Thursday, February 23, 2006
Dancing in the Ruins
When you read the old Conservatives, especially Russell Kirk, you feel an unmistakable aura of sadness. History never stops. The nation changes, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. The old Conservatives knew that some things that were lost would not be found again.
We live in an age of drastic change. The internet, expanding human rights, and growing affluence are great things. And the argument that Americans have lost their religious moorings is absurd in an era of mega-churches and evangelical revival. However, this change is happening fast and has consequences.
The atmosphere is warming. The only question is whether man is affecting this process or not. And to the vast majority of scientists that question has been answered in the affirmative. In this century our coasts will change, shift, and become unrecognizable to those of us now living. Snowcapped mountains may no longer be found in the Rockies. Mankind will continue, the U.S. will exist, but things will be different. The boundless west of Theodore Roosevelt’s imagination will be gone.
Something else has already been lost that was dear to TR: our sense of the noble. World War II was met with an outpouring of support. People placed their lives and wealth at the service of a noble cause. The Salvation Army was created by Christians who believed that the love of their fellow man preached by Christ was vital. Martin Luther King had marches, wrote books, created organizations, and preached to achieve a simple goal. He wanted to force America to be America and live up to the idea that all men were created equal. This nobility still lives. A woman who works at a boot camp for delinquent girls, teachers who work with the mentally disabled, young men and women who serve in the Armed Forces are still revered. They are revered; they are not celebrated.
The celebrated are the wealthy. Our age has succumbed to the Bling-Bling mentality. Donald Trump is not famous because he is the best developer in New York City. He is not the best developer in New York City. He is a self promoter, and promotes his extraordinary wealth. Many Hip Hop stars brag about their gold chains and street “cred”. LL Cool Jay runs a summer camp for inner city kids. To be sure that is not why he is famous.
Although in their defense some celebrities do mouth the platitudes of patriotism. Phil Donahue can claim he supports the troops while any soldier within ear shot can hear the disingenuousness in his words. The Hollywood World wants Academy Awards for movies that “challenge” American ideals. A notable exception to Hollywood’s deception is Al Franken’s trips to the Middle East with the USO. This should be respected. His politics may not match your own; however his actions display an excellent sense of decency, decency above and beyond the average celebrity. Of course, the lack of that decency is the problem with our culture.
We come to Kelo. The Supreme Court has decided that the government can take your home and give it to a business entity, because the business entity will generate higher tax revenue and this is in the Public Good. You are not safe in your home. Think about that. The government can take you home, not because we need a highway or a park, but because McDonalds will pay more in taxes then you do. For all intents and purposes the government owns your home. That simple fact is the greatest threat to American freedom in our history.
What can be done? First we fight. Tooth and nail. We defend our rights; we petition Congress, we get involved in our local politics. And we persevere. We write down and preserve that which is worth preserving. So that if we lose, some time in the future the knowledge will be out there that America was once America.
And we dance in the ruins. Look at a child and realize that there are so many opportunities for her to live a great life. There are wonderful things happening. Both progress and decay are happening. Our role is to hold on to the great things that our ancestors have given us. There is joy in that endeavor.
We live in an age of drastic change. The internet, expanding human rights, and growing affluence are great things. And the argument that Americans have lost their religious moorings is absurd in an era of mega-churches and evangelical revival. However, this change is happening fast and has consequences.
The atmosphere is warming. The only question is whether man is affecting this process or not. And to the vast majority of scientists that question has been answered in the affirmative. In this century our coasts will change, shift, and become unrecognizable to those of us now living. Snowcapped mountains may no longer be found in the Rockies. Mankind will continue, the U.S. will exist, but things will be different. The boundless west of Theodore Roosevelt’s imagination will be gone.
Something else has already been lost that was dear to TR: our sense of the noble. World War II was met with an outpouring of support. People placed their lives and wealth at the service of a noble cause. The Salvation Army was created by Christians who believed that the love of their fellow man preached by Christ was vital. Martin Luther King had marches, wrote books, created organizations, and preached to achieve a simple goal. He wanted to force America to be America and live up to the idea that all men were created equal. This nobility still lives. A woman who works at a boot camp for delinquent girls, teachers who work with the mentally disabled, young men and women who serve in the Armed Forces are still revered. They are revered; they are not celebrated.
The celebrated are the wealthy. Our age has succumbed to the Bling-Bling mentality. Donald Trump is not famous because he is the best developer in New York City. He is not the best developer in New York City. He is a self promoter, and promotes his extraordinary wealth. Many Hip Hop stars brag about their gold chains and street “cred”. LL Cool Jay runs a summer camp for inner city kids. To be sure that is not why he is famous.
Although in their defense some celebrities do mouth the platitudes of patriotism. Phil Donahue can claim he supports the troops while any soldier within ear shot can hear the disingenuousness in his words. The Hollywood World wants Academy Awards for movies that “challenge” American ideals. A notable exception to Hollywood’s deception is Al Franken’s trips to the Middle East with the USO. This should be respected. His politics may not match your own; however his actions display an excellent sense of decency, decency above and beyond the average celebrity. Of course, the lack of that decency is the problem with our culture.
We come to Kelo. The Supreme Court has decided that the government can take your home and give it to a business entity, because the business entity will generate higher tax revenue and this is in the Public Good. You are not safe in your home. Think about that. The government can take you home, not because we need a highway or a park, but because McDonalds will pay more in taxes then you do. For all intents and purposes the government owns your home. That simple fact is the greatest threat to American freedom in our history.
What can be done? First we fight. Tooth and nail. We defend our rights; we petition Congress, we get involved in our local politics. And we persevere. We write down and preserve that which is worth preserving. So that if we lose, some time in the future the knowledge will be out there that America was once America.
And we dance in the ruins. Look at a child and realize that there are so many opportunities for her to live a great life. There are wonderful things happening. Both progress and decay are happening. Our role is to hold on to the great things that our ancestors have given us. There is joy in that endeavor.
