James Dobson, the long-time head of Focus on the Family, is now retired. During his farewell address, the social-conservative icon has conceded that conservative Evangelicals have lost the culture wars. While things were looking bright for them during the 1980's, the 1990's are the time when Dobson saw the tide turn. The reasons? According to Mr. Dobson, it's Bill Clinton and the internet.
Below the fold, I have the satisfying quotes from James Dobson.
The battles that we fought in the Eighties now, we were victorious in many of those conflicts with the culture, trying to defend righteousness, trying to defend the unborn child, trying to preserve the dignity of the family and the definition of marriage. We fought all those battles and really it was a holding action.
Emphasis added.
[W]e made a lot of progress through the Eighties but then we turned into the Nineties and the internet came along and a new president came along and all of that went away and now we are absolutely awash in evil. And we are right now in the most discouraging period of that long conflict. Humanly speaking, we can say that we have lost all those battles, but God is in control and we are not going to give up now, right?
By all means, don't give up. Keep trying to fight the culture wars. Keep dragging the Grand Obstructionist Party down the drain while a solid majority of America make votes based on reason and logic, on economic and international issues. Social issues may have some political-effectiveness beyond the shrinking movement of conservative Evangelicals, but it is insignificant during a time of economic turmoil and war. Social issues rarely matter unless we are in a time of peace and prosperity, which we won't be for some time thanks to the failures of the conservative movement and their unfairly-disowned champion, George W. Bush.
They beat us over the head with Carter for decades. It's payback time.
And while some may be tempted to, let's avoid any declaration of "mission accomplished". It ain't over.
Update:
Thanks for putting this on the recommended list. Despite this cold I'm fighting, it has been a wonderful Easter, and I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday in their own personal way.
Oh, and just breaking on CNN; the Captain held by pirates has been freed and is safe at last. God bless the U.S. of A.