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Culture Wars Took 2009 Off

Conservative protests were largely secular, writes EJ Dionne

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 24, 2009 10:07 AM CST
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(Newser) – America called a ceasefire in the culture wars this year as the economy and debate on the role of government pushed battles over religion and culture to the back burner, writes EJ Dionne. The change was most apparent on the right, where the loudest voices of protest came from the largely secular tea-party movement instead of Christian conservatives, Dionne writes in the Washington Post.

This shift has been seen before, Dionne notes, when cultural issues like the prohibition of alcohol declined in importance during the Great Depression. "The paradox for Obama is that if the economy continues its comeback in 2010, his overall standing will improve, but the risk of renewed conflict over religion and values will also rise." The president would probably be happy with the trade, Dionne writes.

Anti-abortion protesters rally on the Capitol steps as they mark the 35th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2008, in Olympia, Wash.
Anti-abortion protesters rally on the Capitol steps as they mark the 35th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2008, in Olympia, Wash.   (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
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For now, the loudest and most activist sections of the conservative cause are not its religious voices but the mostly secular, anti-government tea party activists. - E.J. Dionne Jr.

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 10 comments
sidewinder
Dec 25, 2009 10:29 AM CST
@Mad--start healing Americans? Yeah but only after five years of taxes and no services, and then not everyone...oh and of course only if you meet the cost benefit model...etc.
Fiskebolle
Dec 25, 2009 5:16 AM CST
Strong words for someone who entirely depend on the fruits of that 'Bacterial culture' (the left sucks at hate speech, thanks for the giggle) including but not limited to simple pleasures like electricity, computers and a high enough regard for personal liberties that you are free to deride your host culture as that of a lower life form without a danger to your person. I should like to examine your method for determining the religion of persons at so-called 'tea-bag' events, and point out the fallacy of the logic that says a concept can not be good unless every conceivable group of people publicly champion it. Last I heard 'tea parties' were about protesting the expansion of government at the cost of the middle class.
Mad
Dec 25, 2009 3:29 AM CST
Fiskebolle: Two things..... #1) "Last I heard 'tea parties' were about protesting the expansion of government at the cost of the middle class" - Then you heard wrong, or can't read. #2) Yeah, the Left does suck at 'hate speech' whereas republicans excel at it, after listening to many many hours of it everyday on the radio and on Fox. You go.
Politics • Health • Lifestyle • US

 
abortion • recession • secularism • Christian conservatives • culture wars • President Obama • conservative movement • tea parties • E.J. Dionne

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