Churchill surveying bomb damage during the Blitz, Barack Obama playing golf
by Reid Fitzsimons
"There is no serious person out there who would suggest somehow that you could even rig America’s elections, in part because they’re so decentralized and the numbers of votes involved (Barack Obama, Oct. 2016).”
A lot of people yearn to be viewed as serious and reasonable. Nothing wrong with that, per se, but there is a difference between being perceived or described as reasonable versus actually being so. That’s why it’s a hoot to watch some Republican politicians abandon their deepest held beliefs as they seek out ephemeral accolades of being “moderate,” or “bi-partisan,” from a media outlet. Being described as “he’s willing to cross the isle to get things done” is like a dog getting his tummy rubbed to certain Republicans, who proudly think to themselves, “I’m a reasonable person; they really like me!” Curiously, Republicans never seem to wonder why they have to do all the congressional and ideological aisle crossing.
The reason for this, however, is really quite simple: like morality, “reasonableness” is increasingly a product of relativity, and certainly since the 1960s the leftist progressive culture has been empowered to define the parameters. Hence, someone holding what had been a perfectly understandable position on a issue, say supportive of marriage and family integrity as the best foundation for children, is now a racist and/or misogynist, considering the alarming rate of black kids raised without fathers (lots of white kids as well). Feminism, an influential offspring of progressivism long ago decreed that fathers aren’t necessary, but outside of urban chic and manorial affluence with nannies, tutors, and upscale daycares, kids of single-parent families tend to do poorly where the actual world is found. Americans in general, and some Republican politicians in particular, will readily contort themselves and their moral beliefs to avoid being labeled “racist,” “phobic,” or whatever, even if the accusing person is a talentless celebrity or 19 year-old rich college kid sipping on her $5 cappuccino, smart phone always in hand.