Recently, RedState editor Ben Howe published a piece on the site Buzzfeed where he critiques a 'Tea party' film currently in production. His actions have come under attack a few reasons. One: Buzzfeed is a liberal-leaning site and some fear Howe has played into their hands. Two: Some question the fairness of voicing a negative opinion of a conservatively-themed film before it's even finished. I'm not discounting the fact that Buzzfeed may spin this, because that's what they do, but there is validity in critique when it comes to how conservatives approach pop culture.
Conservatives, whether it be the Republican party or the Tea party, have a little bit of a messaging problem. We can't seem to get a foothold in pop culture aside from being the constant butt of jokes. Our 'establishment' culture has abandoned the creative building blocks of pop culture and this is the root of the problem. Because of our unwillingness to be open to new ideas, we have become the old crotchety fogies they think we are.
When you think of conservative art, what do you think? Chances are you see an airbrushed-looking painting, saturated tones of crimson and sapphire, with a bald eagle and American flag. There may be a motorcycle or muscle car involved, perhaps some camouflage or sun rays and praying hands. The whole thing is just a hop, skip, and jump from a Confederate flag decal in the back of a hopped-up 4X4. But when liberals see art, or the art that promotes their views, it's nothing like this. They have an open mind and vast palette. They have their ears to the ground and they see the trends coming. They're not always hobbled by iconic cliches.
How about conservative music? It's usually country in genre, which isn't terrible, but that's all we can seem to get. What about the millions of people out there who like other types of music? They're bombarded by an unwavering stream of sex, drugs, and liberal propaganda. Why is it so hard to present a conservative message in a song that doesn't also contain references to John Deere tractors and pickup trucks?
Why are conservatives so set on presenting themselves like this? Art, design, music, film, and literature isn't always practiced by liberal minds. Case in point, myself. I'm an artist and designer and I'm not a liberal. I have creative friends who aren't liberals. Where is the local, regional, and national backing for our efforts? Oh, that's right, nowhere. Where are the candidates who wish to work with designers, photographers, and PR people who ride the cutting-edge waves of creativity? They're still content to try and do these things on their own or use design/PR firms who crank out antiquated designs and are quite possibly sabotaging the candidate because of their political views.
Look conservatives, it's time to wake up and have a bold cup of truth java (and a slap in the face). If we don't start taking this pop culture thing seriously, we're headed for the scrap heap. That means we have to start giving credence to the new voices in our midst, those who don't just want to smack a flag on something and call it good. It's time to find our George Clooney's, Beyoncés, and Shepard Faireys. We have to engage pop culture on its turf and that means bending our ancient rules a little. Be smart, be edgy, and the people will respond.
So in closing, I don't hold Ben Howe's actions against him. He saw something embarrassing (and possibly really damaging) in what these filmmakers are doing and he called them out on it. He called us out on it too. We're in the middle of a bloody culture war here and though it's never good to have dissension in the ranks, sometimes tactics have to change for the tides to turn. Could the forum been a little less hostile, sure, but these days there's really no use in preaching to the choir, especially when the entire church seems to be asleep.
