Crunchy Conservatives

Much of the thoughts and ideas that have influenced the rebirth of this blog are found in the book Crunchy Cons by columnist and writer Rob Dreher. Published in early 2006, it came across my desk recently in the form of an old proof-copy. Right now I am about half way through it, and although parts are tedious at times I think it paints a very clear picture of something which has been troubling me for sometime: the divide in Conservatism between fiscal and moral/cultural conservatism.

Many people fall under the title “conservative,” me included. Since the election of President George W. Bush, moral conservatism or compassionate conservative have become the buzzwords of the political punditry. But what in the world does these terms mean, and where are these people found?

Take my family, for instance. We are a large, homeschooling religious family; typically conservative in all aspect. But on the other hand, we like to eat organic when we can because it is healthier that way, support international relief organizations, camp and hike in the woods, and do our best to reject consumerism in favor of more modest methods and means. Typically liberal characteristics or behaviors. Both “sets” of behaviors are influenced by our religious faith, such as our commitment to homeschooling and rejection of mindless, endless materialism. But in the minds of many conservatives, eating organic or not wanting to “support the economy” by buying everything in sight make us “false” conservatives, worse than liberals in many cases. On the other hand, homeschooling gives liberals an immediate stigma about unsocialized children, crazy religious zealots and barefoot pregnant women in the kitchen. But we are neither of these in any extreme.

Then what are we? If you had asked me before, I probably would of said “I don’t know. Christian Conservatives?” Now I might simply adopt the label Mr. Dreher uses: Crunchy Cons. In fact, I would insist that we are conservatives, more so in fact then the CEO of the development company trying to bulldoze a neighborhood (fictional example, fill in your local developer/massive-money-maker/corporate-bad-guy. There’s one in every neighborhood).

“Crunchy” may simply be a clever name invented to further distinguish a “regular” conservative from “hip” conservatives. Or perhaps it is a movement to take bake the definition of conservative entirely. Not all “Crunchy cons” love celery after all, but they may understand that “conservative” means more then just free-markets. It means morals, community, culture and respecting the earth; along with free-markets and the freedom and equality of all human beings. That is what I believe, and will be expressing here.