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The events in Charlottesville have rocked the nation in a way it hasn't seen in years, maybe decades. If anything it should motivate the public to take a step back. Yes, a step back in every sense of the word. Step back in terms of national identity, generational progress, and perceived equality. It's hard to admit that, as a nation, we cannot simply plow ahead. Most people know what is right, just, peaceful, and equal, but it's about what to do next. A step back provides a perspective on the next two steps, and the first of the two may need to be a step to the side.

The concept of Conservatism, in my view, has three basic positions: throw society back to a previous time completely, keep society as it is right now, and preserve the core values of society while letting inefficient or ugly offshoot values go. Most conservative thought resides in the latter two with a significant lean towards the third. In this mindset the conservative voice must be careful from moving too quickly. It is cautious of change because history shows that not all change is speaking to the core values of humanity. And so, there must be a constant revision of how those values shine in society at large.

Of course this does not operate in a vacuum, yet in the pull of the opposing side. The United States is a two party system, which operates a check on one another. Conservatives generally want to slow the cart down not knowing if there is a cliff up ahead, and progressives warn if the cart is not moving fast enough it will get stuck in the mud. As this tug of war happens, progressives will see a need for change and find the shortest route to pull the cart. At the same time, being cautious of change, conservatives would like to consult a map. Either position when taken alone is unwise. It can lead to the wrong turn having the cart facing the wrong way, or it spends time with an outdated point of view that stops the cart while ignoring looming disaster. Essentially, progressives can't pull the cart out of the mud without conservatives, and conservatives can't follow a safe path without progressives.

In recent events, there should be no question in which way the cart should move. Hate is not a core value. It doesn't take deep revision of American history or American values to see that fascism, in particular Nazism, is nothing to conserve. It doesn't take deep revision to see that a confederate flag is not simply a symbol of counter mainstream identity. Many communities are revising symbols of their values for today, tomorrow, and the next generation. It doesn't mean they are changing history, but coming to terms with history. It doesn't mean they are they are smashing culture, but conserving a more accurate map of culture.

Conservative revision is progressive in power rather than amount. It must constantly restate the values it believes and check them over and over again. Some are doing this better than others apparent in how the latest adversity revealed their character. Violence is not the answer, but violence will happen if we don't move the cart to clearer skies and safer ground. Conserve our values by taking a step back so we can find a sure path forward. Rather than add dead weight, a leader should denounce evil and move the country out of the mud.

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Read more from the original source:
Conservatives are Powerful Progressives - HuffPost