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Ortega warned in his book that the rise of the mass man endangered small-r republican government and high culture, Continetti said. Ortegas mass man was a man without qualities, a man who thought of himself as common and insignificant, a mere part of an undifferentiated crowd. The mass man, Ortega said, was the consequence of untrammeled democracy, of classlessness. The mass man was uneducated, ill-informed, fickle, coarse and quick to anger. He was ripe for totalitarian picking.

The second session, titled The Right and the Politics of Democracy and moderated by UVA adjunct politics professor Mary Kate Cary, ran the gamut on more current issues surrounding conservatism, as Cary had her panelists New York Times columnist Ross Douthat and Emory University history professor Patrick N. Allitt focused on changes in the 21st century. Douthat in 2008 published Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream. Allitt in 2009 published The Conservatives: Ideas and Personalities Throughout American History.

Among the many topics, Cary asked both to describe the state of conservatism today.

I think its reasonable to look at conservatism, in any given context, to retain the established traditions of a given culture or society, Douthat said. I think in the American context, I usually stress the idea that America has had, along with our written Constitution, this unwritten constitution or a cultural constitution, which maybe is a pointless conflation of different categories. But if you look at what 20th-century American conservatives imagined them to be doing, they were trying to conserve various forms of American exceptionalism, American cultural habits and folkways that were somewhat different from the combinations that showed up in other modern societies, especially in Western Europe.

However, as habits have changed over the years, it raises questions, Douthat said.

What are conservatives doing? What are they conserving? he said. And its how you get into a moment when theres more appeal to the idea of reaction. Where its like, All right, we lost. We lost the things we were fighting for. So now we have to start again, at the beginning even if that means questioning all the way back to the founding itself.

In light of Donald Trumps presidency, Cary asked both panelists about the value of personality vs. policies in conservatism.

(Ronald) Reagan created the idea of conservatives as thoroughly likable people, Allitt said. And I dont think that theres been a Republican leader like that since then; John McCain, some of it, but not quite as much. And obviously, Trump completely failed in that department. I mean, he provoked animosity with just about every sentence he spoke.

Cary ended the event by asking each panelist for what makes them hopeful for the future of the conservative movement.

Conservatism in itself is a very sensible thing, Allitt said. Were all intrinsically conservative because we want to hold onto the things in our world that we like. So, its got a future. But whether that future can easily be transfigured into policies is a different question.

Cary followed, Are you hopeful about our democracy?

Oh, very (hopeful), Allitt said. Everybody believes in it.

A full replay of the event can be found here.

Read the original:
UVA Democracy Event Analyzes the Past, Present and Future of Conservatism - UVA Today

(Each Saturday, a faith leader offers a personal perspective in this space. To become part of this series, email religion@recorder.com)

Tomorrow, the Sunderland Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, will conduct its Annual Congregational Meeting following its morning worship. This combination is intentional. The church at worship inspires the church at work. Spiritually nourished by Word and Communion, the members are prepared for the sacred responsibility of church governance, which entails everything from mundane financial matters to how best to preach and live the gospel in the church and in the world.

Every member of the congregation contributes to the leadership of the church. Each members opinions and expectations, and the consensus that emerges from them in dialogue, are judged to be the most trustworthy expression of the Spirits intent.

This Congregational Church Model is and has been thoroughly democratic since it arrived on these shores with the Pilgrims. Each members conscience is respected. Each congregations autonomy is protected. What holds this together is a respect for covenant, a solemn and sacred agreement to value the opinions of others and to expect the same in return. Covenant requires mutual trust and a humble willingness to compromise.

Gathering as a community is valued and entered into freely. I have heard it said, only somewhat jokingly, that Congregationalism at its most forceful will strongly encourage. This recognizes the value of teaching and informed discussion. Congregationalism employs a collaborative leadership and is an outright rejection of the power of the privileged few. This heritage of democracy influenced the political formation of our nation and has long been respected as its fundamental tenet. In a nation not defined by a common faith, origin, race or ethnicity, it is democracy that is our keystone.

The birthdays of Lincoln and Washington fall later this month. When I was in school and waiting for winter vacation, it was the birthdays of these two American icons that were celebrated on Presidents Day. Washington surprised the world when he relinquished command of the Continental Army at the end of the Revolutionary War. Abigail Adams wrote that if Washington were not one of the best-intentioned men in the world, then he might be one of the most dangerous. Washington respected the nascent American democracy. His example of walking away from the autocratic power that was almost expected of him at the end of the war and of his second term set an example for future Presidents.

Lincoln was called upon to reassemble the nation Washington had helped form, and to begin in earnest to advance a more complete understanding of the ideal: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal He was the President whom fate would have confront Americas peculiar institution of slavery. The enlightenment of Americas words could no longer tolerate the barbarity of its actions. Lincoln is quoted as saying, No man is good enough to govern another man without the others consent. He led us through the cataclysm of Civil War to advance the scope and thus the legitimacy of our democracy.

Lincolns February birthday, along with that of Frederick Douglas, is also the reason why February is African American History Month. Some three weeks ago, we celebrated the birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He stood on the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered his famous I have a dream speech. He called out America for not fulfilling its promise to continue advancing democracy among all its people. That struggle remains ours still today.

Democracys continuing work is a noble endeavor and one that depends on our higher selves. It battles the baser instincts of pride, power and greed. It challenges us to respect each other as equals and also the covenants that hold us together as one people, one people who are actually stronger because of our differences. In our church tomorrow, we will treat democracy as a sacred gift. I hope we as a nation can do the same.

The First Congregational Church of Sunderland, United Church of Christ, has ministered to the people of the local communities since 1717. Worship services on Sundays begin at 11 a.m. The churchs website and Facebook page are found under First Congregational Church of Sunderland. The churchs phone number is 413-665-7987. If you would like to reach Rev. Randy Calvo, please email him at randyc1897@gmail.com. We offer religious education for the youth and Bible study for adults. We have a wonderful music program under the direction of Anthony Tracia, and a bell choir. All are welcome and we mean it.

More:
Faith Matters: The sacred gift of democracy - The Recorder

Its February in 2022 - the one year anniversary of the introduction of the River Democracy Act! This bill is special, to be sure, and is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect some of Oregons most special rivers and streams.

From cold, clear creeks where steelhead spawn in Southwest Oregon, to the beautiful high elevation lakes lining the Central Cascades, to the rivers and streams that have cut deep canyons into Northeast and Southeast Oregon, there is truly something for every landscape in this bill.

Salt Creek Falls, proposed for Wild & Scenic protections

Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley introduced this bill in the Senate precisely one year ago today, after completing a months-long public nomination process where they solicited suggestions from Oregonians across the state. A winter 2019 Rivers Town Hall meeting hosted by Sen. Wyden in Bend was so popular that it was standing room only - people were so excited to submit their favorite places for consideration! All told, their office received more than 15,000 nominations, a clear testament to our states love for rivers.

After a year of public process and thorough vetting of rivers and streams, the River Democracy Act came to life. Since its introduction, its been assigned to a Senate subcommittee, received its first hearing, and is currently awaiting full committee markup. We hope to see passage in 2022!

"We all live downstream. And the River Democracy Act makes sure that the clean water, wildlife habitat, and scenery upstream from us all over the state is protected for future generations."

-Sean Stevens, Executive Director

There are truly so many reasons to be excited about this bill. If you care about salmon, lamprey, elk, freshwater mussels, songbirds, or even just having a place to enjoy with your family and friends, this bill is something to celebrate.

Indigo Creek, proposed for Wild & Scenic protections. Photo: Northwest Rafting Company

Here's what a few other Oregon Wild staffers have to say about the bill:

"I love that this bill will protect clean water and fish, but also really love that it means protecting vast amounts of carbon stored in the forests along these streams. " - Erik Fernandez, Wilderness Program Manager

I'm excited to see many of my favorite hiking trails - all over Oregon - included in proposed Wild & Scenic River corridors. From the Walla Walla River in northeast Oregon to Gwynn Creek on the coast, there are so many trails that deserve the additional recognition and protection the River Democracy Act affords. - Chandra LeGue, Western Oregon Field Coordinator

"I grew up wading barefoot through the shimmering waters that run through the Ochoco Mountains. These memories are incredibly precious to me, and it's exciting to see the small, out-of-the-way places that aren't just important to me, but to the fish and wildlife of Central Oregon, proposed for permanent protection." Arran Robertson, Communications Manater

Originally posted here:
One year with the River Democracy Act - Oregon WildBlog

Eight years since the Russian annexation of Crimea, Ukraine is facing another threat from its eastern neighbour. Russia has amassed an estimated 130,000 troops and military equipment along its borders in recent weeks.

Ukraine is literally surrounded by Russian troops: along its northern border with Belarus, in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine (Donetsk and Luhansk), in Crimea to the south, and in Transnistria, the Russian-occupied part of Moldova to the west.

Despite these disturbing developments, Russia continues to deny any planned aggression towards Ukraine. Russia is not only the second-largest natural gas producer in the world it is also extremely good as gaslighting.

As the official Russian rhetoric goes, Ukraine and Russia are one people belonging to the same historical and spiritual space.

However, this claim is a historical fabrication. It is strategically deployed to de-legitimise Ukraines claims to nationhood and by extension, sovereignty and bring it back into Russias orbit of influence.

The significant military buildup on Ukraines border is part of a larger coordinated geopolitical offensive called reflexive control.

Read more: How Russian is Ukraine? (Clue: not as much as Vladimir Putin insists)

Reflexive control involves a wide variety of hybrid warfare tactics, such as deception, distraction, deterrence and provocation. Weve seen these tactics playing out in the rising number of cyber attacks on Ukraines government servers and energy grid, to the Russian state-sponsored disinformation campaigns aimed at sowing distrust and discord in the country.

In many cases, these disinformation campaigns have originated online with the help of the Internet Research Agency, a troll factory in Russia.

Reflexive control also involves the potential for so-called false-flag operations terrorist acts allegedly committed by Ukraine on Russian territory or involving Russian citizens. These types of incidents can be used to justify a military incursion into a sovereign state.

The roots of Russian interventions in Ukraine go much deeper than its illegal annexation of Crimea and occupation of large parts of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014, and its actions on the border today. In fact, Ukraine has been subjected to Russian interference since becoming an independent state in 1991.

This influence has manifested in myriad ways, from economic and political coercion to cultural conformism. This includes weaponising Ukraines energy dependency on Russia, a near-complete russification of Ukraines media, attempts to install pro-Kremlin governments, and even high-profile assassinations of journalists and political activists.

Ukraine has seen two major waves of popular protests against rising Russian influence. The first was the Orange Revolution of 2004 following Russian attempts to rig Ukraines presidential election to try to ensure the pro-Russian candidate, Viktor Yanukovych, won.

Another protest broke out in 2013 after Yanukovych, then president, refused to sign a political association agreement with the European Union, opting instead to join a customs union with Russia. This was known as the Revolution of Dignity, or the Maidan Revolution.

In both cases, Russian official rhetoric used these revolutions as evidence of Ukraine being subverted by the West. This effectively de-legitimised their true causes and the public sentiment around them.

One of the most prominent Russian narratives was that Ukraine was a failed state a country governed by chaos, swarming with radicals and fascists, and on the brink of a civil war. Conveniently, this vilification also served as a cautionary tale to prevent any pro-democratic protests from erupting in Russia.

The Maidan Revolution eventually succeeded in Yanukovych being removed from office. But Russia took advantage of the transition of power by sending uniformed men with no insignia to covertly take over government buildings in Crimea. It was the most significant breach of territorial integrity in Europe since the second world war.

A secession referendum was then held in Crimea that was the exact kind of democracy the Ukrainian people have fought so hard to overthrow.

It does not take a mathematical genius to question the validity of a near-unanimous vote to secede (96.77%) in a region comprised of only 60% ethnic Russians, many of whom had Ukrainian citizenship and did not support the secession.

Russias next move was to orchestrate an insurgency in eastern Ukraine stoked initially by Russian special operations units and paramilitary groups.

I have written extensively on how a handful of citizens in the eastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol were able to successfully counter a so-called insurgency after seeing their city suddenly flooded by strangers who spoke an unfamiliar dialect of Russian, had a hard time paying in Ukrainian currency and repeatedly asked locals for directions.

These strangers locals called them political tourists were sent to Mariupol from the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don to instigate pro-Russian demonstrations. Similar operations took place throughout 2014 in many other Ukrainian cities.

In hindsight, Ukrainian activists were perhaps the only reason the Russian army couldnt advance further into the country eight years ago. They quickly identified these patterns across the country and organised against the interlopers.

Yet, as is often the case with gaslighting, the burden of proof is on the victim many in the West still repeat Russias civil war narrative to this day.

Read more: Don't call it a civil war Ukraine's conflict is an act of Russian aggression

In the face of such an existential threat, Ukraine has experienced profound social, political and cultural transformations.

Over the past eight years of occupation, hundreds of grassroots volunteer initiatives have stepped up to help the country recover from the humanitarian crisis stemming from the long-running conflict and counteract a full-scale military invasion.

This type of civil society activism is the cornerstone of democracies around the world. There is still a long way to go in Ukraine, but these emerging foundations can now be observed in nearly every aspect of public life.

Ukrainians do not want democracy because they are being subverted by the West, as Russia claims. Ukrainians want democracy because it paves the way from an imperial Russian borderland to a sovereign statehood.

Allowing Russia to thwart these aspirations and re-invade Ukraine sets a dangerous precedent for other sovereign states trying to break away from their violent and traumatic past.

See the rest here:
Why Ukrainians are ready to fight for their democracy - The Conversation AU

The writer is a Democratic candidate for Congress in Maryland's First District. He grew up on a small farm in Carroll County, Maryland. He can be reached at Dave@hardenforcongress.com

Democrats lose 90% of all rural counties in America. Why? Because they run weak candidates who simply do not align with the culture, values, hopes, aspirations, concerns and worries of rural folks. The messaging and policies for urban and suburban communities are not tailored to rural communities. The Democrats simply dismiss "those people" as politically expedient at best, or a lost cause at worst.

Even today, there is little evidence that the Democratic establishment understands these failures. Politicians endorsing politicians, party elites tipping the scales, political hacks who are "ahead of their time," none of this works for rural folks. The result: the Democrats' rural strategy has failed election after election.

The Democrats' failure to appeal to rural voters has consequences. Extreme polarization exacerbated by partisan gerrymandering and the growing urban-rural divide increases the risk that America slips into authoritarianism. We see three challenges right here in Maryland.

Third, the census revealed that four Eastern Shore and two western counties lost population in the last decade. Declining populations mean fewer jobs, fewer services, fewer opportunities, less of a tax base and more grievances.

Most worryingly, these political-economic trends are happening amid the accelerating threats to our democracy. The January 6 attacks on our Capitol may just be practice if Donald Trump runs for president in 2024 and his enablers, like Andy Harris from Maryland's First District, remain in power.

America needs the Democrats to be competitive in rural communities just like we need Republicans to be competitive in big cities.

Here is what rural folks want: we want to close the wealth gap. We want our kids to have opportunities at home. We want know-it-all politicians to stop speaking to us like we are a bunch of rednecks who are too stupid to vote our economic interests. We want to be valued and heard on our terms.

Democrats can, of course, deliver economic opportunities and the related respect. Broadband, infrastructure, localized renewable energy, decentralized energy grids, rural accelerators and incubators, less regulations on small businesses, tighter connections to high-end markets, next-generation vocational schools can all lead to revitalized growth and economic opportunity in our rural communities. But this requires that the Democrats compete in local elections by charting an independent path forward which aligns with the sensibilities of communities that too often feel left behind and forgotten.

I was appointed by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate to lead our democracy efforts and conflict stabilization activities around the world. I have worked in fragile countries for decades. Given these experiences, I believe democracy in America is at risk. If the Democrats get it wrong in 2022 by losing to authoritarian incumbents like Andy Harris yet again, America could very well slip into a full blown authoritarian state by 2024.

Despite its imperfections, our generation was given an extraordinary gift of democracy. It is our responsibility to protect and defend our nation's legacy. We must begin by electing pro-democracy candidates to safeguard our sacred democratic institutions and norms. All other issues are secondary.

For more stories from Maryland Matters, visit http://www.marylandmatters.org.

More here:
Opinion: Given His Experiences, The Author Says, "I Believe Democracy In America Is At Risk" - Patch.com