The Internet Monk
"the power of opinion, the phenomenon of speech, the impact of truth"
A Webjournal and News Review by Michael Spencer
Updated 1/21/01
"Ricky Martin" Republicans
by Michael Spencer
You
may say we think government is the enemy, but we actually believe
government is the reflection of our own character and our uniquely
American covenant
with one another. Because we are far from perfect or perfectible,
government must be limited in its power. But we are far from cynical or
antagonistic.
Government can make our country better and our lives more prosperous, if
it is a tool applied, and restrained, in the right ways.
We do not accept the caricature of the media that we talk of compassion, but we are really disingenuous and manipulative, aping Democrats while really being Scrooge. We acknowledge compassion among our opponents, and we know we may, at times, lack some of it in ourselves. But we also see the cruelty of liberal policies that create a prison of victimization and outrage. We believe there are choices to be offered and options to be created that express compassion through freedom rather than division.
We care about the environment, but most of us are animated by a Judeo-Christian worldview that says we are the stewards of creation, challenged by the creator to use and manage natural resources to higher purposes. When we hear views that say the choices are between saving trees and driving cars, we know there are other options. This doesn't make us evil or cruel. It makes us humanitarian.
You may believe we harbor animosity towards minorities, but, historically, we have been the party that has done the most good for minorities. Since LBJ, liberals have successfully put us into a corner by using Federal power to remove obstacles to discrimination. But we know this approach has largely been a dismal failure for most minority Americans and the country as a whole. The evidence is everywhere, and our call is simply for solutions based not on the color of skin, but the content of character. We need to silence voices of bigotry that hide behind our political legitimacy. You need to stop portraying us as the return of Dred Scott. You really need to stop demeaning minorities who align themselves with us.
Yes, we are churchgoing (mostly), married and heterosexual, but we are not intolerant of those who are different from us. You've done an amazing piece of work in convincing many people that religion is the source of intolerance towards others. In fact, our country is the most tolerant precisely because of the religious ideals that shape the lives of so many of our citizens. The vast majority of us don't have any desire to make your sexual behavior or religious beliefs part of the public square. We value privacy, and the right to raise our children under the influence of our values rather than yours. And that is the reason we resent the "in your face" attitude you have brought into the discussion of sexual issues in politics and culture.
We disagree pretty severely over the issue of abortion, but most of us prefer to win over minds and hearts rather than overturn laws. We will seek every opportunity to limit the frequency of abortion, and the most violent and late procedures have no place among civilized people. Your defence of partial birth abortion indicates, to us, that fundamental moral sensitivity is being lost in the storm over women's rights. But you are wrong to act as if we do not appreciate the fundamental issues faced by women and men who have an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy. We simply believe a culture of life, and adoption, enhances America more than a culture of abortion. Many, many of us would not support an outright outlawing of abortion, but most of us would prefer, as your last President said, to make it rare. And we'd like everyone to acknowledge it is the death of a human being, and therefore, a tragedy. Is that too much to ask?
Like President Bush taking a few steps with Ricky Martin, we are not entirely comfortable with where we find ourselves as conservatives. Leading out, rather than opposing, is clumsy for us. But we will get better, and we will succeed. The music is not always our choice, but we aren't leaving the party.
Young people are slowly coming our direction. Strangely, many of the newly wealthy are moving towards you. We think you'll see a significant portion of minorities, especially, Hispanics come our way. As labor unions decline for you, entrepreneurs are increasing for us. The more things change, the more they will stay the same.
We will be facing each other over the direction of this country for many years to come. Let's try, in the spirit of the President's call for civility and citizenship, respect one another and appreciate our mutual desire to be part of the miracle that is America.