Why It’s Preposterous To Say Western Civilization Is About ‘Whiteness’

[corbe]

Why It’s Preposterous To Say Western Civilization Is About ‘Whiteness’
 
There are, of course, relatively simple ways to blow this objection to western civilization as ‘white civilization’ to smithereens, but many prefer the easy lie to the more complex truth.

By Bradley Birzer   
July 11, 2019
 
“The West is the best.”—Jim Morrison

One of the truly frustrating aspects of our all-too modern and post-modern era is how easily radicals dismiss anything to do with western civilization as a racialist celebration of “whiteness” and of Caucasians. To believe such a thing, one must first believe that “races” actually exist, something no scientist worth her or his salt would believe. Yet, even assuming that such a thing as “race” does exist, where does it matter in terms of history?

There are, of course, relatively simple ways to blow this objection to western civilization as “white civilization” to smithereens, but few are willing to accept the corrective, preferring the easy lie to the more complex truth. One only has to imagine St. Augustine of Hippo, arguably one of the two or three greatest citizens of western civilization, to realize how absurd the whole “whiteness” or “white supremacy” argument is.

The father of the Reformation and a Roman Catholic saint, Augustine serves as the most importance nexus between the ancient and medieval worlds, his magisterial “City of God” serving as the handbook of the Middle Ages. Importantly for our argument, though, St. Augustine was also from Hippo, a region of North Africa.

Certainly, we can only imagine his visage with uncertainty. Did he look like a Sicilian, a Spartan, an Italian, an Arab, or an Ethiopian? We have no concrete records of the physical attributes of the man, and history has interpreted him in a variety of ways. In the Renaissance, of course, Botticelli portrayed him as a dark-complexioned Roman. But most black Roman Catholics in America have chosen to portray him as an Ethiopian. In the end, of course, does it really matter what he looked like? Not in the least.

Today’s Racial Categories Are Fake, Leftist Constructs

<..snip..>

https://thefederalist.com/2019/07/11/preposterous-say-western-civilization-whiteness/

[Absalom]

Why It’s Preposterous To Say Western Civilization Is About ‘Whiteness’
 There are, of course, relatively simple ways to blow this objection to western civilization as ‘white civilization’ to smithereens, but many prefer the easy lie to the more complex truth.

By Bradley Birzer   
July 11, 2019
 â€œThe West is the best.”—Jim Morrison
One of the truly frustrating aspects of our all-too modern and post-modern era is how easily radicals dismiss anything to do with western civilization as a racialist celebration of “whiteness” and of Caucasians. To believe such a thing, one must first believe that “races” actually exist, something no scientist worth her or his salt would believe. Yet, even assuming that such a thing as “race” does exist, where does it matter in terms of history?
There are, of course, relatively simple ways to blow this objection to western civilization as “white civilization” to smithereens, but few are willing to accept the corrective, preferring the easy lie to the more complex truth. One only has to imagine St. Augustine of Hippo, arguably one of the two or three greatest citizens of western civilization, to realize how absurd the whole “whiteness” or “white supremacy” argument is.
The father of the Reformation and a Roman Catholic saint, Augustine serves as the most importance nexus between the ancient and medieval worlds, his magisterial “City of God” serving as the handbook of the Middle Ages. Importantly for our argument, though, St. Augustine was also from Hippo, a region of North Africa.
Certainly, we can only imagine his visage with uncertainty. Did he look like a Sicilian, a Spartan, an Italian, an Arab, or an Ethiopian? We have no concrete records of the physical attributes of the man, and history has interpreted him in a variety of ways. In the Renaissance, of course, Botticelli portrayed him as a dark-complexioned Roman. But most black Roman Catholics in America have chosen to portray him as an Ethiopian. In the end, of course, does it really matter what he looked like? Not in the least.
Today’s Racial Categories Are Fake, Leftist Constructs
<..snip..>
https://thefederalist.com/2019/07/11/preposterous-say-western-civilization-whiteness/

---------------------------------
Augustine lived from 350 to 430.
The Reformation lasted from 1520 to 1648.
Greece and Rome founded Western Civilization whose home was Europe and the Levant.
Suggest Bozo Birzer acquaint himself w/a library!!!

[rustynail]

The whole article is not bad but what is wrong with 'whiteness'?

[Sanguine]

Of course Mr. Birzer is correct, but it is beside the point.  As Dan Bongino says so eloquently, the left do not have principles, so arguing principles with them is pointless. That is why they are so hard to argue with - reasonable people have discussions based on "I believe this and this is why", but leftists don't start from that point.  They believe in whatever is necessary to get to where ever they want to go.  And, if the particular belief suddenly doesn't work, then they suddenly don't believe that and never did.  And, they can tell you that with a straight face, because "whatever it takes".

We conservatives, middle-of-the-roaders and all other "normals" are living in a parallel universe.  The left keeps their distance from us because we are scary and frustrating to them for the reasons above.  They only associate with others who feel as they do and who reinforce their beliefs. They think theirs is the real, true viewpoint, and if you deviate from it you are denying what is right and true; therefore a bad person.

To sum it up, it's great to refine and express conservative principles and to rebut the outrageous charges made by the left, but it will only affect those who are already thinking people.