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Entry: The Pragmatism of Russell Kirk Link: http://www.takimag.com/site/article/the_pragmatism_of_russell_kirk#3589 Post contents: I have limited time at present, but a few thoughts. I am less pessimistic than some that there is an American conservative tradition upon which to call. However, and some will not like this, the American conservative tradition by necessity of historical demographic fact has to be Protestant. Any attempt to create a Catholic based conservatism is inherently going to be artificial outside certain communities or regions. Also, for sheer historical demographic reasons as well, an American conservatism is going to be more British (including Celtic) than Continental. Conservative traditions are naturally conserved/preserved and not created. But once you get so far down the line, I don’t think there is anything wrong with attempting to recreate one. This is what I think Kirk was attempting. I would clearly be very difficult/impossible to create a conservative tradition where one never existed. (It would be natural if there existed a conservative impulse.) I am just not as skeptical as Dr. Gottfried and others that one never really existed. Is that the essence of your argument? Sent at: 2008 09 06