Roots of the Conservative Revolt: The Shot Across the Bow

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If you have been paying attention over the past few years, you might have noticed a shift in our political landscape. It wasn’t an instant change per se, but it was a slow boil, one that grew more intense until it finally bubbled over. It was the igniting of a conservative revolt, the effects of which we are seeing today.

One could argue that the result was the election of President Donald Trump, but I would submit to you that his election was only the beginning. Many have stated that we are locked in a cultural civil war. I beg to differ. We are in the midst of a conservative rebellion against a left-wing establishment that has sought to minimize our voices and force their ideology on the rest of the American public.

Similar to the colonists who grew so weary of British tyranny that they could no longer tolerate it, conservatives have finally decided to throw off the cultural totalitarianism of the left. Trump’s election was merely the opening salvo against the far-left ideology that has dominated the majority of this nation’s most important institutions.

Why Does the Conservative Counterculture Exist?

It isn’t easy to pinpoint the exact moment when conservatives’ frustration with the left-wing establishment began, but it seems to have come to a head after President Obama took office. We had just elected our first black president, and Americans on both sides of the political spectrum celebrated this fact. Many believed it would lead to better relations between races.

It didn’t.

The relationship between minorities and whites only became more tense – not because whites suddenly became more racist, but because many on the far left used false accusations of bigotry to bully and shame folks into complying with them.

However, it wasn’t just racial issues that set this rebellion into motion. This revolt was also a direct response to the left’s constant bullying and attempts to silence conservatives.

Singer Joy Villa, who attracted condemnation for wearing a “Make America Great Again” dress to the Grammys, addressed this issue when she was asked about her wardrobe choice:

“I was tired of the bullying. I was tired of being pushed down so that I couldn’t say my beliefs. And being fearful of losing sales. Losing fans. Losing bookings. Losing contracts and sponsorship. You know, that’s my day to day. And a lot of my friends have the same thing. And we live in Hollywood, which is supposed to be the most open viewpoint city. But the truth is there was a lot of hate and a lot of negativity, and I wanted to change the storyline to love and support and unity as an American.”

The far left is in control of most of America’s institutions. Our universities, entertainment industry, and news media are all run by leftists who use their positions to propagate so-called progressive ideas. Moreover, they silence and demean conservative voices to keep Americans from hearing any viewpoint other than their own.

The Revolution Doesn’t Just Include Conservatives

It is interesting to note that the right-wing insurgency isn’t made up only of run-of-the-mill conservatives. It includes libertarians, anarchists, conservatarians, and even some self-avowed classical liberals. Yes, that’s right, there are left-wingers in the rebellion.

Dave Rubin is a prime example of a left-leaning personality who has found himself at odds with his own side. They’ve gone so far to the left that they have alienated people like Rubin and even actress Roseanne Barr. Indeed, the intellectual dark web – a group of prominent political thinkers who oppose identity politics – is made up of staunch conservatives like political pundit Ben Shapiro and far leftists like podcaster Sam Harris.

Battlefields in the Rebellion

The conservative cultural rebellion is being fought on several fronts. These battlefields are important parts of American culture – and they are currently dominated by the far left. For decades, conservatives have allowed them to slowly earn more influence and power in these areas.

However, for the first time in years, conservatives are mounting a credible challenge in these areas – and in some ways, they are making progress. Some of these battlefields include the following issues:

Identity politics
Political correctness
Establishment media bias
Cultural totalitarianism
Free speech
Globalism Nationalism
Political bullying tactics
Third-wave feminism
Intersectionality
Gun control

While there are possibly others these are the most prominent.

This Is Not a Civil War; It Is a Rebellion

Conservatives are finally rising up against the far left’s control over our society. While the social liberals were stunned by the GOP’s victory in 2016, Americans on the right took it as a sign of the left’s weakening influence. It revealed the cracks in their armor, and we have begun to exploit those vulnerabilities.

The left likes to claim that they are the resistance, but this is inaccurate. Despite holding control of the government, conservatives do not have much influence over our other important cultural institutions. This is what the conservative resistance seeks to change.

Unlike the American Revolution against the British, this conflict is not being fought with guns and cannons. There is no blood being shed, no generals or soldiers. Instead, it is being fought with social media, alternative media, and grassroots organizing.

Do not be fooled. The left’s hold on our culture is not absolute, and it is not impenetrable. There is a reason an outsider like President Trump was able to defeat the most establishment Democratic candidate in recent history. Sure, the president is persuasive and competent – but he is more than that. Love him or hate him, he is a sort of resistance avatar – the symbol of our rebellion – despite his flaws.

People have stated that there is a reckoning coming between conservatives and the far left. This is not true. The reckoning is here. The question is: Who will win?

“The thing worse than rebellion is the thing that causes rebellion.”

– Frederick Douglass

About the author

Jeff Charles

Socio-political Correspondent at LibertyNation.com. A self-confessed news and political junkie, Jeff’s writing has been featured in Small Business Trends, Business2Community, and The Huffington Post. Born in Southern California and having experienced the 1992 L.A. Riots up close and personal, Jeff’s insights are informed by his experiences as a black man and a conservative.Race Relations & Media Affairs Correspondent