Our Endangered Values

I started reading President Carter’s book Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis last night. The book is quick, elegant, and no nonsense. From the introductory chapter:

Americans cherish the greatness of our homeland, but many do not realize how extensive and profound are the transformations that are now taking place in our nation’s basic moral values and political philosophy.

Our people have been justifiably proud to see America’s power and influence used to preserve peace for ourselves and others, promote economic and social justice, raise high the banner of human rights, protect the quality of our environment, alleviate human suffering, and cooperate with other peoples to reach these common goals.

We have learned the value of providing our citizens with accurate information and treating dissenting voices with respect. Most of our political leaders have attempted to control deficit spending, preserve the separation of church and state, and protect civil liberties and personal privacy.

All of these historic commitments are now being challenged.

He does not shy away from identifying who is challenging those historic commitments.

The most important factor is that fundamentalists have become increasingly influential in both religion and government, and have managed to change the nuances and subtleties of historic debate into black-and-white rigidities and the personal derogation of those who dare to disagree. At the same time these religious and political conservatives have melded their efforts, bridging the formerly respected separation of church and state. This has empowered a group of influential “neoconservatives,” who have been able to implement their long-frustrated philosophy in both domestic and foreign policy.

President Carter characterizes the fundamentalist movement like this.

Almost invariably, fundamentalist movements are led by authoritarian males who consider themselves to be superior to others and, within religious groups, have an overwhelming commitment to subjugate women and to dominate their fellow believers.

Although fundamentalists usually believe that the past is better than the present, they retain certain self-beneficial aspects of both their historic religious beliefs and of the modern world.

Fundamentalists draw clear distinctions between themselves, as true believers, and others, convinced that they are right and that anyone who contradicts them is ignorant and possibly evil.

Fundamentalists are militant in fighting against any challenge to their beliefs. They are often angry and sometimes resort to verbal or even physical abuse against those who interfere with the implementation of their agenda.

Fundamentalists tend to make their self-definition increasingly narrow and restricted, to isolate themselves, to demagogue emotional issues, and to view change, cooperation, negotiation, and other efforts to resolve differences as signs of weakness.

To summarize, there three words that characterize this brand of fundamentalism: rigidity, domination, and exclusion.

President Carter’s credentials as an international statesman and tireless worker for his evangelical Baptist faith are unassailable. He has studied philosophy and theology all his life. President Carter said he was hesitant to write the book during a C-Span interview several weeks ago. He shows a rare humility in taking his moral stance in the book.

I am glad he did write the book. I disagree with his positions on certain issues, but I think he identifies the moral issues that are at stake with the rise of the fundamentalist movement. Those on the right will not like the book. Those on the radical left will consider it the smoothing over of a fundamentally flawed system.

There is a residue that rings true.

Some people believe that tolerance of others, justice for all, basic human rights, respect for science and the environment, and world peace are the preeminent goals of politics. Others don’t.

Everyday we see policies proposed and implemented that take America farther away from the decent values that the majority of Americans hold and that have served the country well. Everyday we see the disastrous consequences of the loss of basic values. We know who is leading the country astray.

Defeating the opponents of morals and progress has never been easy. The hope is that one day those opponents will realize they are the opponents of the moral values that found the good life for everyone. However, there will always be a small vocal and active group of white fundamentalist conservative males whose goal is to dominate and tyrannize those who are not with them.

That is why they must be contested everyday with an iron political will. The United States must not be ruled by a minority dictatorship whose values are not the moral values of America.