DAMON LINKER JANUARY 26, 2009
-
Read Later
READ LATERAvailable only to subscribers. SUBSCRIBE TODAY
-
Listen
ARTICLE AUDIO
- Font Size
Peter Beinart (like E.J. Dionne and Jim Wallis) thinks he just might -- by continuing to reach out to conservative evangelicals (as he did with the Rick Warren pick for the inaugural invocation) and by depoliticizing divisive cultural issues (as he did by postponing his revocation of the so-called global gag rule on federal funding of overseas abortion providers until the day after the thirty-sixth anniversary of the Roe v. Wade, which was last Thursday).
Now, I'm all for trying to undercut the political salience of culture-war issues. And I think symbolic gestures like these can be a very effective way to achieve this goal. But we need to be clear that keeping the religious right out of political power (by stealing the votes of its more moderate members) is not the same thing as ending the culture war. Indeed, the core of the religious right might very well respond to political impotence by becoming even more radical and more committed to its causes.
And mark my words: This unhappy outcome is guaranteed if President Obama signs anything resembling the Freedom of Choice Act that's been kicking around Congress for the past few years -- and which during his presidential campaign he famously (and for pro-lifers, notoriously) promised to sign. If he fulfills this promise, Obama will not only have failed to end the culture war. He will have ensured its survival for another generation.
4 comments
How is Obama supposed to end the culture war? What would it even mean for the culture war to end? Hasn't there been a "culture war" going on forever, in pretty much every culture founded by humanity? We're all sick of mindless, vicious partisanship, but what is mindless, vicious or partisan about the Freedom of Choice Act?
There was a "culture war" over civil rights, too. It was not ended by compromise and consensus. It was won by the forces of equality, and lost by the forces of intolerance, and now we have a black president. I doubt there was an easier way.
Obama can only end the culture war by winning it. I wouldn't expect much "don't-ask-don't-tell" from his administration.
- bdgreen
January 27, 2009 at 1:49pm
bdgreen -- one way not to end, but to call a truce in the culture war would be through federalism. Let Louisiana ban abortion, let California legalize gay marriage. (Latter would take an initiaitve, during a year when blacks aren't turning out to elect the first black President of the USA.)
But in general, you're right. These disagreements are fundamental.
- gurdjieff66
January 27, 2009 at 2:51pm
how about the RELEVANCE in this discussion of the Freedom of Choice Act?? this is about
women's rights and reproductive freedom, a right women enjoy already in all other
developed nations.. the religious right doesn't like it?? too bad.. these folks are
living in the past and their "thinking" is dictated by irrational religious dogma, not
reason or sound thought...
Now that the country has overwhelmingly elected President Obama and has spoken loud and
clear about how they feel about the backward thinking in this country during the last
eight years on the part of the government, we're supposed to STILL defer to these
backward-thinking loons when deciding policy -- and jeopardize women's rights because
THIS IS WHAT THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT WANTS??? I really hope this election means THOSE DAYS
ARE OVER.... maybe Damon Linker still doesn't get the election results??
(PS to gurdjieff66: federalism is NOT the answer.... whether or not women enjoy reproductive freedom should not depend on where they live... "let Louisiana ban abortion"??? so women in Louisiana would lose their rights because they live in the midst of backward-thinkging religious fanatics??? I don't think so.. )
- maya90
January 28, 2009 at 11:52am
This item about whether Obama will bring the culture war to an end has inspired two thoughtful posts
- Anonymous
January 30, 2009 at 10:17am