What is to be done II

What is to be done II

What to do? There’s plenty for right-wingers to complain about but solutions are notoriously scarce. A couple of days ago I put up a piece with some suggestions. Here are some others that friends have put forward:

Live well yourself. Traditionalist conservatives claim they know about a way of life that’s better than what liberalism has to offer. So live it and the world will follow you. Reject the lie and the truth will triumph. Direct action lives!
Still, in politics it’s hard to act simply as an individual. One thing needed is an intellectual culture decisively separate from the one defined by liberalism and at odds with it. The triumph of liberalism means minority views such as traditionalist conservatism must become more self-conscious and comprehensively analytical. A problem with conservatism has been narrowness of focus—each has a particular issue, but how the issues relate to each other, the world and ultimate principles is not always kept in mind. The consequence has been piecemeal defeat. View from the Right tries to contribute to the development of a traditionalist counterculture by publishing general theoretical discussions, applying generalities to current events, and creating opportunities for discussion. Much more needs to be done, and any number can take part. Why, for example, shouldn’t there be print magazines that do the same thing?
Question the questioners. Liberalism puts traditional ways in question. It then declares that since they can be questioned they shouldn’t be forced on anyone and other ways should be protected and equally respected. Why shouldn’t liberalism be subjected to the same scrutiny as everything else? One could imagine for example an academic “Institute for the Study of Liberal Society” that doesn’t present proposals for how liberal society can become more consistently liberal but instead studies it in the manner of Paul Gottfried’s After Liberalism.

Posted by Jim Kalb at June 12, 2002 11:58 AM | Send

Comments

Indeed, why aren’t there weekly or biweekly journals that represent traditional conservativism. The Left has both The New Republic and The Nation. The Right could use something that would correspond to the latter. NR and TWS aren’t it.

Of course, we have the Internet, but it’s not the same thing.

Posted by: William Wleklinski on June 12, 2002 1:31 PM

Speaking of journals, Pat Buchanan plans to launch one. There’s some light at the end of the tunnel.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/06122002/business/kelly.htm

Pat Buchanan and Euro-society journalist Taki Theodoracopulos are working on the launch of a new national fortnightly conservative magazine to rival The Weekly Standard and the National Review. The new magazine will be called The American Conservative and is expected to debut in mid-September from offices in Washington, D.C.

Posted by: Sam Buda on June 12, 2002 2:10 PM

Thank you. I consider this very good news, and wish them Godspeed.

Posted by: William Wleklinski on June 12, 2002 2:46 PM

A weekly magazine would be good. The biggest problem, besides actually publishing it, would be to select a proper tone. Too high brow and the people we are trying to reach will grudgingly stick to National Review or simply read their Christianity Today. Too populist and people will wait for their Modern Age or First Things to come every quarter or month.

Coming to the right mix of traditional rightness, of course, is also necessary to keep it coherent. But writers and staffers shouldn’t be hard to find once an explicit statement of principles is developed (and even before then!).

Posted by: John on June 12, 2002 2:53 PM

A quote from the link posted by Sam Buda:

“”We’re for control of American borders, preservation of American sovereignty and preservation of traditional values,” said Buchanan. “We probably won’t be getting too many ads from the Gay Pride Parade.”“

LOL!

Posted by: John on June 12, 2002 2:59 PM

Patrick Buchanan gets T.V. show?

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/12/business/media/12TUBE.html

From ‘Crossfire’ to Long Afternoons on MSNBC
By JIM RUTENBERG

Bill Press and Patrick J. Buchanan, who squared off on CNN’s “Crossfire” in the late 1990’s, are moving to MSNBC, where they will be co-hosts of a new midafternoon program, people close to the decision-making said.

Mr. Press, a longtime liberal television and radio commentator, and Mr. Buchanan, a conservative columnist and three-time presidential candidate, are expected to begin their new duties in July.

Posted by: Sam Buda on June 13, 2002 3:49 AM

Well, Alan Keyes has his own tv show, has anyone seen it?
—John

Posted by: John on June 14, 2002 5:54 AM