Religious conservatives are often accused of conducting a war on rationalism. Their opposition to the teaching of evolution, abortion and stem cell research, as well as a belief in the mystical are cited as evidence that the religious right is a danger to core secular beliefs of the rest of us; that somehow, by politicizing issues that the secularists have politicized for years, their advocacy represents a danger to democracy in America.

Hogwash.

In fact, Christian beliefs are completely compatible with rationalism. And while many of us may look in askance at some of the fundamentalist Christian more problematic positions on science and the law, nevertheless there is no inherent conflict between a belief in God and democracy. One look at our founding documents can tell you that. They were written by men who, at bottom, believed they were being guided by the invisible hand of God, that the creator actually willed American democracy into existence. These were not radical Christians or wild-eyed religious reformers. They simply accepted what to them was self-evident; God favored America and by extension, favored the formation of the republic.

There is no more implacable enemy of rational thought than the politically correct left. For more than 30 years, they have waged a guerrilla war against the culture, against religious observance, against free speech, and against common sense itself all in the name of a nebulous, ill defined concept that’s come to be called “multi-culturalism” - a term that has almost as many definitions as it has adherents.

For some, multi-culturalism is “a movement that insists that American society has never been white, but always in fact multiracial and diverse.” This movement seeks to preserve distinctly different ethnic, racial, or cultural communities without melting them into a common culture. Here the common culture is seen as white supremacy, a culture of bigotry and discrimination, and the remedy as an emphasis on the separate characteristics and virtues of particular cultural groups. This would be the “anti-melting pot” definition.

Then there are the nut cases, the proselytizers, the true believers who see multiculturalism as a club to beat white America over the head with:

Multicultural education is a progressive approach for transforming education that holistically critiques and addresses current shortcomings, failings, and discriminatory practices in education. It is grounded in ideals of social justice, education equity, and a dedication to facilitating educational experiences in which all students reach their full potential as learners and as socially aware and active beings, locally, nationally, and globally. Multicultural education acknowledges that schools are essential to laying the foundation for the transformation of society and the elimination of oppression and injustice.

The underlying goal of multicultural education is to affect social change.

This attack on tradition and history is what the Christian right is defending. Using “racism and oppression” as an excuse, the politically correct left has sought to undermine the foundations of American society in order to remake it in its own warped, irrational image.

The latest attack on sanity from this crew is not to be believed. Students at Everitt Middle School near Denver were saying the morning pledge of allegiance:

The students in Vincent Pulciani’s seventh-grade class were reciting the Pledge of Allegiance this week when they heard the voice over the intercom say something they’d never heard before, at least not during the Pledge.

Instead of “one nation, under God,” the voice said, “one nation, under your belief system.”

The bewildered students at Everitt Middle School in Wheat Ridge never even got to “indivisible,” according to Vincent’s mother, Christina Pulciani-Johnson.

The politically correct pledge was given by a guidance counselor, Margo Lucero, who was filling in for the principal, who normally led the morning ritual. Here’s her explanation for this inanity:

Mr. Kaufman said Miss Lucero had been spurred by the date, April 20, the sixth anniversary of the Columbine High School slayings. Both Columbine and Everitt are within the Jefferson County school district.

“The day was the sixth anniversary of Columbine, and she felt she should be all-inclusive, so she replaced the word ‘God,’” he said.

This is multiculturalism run amok. It isn’t enough that these philistines have tried for decades to call into question everything that American society and culture rests upon. That their efforts to denigrate our history, belittle our heroes, explode our most cherished myths, and rewrite the circumstances that led to our founding have done enormous damage to our spiritual underpinnings is self evident. The question is what can be done about it and more specifically, who is standing up to these anti-intellectual bullies?

The answer is not the libertarian Republicans who, while decrying these outrages, dither over what’s to be done like little old ladies at a quilting bee trying to decide whether to have crumpets or cake with their tea. Nor is much opposition to be found on the sane left who seem perfectly willing to use the multiculturalists as a club to beat their political opponents over the head.

The only effective opposition to these tyrants can be found on the religious right. And if it seems at times that the fundamentalist’s rhetoric is too apocalyptic for the timid libertarians who mean well but always appear to get their nose out of joint looking down on people of faith, I have a suggestion for my non-religious conservative and libertarian friends.

After you’re finished railing against the Republican party being taken over by the Christian right and bemoaning the influence of fundamentalists on public policy, please get off your high horse, stop your nauseating condescension toward these people of faith and join them in trying to save our culture from the intellectual Huns who are ravaging the foundations of American society right under your noses.

As it stands now, you’re part of the problem. Time to help define the solution.

UPDATE

Michelle Malkin also blogs the story and reprints a hilarious “PC Pledge”"

I pledge [allegiance] some occasional recognition
to the [Flag] symbols of oppression

of [America] the land mass referred to by oppressive European conquistadors as “America”

Go read the rest.

Cross posted at Rightwing Nuthouse and Cao’s Blog

Said Rick Moran @ 4:48 am | Permalink   

1. Hawk,

   As a conservative democrat and non-christian, the problem I have is not the with overall defence of religion but the over the top predisposition that the founding fathers were christian. That is simply not case, not all were christian.

   The christian right imposing their will that this is a christian country is out of line.

   In your post, if you remove the word Christian and replace with the religion, I am almost agree with everything.

   Slanting to toward the christian right, is unfortunately, where I simply do not agree.

   Dean

   Comment by Dean — 4/23/2005 @ 9:22 am

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2. Around the Blogosphere: Excellent posts

   Misplaying the Race Card by Jay Tea at WizBang Ted Kennedy’s Female Troubles by Jae Tea at WizBang Humans on…

   Trackback by JackLewis.net — 4/23/2005 @ 10:54 am

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3. Oookay. There are more than 200 million Americans and you found an example of 1 guidance conselor, who on one ocassion, substitued “belief system” for the work “God” and you honestly believe this is indicative of multiculturalism run amok? LOL!!! That is a good one!

   Comment by Carol — 4/23/2005 @ 5:20 pm

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4. No Carol, what’s a “good One” is being so idiotic as to believe that this is the only example of multiculturalism in our schools at any level.

   Wake up and smell the coffee. This has been a planned, coordinated effort on the part of some not very nice people who agree with Ward Churchill…”US out of North America.”

   Comment by Superhawk — 4/24/2005 @ 6:42 am

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5. Gosh y’all can be so paranoid at times!

   Comment by Carol — 4/24/2005 @ 9:55 am

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