Ten years ago, on July 4th, 2010, the Ramparts of Civilization blog came into being.   Ramparts was inspired by several internet blogs such as Power Line and Instapundit that were maintained by well read, thoughtful people with regular jobs who felt in their spare non-work  time they had something to say.   They proffered  a writing style that discussed compelling and entertaining topics of the day,  told succinctly and with lucidity  often absent from “professional writers”in mainstream media. Ramparts of Civilization hoped to emulate a little of their discourse, and strive to achieve at least a modicum of their quality.  Not for a minute did I consider the blog would remotely approach their longevity.

The blog internet at the time was a big, noisy, unstable platform for anyone with a few spare minutes and a desire to put forth an argument or a reflection.  Like many flashy, trendy restaurants, the great majority of blogs crashed against the reality of how much work is involved in sustaining a project once the initial enthusiasm wanes and the initial idea doesn’t seem so fresh.  What has saved the very best blogs is a foundation of  topics and considerations that don’t “time out”, preventing the stultifying propagation of the feared ‘writer’s block’  dooming the great majority of non-professional writers.  Additionally, enduring blog writing has to face the reality that often there are very few people selecting you out for what you might have to say in a universe of billions of words of content – it can get damn lonely trying to write quality only to please yourself – unless you are really interested in the subject matter.

Luckily, Ramparts of Civilization determined to have Western Civilization as its backdrop for conversation,  with the limitless interesting possibilities that several thousand years of creativity and evolved thinking offered.  One could look back at the first post and acknowledge that , the “vision” was the thing….

 

July 4th, 2010

Happy 4^th of July. Welcome to Ramparts of Civilization.

            It is altogether fitting that on the 234^th anniversary of the articulation of the principles of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” that a blog defending and celebrating those immortal words finds birth and, hopefully, a long and fruitful existence.

            For some time I have felt a progressive dread that the clarity, beauty, and magnificence of the 2600 year journey of Western Civilization has been neglected by our current nature to the tenuous point of irrelevance.  All the hard learned lessons of the concept of individual freedom, creative expression, intellectual objectivity, and appreciation of the human spirit have been sublimated to a bland equivalence and desire to achieve a “soft landing” as a relic of history.

            Not so fast. On this blog, like minded individuals will man the ramparts and defend the concept of the Western Ideal, founded on the philosophy of the ancient Greeks, communicated through the ingenuity of the Roman engineer, unleashed through the miraculous words of a Nazarene carpenter, protected by the courage and literacy of the medieval monk, forged in the genius of the Renaissance,  released in the power of the Enlightenment, made available for all to participate by the miracle of the American Revolution, propagated through the Industrial Revolution, and defended by the brave warrior citizens when at times darkness threatened to descend and smother.

            And we will try to do this while having fun.

            I see this blog as the defender of the good and positive in history, politics, music, art, food, sport, science, technology and entertainment – and where my editorial expertise is lacking, through the musings and elaborations of those who know and love these cultural expressions more intimately than I.

            I look forward to learning, laughing, and illuminating.  To those owed so much who have defended before, and those who will pick up the lance, shield and standard, and defend ever after, welcome to the Ramparts.

Ten years later, some of the innocence but none of the passion of the vision has left these pages.  Although one could probably note similar reflections over previous decades, the past ten years in particular have seemingly brought about an especially organized and virulent assault on the notions of western civilization.  Reasoned thought and the creative impulse that have been the twin bedrocks of civilization, brought to full flower under the concept of individual liberty, have been  derisively thrown aside in favor of notions of communal guilt, victimization, and collective equality of outcome.  What Jefferson so beautifully framed as the pursuit of happiness has instead been treated by increasing numbers of so called  intellectuals as a tired, no longer pertinent quality to undergird modern life, in which the unique talents and achievements of some must not succeed at the expense of others and risk the collectives’ sense of esteem.  The accumulated contribution of individual forces to lift all boats and frankly make life more interesting and meaningful is being sacrificed at the altar of equal outcome.  Beyond the intense stupidity of promoting such actions, the transmission of power from those who create  to those who would determine outcome is the ultimate goal of our current “transformation” society overlords.

What other value proposition could we possibly see in the current trends of acquiescence in destruction of art, erosion of quality and demanding education for all who seek it, silencing of voices that provide contrary opinion, and demeaning of those who seek a meritocracy standard of ideas?

At ten years, Ramparts of Civilization has somehow fashioned a little place for itself with those who want to preserve the better angels of our nature, are willing to engage, and are not afraid of the past for what it tells us of our reason for being.  On these pages will be found, as long as the blog exists, a celebration and defense of the values and achievements of the many who have come before, and those who still against increasing reactionary pressure, shine.  For those of you who have sought this blog out for a little fortitude and reflection against the daily assaults of those who would seek to gaslight our past experiences and glories , welcome to your place at the Ramparts.

The light can only be extinguished, when there is no one left willing to keep the candle lit.

From this day to the ending of the world,  but we in it shall be remembered  – We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother, be he ne’er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition.

And gentlemen in England now a-bed, shall think themselves accursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks that fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s Day!

 Henry V , Shakespeare