Print
Return to online version

November 15, 2008

A Tyrannical Mindset

Justin Katz

Of course, we can't tar a social movement with the acts of a few, but at some point, the volume of incidents bespeaks a mindset. One assaulted immigrant may not suffice. One elderly woman mobbed and forced to watch as her cross is stomped may still fall short. I wonder, though, how many vandalized churches must be added to the list for concerns to be acknowledged as reasonable:

Another church building belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been vandalized. This incident in Sandy is the seventh in a string of vandalisms targeting the Church's chapels.

Churches in Weber and Davis counties were also hit by vandals over the weekend, raising concerns about a possible hate crime. In those incidents, vandals shattered doors and windows.

Or perhaps a blacklist exceeds the threshold. (Am I alone in having viewed campaign finance laws as a protection against corrupt government, not as an opportunity to harass opponents' supporters?)

As I said, a mindset begins to emerge, and it tends to be expressed violently in failure and oppressively in success. Where possible, radical change will be forced upon society by way of judicial legislation; where the people block that route, civil society may be threatened. It's written in the emotional foundation of the cause; if religious or secular traditionalism "is hate," then its practitioners don't deserve a place at the table.

When traditionalists prevail, violent backlash against them is ignored, excused, or mitigated through equivalence. And when the radicals prevail, the movement's first principles dictate that policy treat the opposition as having secondary rights.

Comments

It's official, folks: We've deified homophobia to the level of that guy who walked in front of the tanks in Tiannamen Square.
Every time a church gets vandalized in America, it'll be gays' fault.
Having attended a family wedding today, I leave ever more determined to ensure that ALL Americans are legally entitled to the kind of celebration my family enjoyed today.
BTW: The priest gave me communion today even though I confessed to him at rehearsal last night that I voted for Obama. Thank God not all Catholic priests are like the misguided zealot in South Carolina.

Posted by: rhody at November 15, 2008 7:52 PM

I'm not Catholic,but I'm also glad they're not all like that Father Pfleger-his mockery of Hillary Clinton would've been funny on SNL,but was really inappropriate for a clergyman.
I'm not much for clergymen in general.

Posted by: joe bernstein at November 15, 2008 8:57 PM

When traditionalists prevail, violent backlash against them is ignored, excused, or mitigated through equivalence. And when the radicals prevail, the movement's first principles dictate that policy treat the opposition as having secondary rights.

Justin
I get the first part (although I don't agree with you) but please explain the second. What are secondary rights?

Posted by: Phil at November 15, 2008 9:19 PM

A blacklist is only bad when it is against those who hold superior moral views-like making America a Stalinst slave state ala the poor persecuted Hollywood Ten.

Posted by: Mike at November 16, 2008 1:11 PM