The Only Value Left For 'Values Voters' Is White Christian Identity
In the midst of the Trump era, I have regularly been surprised by how often I agree with a sentiment being written or tweeted by some conservative commentators such as Jennifer Rubin, or even sometimes Bill Kristol.
But a piece Rubin recently penned for The Washington Post really brought the crux of that commonality home for me. It's really not about policy—we disagree plenty on that—it's more about a shared vision for the identity of the nation. Now perhaps more than ever, one either fundamentally believes in America as a diverse, multicultural nation where all are created equal, or one clings to a white Christian identity.
As Rubin concluded, "We face a battle over the meaning of America. All defenders of a diverse democracy must stand shoulder to shoulder for an inclusive system of government."
That's the common ground on which we stand, even if we often vehemently disagree over which policies are best suited to foster and facilitate that inclusive system of government.
Rubin's post was centered on evangelicalism and how its central organizing philosophy really comes to down to the promotion of one thing and one thing only: promoting white Christian identity. Principles like helping the needy and bringing comfort to those who are less fortunate aren't just secondary considerations, they no longer serve as central motivators that provide connective tissue for evangelicals.