Mark Gauvreau Judge is a good writer, but I think he should have left this one in the unsubmitted file. His basic thesis is that the red state identity basically celebrates cretinism. I disagree with that, despite not really loving NASCAR, Bill O'Reilly, and some of the other targets he picks.
But what is really offensive is that he somehow conflates wearing the right clothes and discriminating consumerism with advanced spirituality in the Christian sense.
I don't think so.
At the risk of repeating myself, I'll include my letter to the editor on the piece:
Dear Editor,
I've always liked Mark Gauvreau Judge's work, but I find at least part of his central thesis about the superiority of being a metrocon questionable and maybe even objectionable. While I agree that there is nothing to celebrate about being tacky or willfully ignorant (which I'm not sure his target group really is), I disagree vigorously that the "second growth" of spirituality involves learning how to purchase and wear the right clothing and accessories. Natty apparel has never been a sign of spiritual maturity as far as I can tell. Were it so the fashionistas would be the deepest folk on earth.
It is one thing to argue that many of today's conservatives don't hold a candle to William F. Buckley on style points (surely, they do not), but to conflate that point with spiritual maturity and depth evokes a Christianity of which I'm not aware. Certainly, a preference for Brooks Brothers over Wal-Mart does little to inform one about the nobility of a particular soul. In fact, the good book might make the opposite case.
Hunter Baker
Contributor to The Reform Club
Athens, Georgia
7 comments:
Cretins unite!
Let's just say, non-fashion plates with a good spiritual compass . . . UNITE!
Does this mean that Mark Gauvreau Judge is an ex-cretion?
You're taking up the Jay Homnick beat!
Sounds like Judge is trying to make himself look better by denigrating others; as if he is trying to distance himself from a stereotype.
I must say that I am guilty of the same at times. I get bothered when I get pigeon-holed as a "Republican" by the far-left Democrats around here.
The problem isn't the label, but what the far-left Demo's think the label means, and I am not that.
Thus I get defensive (slightly) and state (correctly) that I am not a Republican, but an Independent.
FWIW ...
Rod Dreher at NRO seems to be making the same sorts of category errors with his whole "Crunchy Con" thesis, a vapid and derivative couple of ideas that he has somehow persuaded Crown Forum to release in book-length form. I don't think sound conservative impulse has any more to do with being so sensitive you insist on free range brown organic eggs than it does with wearing cashmere.
I think Rod found something kind of interesting, which is the idea that some conservatives have granola tastes in this or that, and transformed it into a miniature industry. A cute article, but not for me in book form.
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