Bobbing and Weaving
February 24, 2006
“And Goldberg befogs the issue, he invokes the “No true Scotsman” fallacy, and it’s the Scotsman again … and again the Scotsman… Is Goldberg a one-trick sophist? Ah, now he’s tossing in a weasel word and feinting with a veneer of comity… Maybe we’ll be seeing a new strategy, and perhaps some naked rancor in round two after he finishes Rod’s book!”
Stay tuned folks, it may be a tempest in a teacup, or it may be a skirmish for the soul of conservatism–or a chance at redemption for The National Review. It may be a war of attrition folks. I don’t think Welborn or FMG made it into the ring today. But Stegall has made some fine points. At least he’s clarified the stakes:
One more thought in response to those who would object to this discussion as certain people “imposing” their view of conservatism on the rest. First, regarding the word “conservative” itself and whether all this spilled ink can be justified by what is, after all, “just a word,” the answer is, yes, it is justified. The word conservative, like few others in the American lexicon, has an immensely powerful purchase on the American political/cultural/religious mind in a way that words like Tory, Whig, Mugwump, or Bull Moose just don’t. So long as that is true, debates like this will and should occur. Second, none should know this better than Buckley’s crew and their readers. As the premiere intellectual outlet of movement conservatism over the last fifty years, NR periodically engaged in these kinds of discussions exorcising first the John Birchers, then the Randians, and recently the Buchananites from the respectably conservative fold. That’s an observation, not necessarily a criticism. The point is just that the content of “conservatism” matters, and to suggest otherwise, or to pretend that no one can “impose” their version of what is conservative, is, shall we say, disingenuous.
This is Bobbing and Weaving in The Japery, a part of The New Pantagruel. Previously: Spengler | Next: Of “Uncle Toms” | TrackBack (0) | Comments (0)
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