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The progressive left morphed Robert Bork into an icon of pure evil for the crime of being right: politically, intellectually and factually. It is truer today than when it was written in 1996. Conservatives turned this Pagan ritual of the Left into a verb: Borking, or the unconscionable destruction of a truely extraordinary individual with slander and lies. It is now 13 years later and I finally got around to reading this disturbingly prophetic analysis of the decline of American culture. I would count this book a true 'classic' in the culture wars. Even if you're radical, this book is must-reading for understanding how the moral majority (to use a Bork-era term) views the progressive agenda.
And despite the fact that the United States elected its first black President in 2008 the racial divide in this country continues to widen. Bork the root of our decline is the rise of modern liberalism, which stresses the dual forces of radical egalitarianism (the equality of outcomes rather than opportunites) and radical individualism (the drastic reduction of limits to personal gratification). They went into politics, print and electronic journalism, church bureaucracies, foundation staffs, Hollywood careers, public interest organizations, anywhere attitudes and opinions could be influenced". As it turns out Mr.
Take some time to survey the political landscape of America today and you will see the evidence of what Robert Bork is talking about in his book. This quotation from his brilliant 1996 book "Slouching Towards Gomorrah: Modern Liberalism and American Decline" depicts the tactics employed by the 1960's radicals to assert themselves and gain influence in virtually every aspect of American life. Crime, illegitimacy and welfare are all on the rise. As Mr. Bork's book is quite prophetic and a real eye opener.According to Mr. Evidently it has worked like a charm because the decline of American values, culture and standards that Bork foresaw 15 years ago has largely come to pass.
Bork saw it coming. They were part of the chattering class, talkers interested in policy, politics and culture. Meanwhile, Hollywood and their counterparts at the television networks continue to 'push the envelope" with evermore lewd and tasteless offerings. The radicals were not likely to go into business or the conventional practice of the professions. Bork astutely points out our Founders may have erred by not putting any checks and balances on the judiciary.
Recently, I decided to re-read "Slouching Towards Gomorrah" in an effort to get some kind of handle on just what is going on in this country. I find that every so often it is useful to re-read a book to gain insight and perspective on what is going on in the world. These days there is no need for violence or confrontation because these very same radicals now control they very institutions that they formerly attacked. "They just didn't go into universities. The culture of death has made abortion, assisted suicide and euthanasia much more acceptable to a large segment of the American public. Our educational institutions at all levels are a mess and the "dumbing down of America" continues. Morale in our military is at an all-time low and there are genuine concerns about the security of our nation.
This simply does not seem to be much of a priority with the folks in charge these days. Such was the case with "Slouching Towards Gomorrah: Modern Liberalism and American Decline". Robert H. I was quite impressed the first time I read it back in 1996 and even more impressed this time around. These were ideas that were embraced by the student radicals of the 1960's and these folks have been working tirelessly to advance them in any way they could ever since. In the pages of "Slouching Towards Gomorrah" Robert Bork points to dozens of examples of how these values are now being foisted on the American people and how liberals will use their friends in the courts to forward their radical agenda when they are unable to succeed legislatively. From where I sit the decline of our nation is accelorating and this is precisely what Robert Bork predicted in his book.
Very highly recommended.
Mr. Of those on the secular left (which includes me) most individuals base actions as moral or not based on harm. The problem with the slippery slope argument is that it can be used to oppose anything and I mean anything. But if the harm is necessary because of a greater harm if not inflicted (such as shooting someone about to murder your child when no other choice is available) then that action isn't immoral.
On another issue Mr. Moral relativism is basically all actions have no standard at all (including the notion of harm) and is all relative to the culture or the individual and whatever they decide is fine. The problem is except for maybe post-modernists, these individuals don't exist in real life. A big issue among the right is the supposed question of "moral relativism." The problem with that is that it is basically a strawman. That is why we have a 9th Ammendment, to protect rights not guaranteed by the previous bill of rights. Even the teenager who got broken up with and is heartbroken.
For example I could argue that the police shouldn't have any right to stop a person acting very suspiciously at an outside an airport because if I do then the slippery slope might allow the police to make random checks on people watching television in their homes. The fact is, we should base policies on reducing harm.
There is a mythology on the right that Bork was defeated by petty politics but the fact is that Bork wouldnt' have been a strong protector on the constitutional rights of Americans. If something or somebody suffers a harm, then that shows an immoral action by itself.
Bork has a limited view of rights, his view was that rights are limited to the explicit words of the Bill of Rights. Bork views those who he disagrees with on the left as employing moral relativism.
He also employs the slippery slope or the idea that if society doens't impose rigid standards (such as prohibiting a right to die or assisted suicide) that we would allow people of all kind to commit suicide. That misses the whole point of the Founders in that the Bill of Rights don't grant a limited degree of freedom but a maximum degree of freedom.
He would have deferred way too strongly to the government on this issue and would have given the benefit of the doubt to the state.
God Bless Judge Bork for his honest service to this country and for writing this marvelous historical assessment of what has transpired in the United States. He sees clearly the good from the bad and articulates their movement through our history, most particularly in the 20th century. It has been an attack on morality as a whole that is the source of our problems today. Immorality has been the driving force, Judge Bork pens with clarity, behind the Gomorrah we now face.
thoughtful, well-written perspective on conservative theory. although i'm very liberal in almost every topic in politics, at least this author presents his points intelligently
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