Can anyone out there tell me what conservative values are? This much I do know. Conservatism as a social theory states, people draw upon a sense from the past of a cultural identity, and have a sense of belonging to a distinct community or nation. Furthermore, conservatives have revered the past and its history, and that this cultural paradigm is to be cultivated in children; thereby, providing a social grounding. Tradition is very important, and is used to interpret the past, maintain a social stability from generation to generation. This is the collective nation’s human experience. Tradition also provides enculturation, imparting values, and identity to the whole group.
Conservative means looking at society as a whole organism functioning for the good of the whole, as an organic society glued together by a common culture, language nationality, values, and traditions. Furthermore, conservatives believe in a classical liberal economy, that is free markets, or laissez-faire capitalism. This definition has been provided by Gutek, G.L. (1997). Philosophical and ideological perspectives on education. (2nd Ed). Boston, Allyn and Bacon.
So far, not so bad, I can buy into that. I do believe that history matters in shaping who we are. I further believe that we have to have a national identity, a common language, and culture to draw all of us together as one, E Pluribus Unum right? I also believe in a free market or laissez-faire capitalism, and I believe in shared common values. Here in lies the rub.
History, we know that over the last forty years, a certain ideology has been working to rewrite and undermine American history. They have focused all of America’s 232-year history as a nation on two focal points. First, slavery, and the second is civil rights. To this crowd, nothing else matters. We were terrible sinners and we need to be punished for it. Stop and think for a minute. Do you know who said, “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country?” If you do, then ask your children if they know. I was taught this quote before I was ten years old. Okay, one more, who said, “Give me liberty or give me death?” Who wrote Common sense?
I asked my children these questions and they did not know. My daughter has a degree in history and she never studied early American history. The sad fact is, we teach about slavery, we teach about civil rights marches and Martin Luther King Jr. as we should, but that is pretty much it. The rest is all-negative. How do we cultivate a national identity without a national history?
The next hurdle is a national identity. The same crowd of people have brainwashed us into multi-culturalism. Even though our nation has, from its inception, always been multi cultural. After all, the Irish will not identify as English, nor will the English identify as French. They all have their variations that make them unique. Unfortunately, the crowd that has forced multi culture on us think it means, gay, Black, Asian, Hispanic, and a smattering of other heritages. How do we have a national identity when we have been broken into a multitude of pieces all equal and more important than the so-called White Anglo Saxon Protestant culture?
They seem to ignore the fact that it was the “WASP” culture that built this nation, and that laid the very foundations and laws that made this nation a bastion for multi cultural people to come to, prosper and become one. As well, they are fighting tooth and nail against a common language, arguing that it hurts peoples self esteem and is discriminatory. I guess it is better that these people live in abject poverty because they cannot communicate orally, or in written form, yet they still possess their mother tongue. Finally, a common culture, America has had one culture, a culture of individual ruggedness. We’ve had English, Spanish, Dutch, German, French, Italian, Mexican, as well as others, and most certainly Blacks as part of our culture from almost day one. It was only recently that they began to become fractured from the mainstream culture under the pressure of the, okay, I am going to say it, the Progressive liberal left.
This is not to deny racism or discrimination, but rather that all of the aforementioned heritages enjoyed Americanism for the most part, as anyone else did. If they did not, they would not have come and thrived, despite racism. Only the Blacks have struggled the most because they have, as a group of people, fought against acculturating into the common culture. Those, such as Asians, the model minority, who came to America have blended in, and are doing very well. This fact lends its self to debunking the myth of multi-culturalism. The melting pot, worked in the past, and still works today for those who blend in.
So, back to what are conservative principles and values. I’ve done a little bit of research and have come up with a list. I am not saying it is the definitive list, just a list. As conservatives, we need to step back and separate ourselves from both parties. Nether party fairly or honestly represents us. They, they being politicians and those who work for them, represent their selves, and winning elections. They are not representing us or what is in the best interest of the nation. In separating, we need to develop a core set of principles and values. I would ask that you read this list and consider your own. Who are we, and what do we stand for?
Principles, from Glenn Beck
1. America is good
2. A belief in God, and God as the center of life
3. Be more honest
4. Family is sacred
5. If you play you pay, crime
6. Life , liberty and pursuit of happiness
7. Government cannot force one to share their profits
8. Okay to speak out, share opinion
9. Government works for the people
Values, gathered by Paul Vasquez
1. Ideas before personal desire,
2. Quest for truth,
3. Beneficial competition
4. Charity
5. Shelf help/individualism
6. Self defense
7. Self restraint or discipline
8. Free market laissez-faire capitalism
9. Preservation of American heritage not revisionist history
10. Small and limited government
11. Fiscal responsibility
12. Individual liberty
13. Equality under the law
14. Property rights
15. Natural/god given rights
16. Sovereignty of the individual over the government
17. Free trade
18. Absolute morals an understanding of right and wrong
19. The Constitution and Constitutional liberty
20. Constitution is not a living document, it does not change with culture or times
21. Provide for the common welfare
22. Provide opportunities for people to succeed
23. Believe in the founding principles as set by the foundering fathers
24. National defense
