Is the culture war over?
A survey of the terrain.
I have been a conscientious objector in the culture wars. As a teacher and a writer, my approach has been to stay the course, stay objective, and try to avoid being swayed by the militants right or left.
The extremes are mirror images of each other. The far right uses the same bullying, emotionally manipulative tactics as the far left. While the left created new terminology to try to force on everyone, the right is now creating their own special words like “The Gulf of America” that will become the politically correct way to talk.
Many people are interpreting Trump’s victory, and his recent executive actions, as a cultural regime change. Not only are DEI programs being dismantled in the federal government, but many private companies are following suit, shutting down progressive initiatives that were once believed to be a reputational necessity.
Cathy Young of The Bulwark wrote a balanced critique of Trump's initial actions on DEI. He issued an executive order banning DEI in the federal government, while also rescinding an executive order from the 1960s that directs agencies to take “affirmative action” to try to create a diverse workplace.
Here’s how Young described the political reaction to these orders:
To some observers, this is a chilling move that strikes at the foundation of civil rights. Yet Trump’s DEI and affirmative action ban has received at least partially positive reviews not only from the MAGA right and the anti-woke commentariat but from liberal centrists like Matt Yglesias and Noah Smith (“an idea whose time has probably come”) and even some leftists who regard DEI as feelgood corporate flimflam.
These reactions reflect the fact that diversity programs in the workplace and on campus have come under intensive criticism in recent years, both for enforcing progressive groupthink and for substituting pseudo-progressive verbiage for meaningful change.
Young shared some concerns about Trump’s actions:
Another concern, always present with Trump (and his movement), is the danger of vindictive and bullying overreach. The administration has already announced a hunt for “efforts in government to disguise [DEI] programs by using coded or imprecise language.” A template email to that effect was sent out across government agencies warning employees that “failure to report [such efforts] within 10 days may result in adverse consequences.” Federal employees are instructed to snitch on colleagues and contractors if they catch a whiff of DEI.
Young concluded with this:
Many critiques of identity politics have been valid and necessary. But DEI opponents should be wary of linking their cause to the Trump administration, which is all but certain to use colorblind fairness as a smokescreen for anti-woke identity politics—and which has started its first week with a spree of presidential lawlessness. If wise government policy can move the cultural needle, bad policy can move that needle in the other direction.
The article is reasonable. Any objective observer of politics might be concerned about the possibility that ideological headhunting will turn into authoritarian overreach by MAGA Republicans. And it is logical to conclude that Trumpism may backfire in unexpected ways — that’s exactly what happened during Trump’s first term, when left-wing cultural power hit its peak.
Yet this is what Chris Rufo, one of the most influential right-wing culture warriors, had to say in response to Cathy Young on social media:
You're truly a repulsive person, inside and out, and your presence in the discourse is a form of intellectual pollution. You’re a nagging schoolmarm who hasn’t realized that the children you’re constantly chastising have all grown up. They don’t need you and they don’t respect you.
First of all … what?
Second of all, this is Rufo’s response to someone whose column validates the essential criticism that conservatives are making about left-wing illiberalism. If you are a conservative, you should be happy with this kind of column in a publication like The Bulwark, whose audience probably leans left on cultural issues.
But no, Rufo views Cathy Young as an enemy, apparently, so he decides to attack her in a personally vicious manner (tough guy!) rather than responding to the substance of the article. Rufo is exhausted with having to work to persuade other people. If you’re not on board with his agenda, you need to shut up.
The same bullying phenomenon happened in the confirmation fight for Pete Hegseth for the Department of Defense. One of the main qualifications that Republicans cited for Hegseth was his willingness to eradicate “woke” from the armed forces. Ok. But shouldn’t this person also have other qualifications? Maybe higher qualifications than what Hegseth had? MAGA Republicans secured his confirmation not by persuading the holdouts of his fitness for the position, but by threatening Republican Senators with primary contests if they voted no.
So, what happens when Hegseth cancels DEI programs at the Pentagon? Will he then be replaced by someone else because … mission accomplished?
Another way to frame the rhetorical question: Does Chris Rufo want the culture war to be over? Eventually?
One of the conservative critiques of the social justice movement is that they don’t seem to acknowledge the progress they’ve made over the years. The rhetoric stays on fight mode.
I think we’re going to see the same phenomenon happen with the right-wing culture warriors as they succeed at dismantling the programs they’ve been attacking for the last few campaign cycles. There will always be an echo of their ideological enemy to find and punish.
What happens next is unpredictable. I agree with the assessment that the MAGA coalition is “post-liberal” in the sense they are not going to be satisfied to restore an equilibrium that would benefit a free society. They are going to push the envelope.
In the end, this all might benefit Democrats politically. They can follow the lead of Ruben Gallego if they want to reconnect with the cultural center of the country. Instead of campaigning on restoring the old progressive programs, they will be able to attack the right-wing excesses that we will inevitably see.
I don’t think we will find much peace in the short term. But there’s still hope for the future.
I fear, Billy, that this is going to be a long war. I won't live to see it evolve into a somewhat reasoned contest; you might. I hope so. In the meanwhile, for those who care about the benefits of governing instead of making millionaires out of every lawyer in the land and warriors of every elective office have a lot of work to do. Guarantees are not currently available.
I have never worked in DEI hiring so my knowledge is scant on the policies and principles in government and private employment. All I know is we have a much more diverse workforce than when I was growing up, as a white woman, in the 50’s and 60’s. I told my experience to a group of diverse men and women of my upbringing. I could not get a credit card, car or house loan without my fathers or husbands signature. I could not get birth control unless married. I was fortunate to get a college degree and hired to work as an archeologists for the forest service but often felt uncomfortable with sexual remarks. There were no people of color and all the top jobs were held by white men. To summarize I feel like the removal of DEI is suppose to get white boys off the couch, stop playing video games all day and complaining about women and people of color taking their jobs. I guess we’ll see. Just my guess.