海角大神

Thirty years ago, author James Davison Hunter looked over American politics with foreboding. In his book 鈥淐ulture Wars,鈥� he lamented how politics was being taken over by cultural issues on which compromise was impossible. Back then, it was mostly just abortion. Today, in a recent interview, it鈥檚 so much more, too: 鈥淧art of our problem is that we have politicized everything.鈥�

The 鈥渨hole point of civil society,鈥� Professor Hunter said, is to provide the mediation that prevents violence. The Constitution provides the framework, but it depends on citizens to do the work. But what happens when they don鈥檛 鈥� when they instead use politics as a tool to attempt to not only defeat their opponents but also impose their will on them? 鈥淧art of what鈥檚 troubling is that I鈥檓 beginning to see signs of the justification for violence on both sides,鈥� he said.

Much has been said about the threats to American democracy, but for Professor Hunter, this expansion of the culture wars is one of the deepest drivers. By his reckoning, the only peaceful way out is to find a way to break their hold. 鈥淭alk through the conflicts,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd whatever you do, don鈥檛 just simply impose your view on anyone else. You have to talk them through.鈥�

鈥淲hat is going to underwrite liberal democracy in the 21st century?鈥� he asked. That is the question America must find a fresh answer to, together.