The principles of America’s conservative core are in shambles. They are in a pitiful state of philandering (see S. Carolina Gov. Sanford, former NY Rep. Vito Fossella) and populous pandering (see them spend money without end worse than Democrats).
The problems comes down to values. Good values should be a conservative’s trump card, but its not, its their Achilles heel. Ask a conservative what he stands for: “freedom, liberty, self-reliance, merit, honor, country, Christian values, principles, the American way, justice…” What exactly does that mean? Based on the way conservative politicians act those words apparently mean close to nothing.
The most lucid articulation of the conservative’s values I have heard is “Judeo-Christian,” meaning those fundamental principles shared across the traditional Jewish and Christian world views. There is the same genuine benevolence and respect for traditional human life, and understanding of man’s place in the world.
This view has some practical substance as well. It directly relates to the Middle East and the Muslim world in general. Its as if to say (of course, never to actually say in today’s world, but only to imply and to appeal to on a visceral level), “Its us Jews and Christians versus you, the worshippers of the evil god Allah.”
These values make clear sense when dealing with terrorists and other Islamic extremists, who periodically and maliciously attack us, as well as when embracing popular mainstream stances such as anti-gay marriage and pro-life stances.
Unfortunately these Judeo-Christian values run completely dry when we move further East in the world to Asia proper, and specifically, China.
First some context: China is the most populous country in the world (four times the United States) and has the fastest growing economy world (according to figures reported by communist regime-controlled sources at least). China is a member of the powerful United Nations Security Council (along with Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States). China has the largest military in the world and has nuclear weapons.
In 1994, China was granted Most Favorable Nation trading status by the United States. China now owns around $1 trillion in U.S. debt and has $250 billion trade surplus with the United States.
To summarize, China is seen as a rising power in the world. At the same time, anyone who clearly analyzes the facts, will plainly find that the communist regime (that has controlled and rapped China for the last 60 years) is a force of evil in the world. China routinely tramples the freedoms of religion, press, and association that we hold dear as Americans.
Where are the Judeo-Christian values, or any other conservative or American values, now? Apparently nowhere.
Right before our eyes, conservative U.S. politicians talk about having a good relationship with China and working together with China (see Sarah Palin and everyone else when Obama hit China with trade tariffs). Conservative U.S. politicians visited the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and no doubt shook hands with China’s leaders, while prisoners of conscience were being held in detention camps.
Christians are given some level of freedom in China and so conservative U.S. politicians are appeased (see Bush’s visit to a house Christian church during his administration). Meanwhile the world looks on in disgust. All conservative/American values that are claimed in waging wars and protecting the sanctity of life are rendered near meaningless.
What conservatives need to wake up to is that Buddhism is deeply rooted in Chinese culture and Buddhist values are very much the same as those found in Christianity and Judaism. Again, there is the same genuine benevolence and respect for traditional human life, and understanding of man’s place in the world.
American conservatives need to realize that at heart, their values are Buddhist-Judeo-Christian, not simply Judeo-Christian. Thus, when Tibetan Buddhists and practitioners of the Buddhist spiritual practice Falun Gong are arrested, tortured, and killed, it is no different than Jesus, early Christians, and Jews of various eras being arrested, tortured, and killed.
This is the clear and most glaring shortcoming in American conservatives today. They need to wake up to fact that they are not upholding Judeo-Christian values, because those values can just as easily be called Buddhist-Judeo-Christian and, at present, are clearly not a matter of significance when it comes to China policy, arguably the most important foreign policy.
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