible members who feel fine dumping toxic chemicals in your water supply. With more and more people there are more people who want to live by their own rules, and to hell with everyone else. So the civilized thing to do is manage and balance what everyone wants. No one gets everything they want, but everyone has a right to health and safety, even though republicans are hostile to these given their reckless attitude about the pandemic response. More and more republicans show themselves incapable of being responsible leaders, as we cannot afford to live in a feral nation where anything goes.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
New York, California, and Hawaii for the top oppressive states with the least freedoms in the entire nation.

How free is your state?

All ruled by authoritarian Democrats.

From a right wing perspective, of course, since this is a CATO product. They ding CA for being pro-worker rather than pro-business. Tough. Most everything they ding CA for is something that gives freedom to individuals not business and they hate that.

Regulatory policy is more of a problem for the state than fiscal policy. California is one of the worst states on land-use freedom. Some cities have rent control, new housing supply is tightly restricted in the coastal areas despite high demand, and eminent domain reform has been nugatory. The state even mandates speech protections in privately owned shopping malls. Labor law is anti-employment, with no right-to-work law, high minimum wages, strict workers’ compensation mandates, mandated short-term disability insurance, stricter-than-federal anti-discrimination law, and prohibitions on consensual noncompete agreements.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
From a right wing perspective, of course, since this is a CATO product. They ding CA for being pro-worker rather than pro-business. Tough. Most everything they ding CA for is something that gives freedom to individuals not business and they hate that.

Regulatory policy is more of a problem for the state than fiscal policy. California is one of the worst states on land-use freedom. Some cities have rent control, new housing supply is tightly restricted in the coastal areas despite high demand, and eminent domain reform has been nugatory. The state even mandates speech protections in privately owned shopping malls. Labor law is anti-employment, with no right-to-work law, high minimum wages, strict workers’ compensation mandates, mandated short-term disability insurance, stricter-than-federal anti-discrimination law, and prohibitions on consensual noncompete agreements.
Yea yea we know...right wing. Blah blah blah....


Newsflash.... it's a Libertarian think tank.

Cato Institute - Wikipedia

Shhhhh......don't tell the others.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
Disney's speech is not victimizing Florida.

Your agreed with French as I expected.

For that matter I'm not quite sure what "speech codes" he may be referring too (Pardon my not being up to date on French.)

From what I read it is both the speech codes he sees on typical college campuses and speech codes such as "critical race theory" which are now under frenzied attack.

The latest iteration of the right-wing culture war is fueled by a messianic, seemingly unshakable terror that the all-powerful cultural left is laying waste to all our institutions... I'm not sure what this means. Certainly, in the Christian perspective, culture has changed. But my faith still remains that no matter what happens to culture, the Gospel still is applicable.

He's contrasting the attitudes of those who think the culture is going downhill fast and those who see positive signs as well.

A lot of the verbiage seems to grandstanding as if they are trying to present a fearful victim mentality Christian group - I personally don't see it that way but certainly there may be those who do... there is a big group of varied types of people. I would probably venture that the left is also concerned about the faith based conservative right?

From what I've read, he appears to be somewhat like you - secure in his faith and not given to outsized emotional reactions of fear etc.
 
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