The Culture Wars: Phase Two

America experienced a first taste of culture wars in the 1920s. It was the period of the ‘Roaring Twenties,’ but it was counterbalanced by Prohibition. The 1960s generated another clear episode of the culture wars. It was a time – continuing well past the 60s – where Americans separated into ‘progressives’ and ‘orthodox’ as they fought for the direction of society.

The First Phase

The Left won the first phase of the culture wars. The authority of the Christian church no longer speaks into national culture, except as diluted ‘civic religion.’ The traditional family is all but devastated. Big government pries into every corner of life. But this isn’t the end.

The Second Phase

The Left triumphed, and they triumphed in the first phase. Somehow, we naively assumed that there was just one phase. We were wrong. Just as Eisenhower’s North Africa campaign was only the prelude to the invasion of Italy and Normandy, so the first phase of the culture wars only prepared the Left to wage a second phase.

The second phase of the war is now upon us. This time, the battlefronts rage over issues of social justice and identity politics, the LGBTQ agenda, socialism, and the role of government as god.

Are You Ready?

We thought it was bad enough to lose the first time, and it was. It was downright frightening: no fault divorce, abortion on demand, sex ed in schools, the ubiquitous bikini, the removal of religion from the public square, and the antiquation of the Christian church.

The second round is even more frightening: transgenderism in grade schools, partial birth abortions, criminalized free speech, antifa violence, erosion of parental rights, enforced ‘tolerance’ – you get the point.

Let me make this exceptionally clear: when the Left ‘won’ the culture wars, they didn’t really think the war was over. That was just the first campaign. Now, strengthened by legions of leftists, they continue a war of total annihilation: a scorched earth policy. This is a force unwilling to ‘live and let live’; the Left will not rest until its opponents are beaten into the dust.

I use the word ‘Left’ with a capitalized ‘L’ for a reason. I am referring to the movement, not the individuals. History teaches us that some forces – like the French Revolution – are too powerful to be controlled by anyone. Once they are out of the cage, they roll with such velocity that they cannot be stopped, even by their handlers.

This is phase two of the culture wars. And you are living on the battlefield.