Neocon gropes toward traditional sense of nationhood

Jonah Goldberg at The Corner quotes his own article in USA Today:

Americans are proud of being citizens of the most inclusive country in the world. But is it so outrageous for them to want it to be a bit more of a normal country, too?

Basically, what Goldberg is doing here is arguing for nationhood as an unprincipled exception to liberalism. His explicit belief is still in non-discrimination, inclusiveness, and diversity as the guiding values of our society. But he’s troubled that the inclusiveness has gone too far. He’s unable to articulate a principle that explains what “too far” consists of, but he inchoately senses the problem nevertheless; he feels the loss of countryhood. Of course, if he really wanted America to be and to remain a normal country, he would have to reject the belief in non-discrimination, inclusiveness, and diversity as our ruling values, since it is inherently incompatible with our survival as a normal country. Still, the fact that he’s pleading for America to be even a “bit more of a normal country” signals a break, no matter how tentative, with the liberal/neoconservative mindset, which denies any concept of America as a normal country.

Thanks again to George W. Bush, whose fanatical extremism on immigration has made even neocons have Second Thoughts on the subject—or, should I say, First Thoughts, because their “thoughts” up to now have consisted only of slogans and knee-jerk reactions.

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Jonathan L. writes:

You wrote:

“Thanks again to George W. Bush, whose fanatical extremism on immigration has made even neocons have Second Thoughts on the subject.”

Your realize, of course, this was all part of Bush’s diabolically cunning plan.

LA replies:

Thanks for reminding. me. Right. He’s “really” been on our side all along. He’s the greatest and sneakiest political genius in history. Some day this will be recognized.

Seriously, if there is a Providence driving events, it is not ridiculous to imagine that Providence made Bush act like a fanatical automaton on this issue, in order to push America in the opposite direction and make it wake up to the immigration issue for the first time!

Posted by Lawrence Auster at July 03, 2007 02:25 PM | Send