AFS Cinema
Defining and Justifying Values
RECEIVED Tue., Jan. 11, 2005
Dear Editor,
Finally, a lefty admits what animates them: Christianity. Jim Hightower's attempt to out-Christian Dubya in your Christmas Eve issue is revealing ["The Hightower Report," Dec. 24]. He complains that Dubya and the Dems are not Christian enough.
No doubt he would object to any Christians "imposing" their values on others. But he has no such compunction.
And while Christians, at least, make an attempt to ground their beliefs in some sort of metaphysical justification, lefties just "feel" that compassion, benevolence, brotherly love, etc., are the "right" things to do. The political left has been espousing Christianity in secular clothing forever.
Perhaps a little soul searching by the left is in order. They could start by defining and justifying their nebulous core values we keep hearing about: "economic justice," blah, blah, blah. It would be enlightening for all of us.
Finally, a lefty admits what animates them: Christianity. Jim Hightower's attempt to out-Christian Dubya in your Christmas Eve issue is revealing ["The Hightower Report," Dec. 24]. He complains that Dubya and the Dems are not Christian enough.
No doubt he would object to any Christians "imposing" their values on others. But he has no such compunction.
And while Christians, at least, make an attempt to ground their beliefs in some sort of metaphysical justification, lefties just "feel" that compassion, benevolence, brotherly love, etc., are the "right" things to do. The political left has been espousing Christianity in secular clothing forever.
Perhaps a little soul searching by the left is in order. They could start by defining and justifying their nebulous core values we keep hearing about: "economic justice," blah, blah, blah. It would be enlightening for all of us.
Robert J. Mott Jr.
[Jim Hightower responds: Is this guy accusing me of favoring economic justice? Well, gosh – guilty! As far as defining the term, that's what American history has been doing from the founders forward – through the abolitionists, suffragists, populists, labor movement, civil rights movement, women's movement, et al. The pursuit of economic and social justice is as American as the Boston Tea Party. We can explain it again to Mr. Mott, but we cannot comprehend it for him. For his own enlightenment, he has to do some of the heavy lifting himself.]