We are engaged in a great Culture War over the future of our country. It involves many struggles against abortion, socialism and so many other ills. This war is not easy since it requires much sacrifice and effort against great odds.
As a result, it is easy to take a negative outlook, become discouraged and give up.
We cannot write off America because, in so doing, we write off our responsibility to defend America.
That is why we need to take note and defend the many excellent values that still exist in America . . . despite everything.
There are still many good things to fight for in America. All is not lost. There are still large sectors of the public that adhere to good ideas and principles that should give us hope for the future. Let me give three examples.
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America as an Anti-Communist and Anti-Socialist Nation
America is still a very anti-communist and anti-socialist nation. All over the country, there are Americans who have resisted communism in all its forms. Despite decades of Marxist ideas propagated by the media and the education establishment, you will still find many who defend sound principles such as private property and free enterprise.
That is why we must vigorously oppose those who, like the socialists and the ecologists, unjustly propose to destroy these sound and legitimate principles. We must join with so many others who are opposing high taxation, bad science on climate change, the Paris Agreement, over-regulation and the so-called Green New Deal that will undermine our freedom and prosperity.
America as a Religious Nation
Despite everything, everyone recognizes, even The New York Times, that America is still a very religious nation. Liberals might not like it, but they have to admit it. We are much more religious than countries in Europe, for example. We can find this desire for religion reflected in daily life and even in our national discourse.
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Liberals have long declared the end of religion, but every generation has proven them wrong. Even the so-called nones, those that pollsters report having no religion, tend to be spiritual people, not atheists.
Thus, large sectors in America still defend the remnants of Christian civilization, and we must band together to fight against the evils of the time. Wherever we find devotion to God and love of Our Lady, we need to be there.
The Ten Commandments America
Finally, America has remnants of moral behavior. Our national consensus was organized to favor prosperity. To ensure everyone got along, we adopted a moral code loosely based on the Ten Commandments to keep order.
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As a result, there is what might be called a “Ten Commandments America” out there, which still preserves a healthy attachment to moral values. Being attached to the Ten Commandments does not mean that we follow them all the time. Sadly, we don’t. And so this is hardly the conversion we need.
However, it does result in huge and healthy reactions in the areas of family, traditional marriage, property, religion, morality, and country. All these things are obstacles to the Left’s revolutionary agenda, which seeks to bring down these remnants.
The Culture War Takes Center Stage
That is why America’s Cultural War over moral values takes center stage. The attachment of so many Americans to moral values favors our fight. There are massive movements out there that are fighting these evils to which we can add our fervor and counter-revolutionary orientation.
What makes this action even more important is that we export these ideas worldwide. The pro-life movement, for example, is very American. Everyone looks to us for direction. Homeschooling is another American phenomenon. Other social movements also display a distinctly American brand.
This is why the Left hates the United States so much, especially this Ten Commandments America. It must be destroyed since it is an obstacle to the amoral, egalitarian society longed for by leftist ideologues.
Appreciating Our ‘God Bless America’ Moments
There are still many good things to fight for in America today. Indeed, we have much to celebrate on our cultural battlefield.
What makes things even more interesting is that we Americans are activists by nature. We are continually doing things. Some of these things are impressive and inspiring. Others are completely off track or even fail. We don’t always do things entirely right or on target. But . . . at least we do them.
And these efforts can result in causes for celebration. When you least expect it, you run into things that inspire you to have hope in America. These efforts of ordinary Americans can be not just effective but even marvelous.
Indeed, there are times when I see things that are so incredible and beautiful that the only thing I can do is shake my head and say: God Bless America.
My ‘God Bless America’ Moments
There are many “God Bless America” moments out there. They are truly inspiring. I present a list of nine such moments that give me hope in America. Not America as it is now, but for the Catholic America of the future.
1. There are one thousand perpetual adoration chapels nationwide, mainly organized by the laity. That is something truly amazing. I can only say: God bless America.
2. Certain restaurants set up missing man tables to honor those who died in battle. It is something very beautiful and sublime to see. I must say: God Bless America.
3. Despite all the scandals and problems inside the Church, we should rejoice in the spiritual odyssey of some 100,000 Americans who convert to the Catholic Church each year. No other Western nation comes close to these numbers. It is like a South Bend, Indiana, being added to our Catholic population annually. God bless America!
4. Should we not celebrate the defeat of Common Core, the educational program that would have destroyed education. Tens of thousands of activists and parents nationwide defeated the liberal establishment’s effort so that today no one dares to mention the program. God bless America.
5. How about this one? Over the last 15 years, pro-life protesters have permanently closed down 1,703 surgical abortion clinics nationwide. Isn’t it the case to say—God Bless America?
6. There are close to 20,000 rosary rallies in the public square. These events are held every year in October for the conversion of America. Sponsored by the America Needs Fatima campaign, it is incredible that something like this can be done on such a vast scale in our immoral times. And yet it is done. Does not that deserve a God bless America?
7. Norman Fulkerson and I co-wrote a book called Lighting the Way, which is a collection of these moments. They also include the unexpected dedication of Americans to excellence. We see the work of Americans to desire beautiful things and therefore advance our culture, whether it be the production of cheese or good Kentucky bourbon. Why not say it? God bless America!
8. n the same book, Mr. Fulkerson also related cases of heroism on the battlefield that leave the reader in awe. The fact that America still produces this type of soldier can only lead me to say God bless America.
9. When the commercial establishment started to cave in to secularism, we cannot help but be edified by the huge backlash that followed. The war against Christmas ended in defeat for many retailers (including WalMart) who have put the name of Christ back into a Merry Christmas that they wish to all.
The list can go on and on. People should make their own lists. We must recognize and work with the good elements that God has given us. Better yet, we should be ourselves reasons for God to bless America. We are in a privileged and blessed position to be actively fighting for Our Blessed Mother.
Remember, America is hated by her anti-Christian enemies not for her defects (and God knows there are many) but for what she represents of good. And that is what we must now defend.
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The text above is adapted from the talk, “Battling for God’s Glory While Waiting for Our Lady’s Intervention,” that was presented by John Horvat II at the American TFP’s National Conference held in Pennsylvania on October 26-27, 2019.