A culture war may be described as a struggle between two conflicting cultural values. It can be applied to explain east verses west, urban verses rural, or traditional values against progressive secularism (Hasson 4). Since the 1960s within America, a great division existed over the underlying truth of America.
In America, this phenomenon started within the 1920s when rural and urban American values conflicted. In US, the phrase culture war is utilized to assert that conflict exist between values regarded conservative or traditionalist and those regarded as liberal or progressive (Hunter 9). During 1980s, the term culture war within US was characterized by conservative climate throughout the presidency of Reagan. Religious right activists always criticized artists and academics, and their works, within a move against what they regarded indecent, blasphemous, and subversive (Hasson 7). They always blamed their political rivals of undermining tradition, family values, and Western civilization.
The term was re-introduced by the 1991 culture wars: The move to define America, publication by James Davison. James explained experiences as a dramatic polarization and realignment that had transformed politics and culture of America (Hunter 12). Davison asserted that on a growing number of heated debate defining issues like gun politics, abortion, privacy, separation of state and church, homosexuality, recreational drug use, and censorship matters, existed in two definable polarities. Moreover, apart from many divisive issues, the society was divided along similar lines on these concerns, so as to make up two warring groups, distinguished or defined mainly not by ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, or social class, but instead by ideological world opinions (Hunter 10).
In 1992, RNC, conservative pundit Buchanan Patrick gave a speech currently known as culture war speech. Patrick described the struggle lines between Republicans and Democrats. The Democrats believed in the significance of traditional family values and religion. On the contrary, they opposed equal rights for lesbian and gay people or legalized abortion.
Works Cited
Hasson, Kevin J. The Right to Be Wrong: Ending the Culture War Over Religion in America. New York: Image, 2012. Print.
Hunter, James D. Culture Wars: The Struggle to Define America ; [making Sense of the Battles Over the Family, Art, Education, Law, and Politics]. New York, NY: Basic Books, 2008. Print.
