In defense of conservative intellectualism.

The same message is conveyed to me time and again. Why associate yourself with those who call themselves intellectuals? My reply is standard, curt, and to the point. If someone is an intellectual conservative, I reply, “who better to serve the needs of conservatism and libertarianism?”

My friend Rachel Alexander, editor of IntellectualConservative.com, is, aside from my mentors, a steadying force for those who advocate a thoughtful approach to modern conservatism. It will ring true to many that her Website is one of the most popular, and for good reason. People like thoughtful commentary and with Rachel’s writing, that is precisely what you receive.

Much of the dismay with the intellectual approach is due to our misconceptions about intellectuals. They are not, as intellectuals on the left like to be, elitists. In fact, some of the finest intellectual discussions this author has had are with people who put in forty hours a week and provide the base on which this country stands. One gentleman is aghast at the thought of me labeling him as an intellectual, but in fact he is, and a fine one to boot.

There is no requirement for intellectual thought, other than the ability to see things clearly, and sometimes dispassionately. One must look at an issue from all sides and then conclude what the proper response is to the situation. Passion is good for it stirs the emotions, but one cannot allow emotion to cloud judgment. Therefore, we look to those who have studied conservatism to provide commentary instead of the ones who claim conservatism for their own personal gain.

One prominent intellectual is George Will, the columnist who one time described himself as a Tory. George looks like a college professor, which is father was, but do not mistake Will’s looks. He is a worthy opponent to all things liberal, and a diehard baseball fan. While he and Bill Buckley may at times use words long out of current circulation, it is not out of a pompous attitude but more likely a word that has the intended effect. True intellectuals they both serve the right very well.

Do Will and Buckley represent conservative intellectuals alone? The answer is a firm no! In fact, most conservative intellectuals cannot be picked out of a crowd. They vary in age, education, wealth, and employment. It is simply impossible to pin down one with any certainty. That is, until they start talking good sense.

One item that intellectuals seem to share is wit. Will, as previously mentioned, a baseball fan, says “Football incorporates the two worst elements of American society: violence punctuated by committee meetings.” While most of us would not agree, Will is able to insert wit where it is needed.

It is widely agreed upon that many on the right who purport to dislike intellectual conservatives are driven less by convictions and more by envy. Why should this take place? This author was a boxer at one point and certainly would not fall into a professorial category of intellectual. Many of us share the same ideas, but because a few use the word intellectual, they are deemed as sellouts. What a quaint idea.

One need not possess the vocabulary of a Buckley, or the rough and tumble image of Buchanan. One need only be himself and let other conservatives decide for themselves how they like to be viewed.

In summary, the word intellectual, when used in its proper context, does not bring to mind those on the left who have hijacked a phrase and use it to describe the laggards of leftist land. Instead, it conjures up an image of any American who thinks about issues, and subsequently, decides to take part in discussions, writing, or some other way of disseminating information.