On: The left's inability to argue

by: Joshua Howell

From America’s 24 hour news networks and its ill-disciplined internet lifestyle comes the erosion of what undergirds true sensibility, and therefore the transformation and progression of culture. Call it a corollary of The Law of Diminishing Returns: As the amount of information -- and the speed at which it is attained -- increases, our collective capacity for 20/20 reflection declines. This inverse relationship is important, because the news and the conversation it creates only graduates from petty voyeurism when placed in some form of historical and human context. That’s context which can only be applied when the passions have cooled, impossible given America’s insatiable appetite for data, no matter how trivial. 

Perhaps the Left was distracted by Gabby Douglas’ hair.

No matter, the most ingratiating aspect of reflection is that it’s never too late. Therefore, three weeks after Dan Cathy, president of Chick-fil-A, stepped into the culture wars, and three weeks after the Left’s embarrassingly botched response, it’s time for some historical and human context: Simply put, despite the Left’s protestations, this was about freedom of speech. For this, liberals have only themselves to blame.

The Left doesn’t want to be talking about freedom of speech; they’d rather be talking about the WinShape Foundation, the charitable arm of Chick-fil-A. In 2009 it donated $1.7 million to six organizations that share Mr. Cathy’s views. Many of the recipients take opposition further.

A year after receiving their donation, the Family Research Council sent fellow Peter Sprigg to MSNBC, where he would opine: “I think that the Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas -- which overturned the sodomy laws in this country -- was wrongly decided. I think there would be a place for criminal sanctions against homosexual behavior.”

Exodus International, another recipient of the chicken-tainted money, employs counselors who specialize in helping those who have “same-sex attraction (SSA) issues,” forgetting that homosexuality is not a medical disorder. The American Medical Association, The American Psychiatric Association, The American Psychological Association, The American Psychoanalytic Association and The American Academy of Pediatrics have all released statements to this effect. Sexual orientation is not a choice, they say, and cannot be changed.

It would seem that this was a debate requiring little effort to win. Liberals only needed a brand of argument having subtly, calm and familiarity with an old lawyer’s a­dage: “If you have the law on your side, argue the law; if you have the facts on your side, argue the facts; if you have neither, pound on the table.”

Despite the growing evidence from both the hard and soft sciences in support of their position, bleeding heart liberals unthinkingly applied their fists to the table.

Both the mayor of Boston, Thomas Menino, and the mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emannuel, threatened to restrict Chick-fil-A’s access to customers because of Mr. Cathy’s statements. Then, and only then, did the national conversation correctly shift to matters of freedom of speech.

Liberals, in their high-mindedness, forgot a lessen they should have learned in the 60s: debates on social policy always take a backseat to debates on the nature of government. Because America has a constitution, before any government policy can be implemented, two questions must be answered in the affirmative: First, is this something government has the ability to fix? Second (and more important), if so, is it within government’s purview to create such a policy?

When figureheads from Boston and Chicago threaten to do what is plainly illegal, because of the plainly legal actions of Chick-fil-A, America abruptly stopped debating the unsavory nature of the fast food chain’s speech, and shifted focus toward the nature and power of government.

Not satisfied with their loss, liberals doubled down.

In response to “Chick-fil-A Day,” the Left attempted a “Kiss In,” during which gay men and women would go to their local Chick-fil-A franchise and kiss in public. Despite liberals supposed sensitivity to homosexuality, in their rush to make news, they forgot the reasons why anonymity remains the primary choice among many in the gay community.

Meanwhile, on the right
While the Left continues its foundering, the Tea Party prolongs its election of congressmen. All those who whinge about anti-intellectualism on the right, meet Ted Cruz, the next Senator from Texas.

Whatever one might say on his policies, it’s impossible to deny his educational pedigree: he has a degree from Princeton, where he wrote a thesis on the Ninth and Tenth Amendments, and a law degree from Harvard, where he graduated magna cum laude.

Oh, and in celebration of his win, Ted Cruz served Chick-fil-A to supporters.

Now think back: When was the last time anyone mentioned Occupy Wall Street?

It’s time the Left rethought its approach.