How often have you heard someone say of a Republican politician that they don’t necessarily approve of everything they do or say, but at least they fight?  What exactly do we mean when we say—often approvingly—that someone is a fighter?  Why is the Right so concerned with whether or not someone is fighting?  Who are they supposed to be fighting, and what does it mean to fight?  What is the role of civility in public discourse, and is it possible to maintain an appropriate amount of civility while still fighting?  If we grant that the Right seems to be on the losing end of the culture wars, what is the best course of action?  Does fighting mean we develop our own form of cancel-culture and work to produce as many liberal tears as we can?  Or does it mean we work to rebuild our own cultural values?  Can both be done at the same time?  Is it even possible to make cultural gains through political means?

 

Bob Burch joins Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis to hash out these questions and more in a conversation where they—ironically—have more to fight about than usual.