Dennis Prager Explains Core Differences Between Left and Right Ideologies

Role of God and Religion in Society

• 🌍 The left advocates for religion and God to be entirely private matters, aiming for a secular society.
• 🏛️ The right (conservatives) seeks a secular government but a religious society, believing religion is the basis of a moral society, echoing George Washington's views.
• 🇺🇸 The motto "In God We Trust" and the Declaration of Independence's reference to a "creator" highlight the historical significance of a supreme being in American founding principles.

Value of the Human Fetus

• ⚖️ The left views the fetus's worth as determined entirely by the mother, with no intrinsic value.
• ⚠️ The right believes the fetus is a full human being at some point (conception, heartbeat, or viability) and its worth is not determined by the mother.
• 🤔 A logical inconsistency is highlighted: if a pregnant woman wants the baby, its death is homicide, but if she doesn't, it's considered worthless.

American Exceptionalism and Global Threats

• 🗽 The left views "American exceptionalism" as chauvinistic bragging, while the right sees it as a historical reality based on liberty.
• 🔥 The left identifies global warming/climate change as the greatest existential threat to the world.
• 😈 The right identifies human evil as the greatest threat, questioning the existential nature of climate change and the feasibility of solely sun and wind power.

Conflict Resolution and Self-Defense

• 🕊️ The left attributes the Middle East conflict to Israeli settlements, while the right points to the Muslim desire for Israel's destruction.
• 🔫 The left idealizes a society with minimal gun ownership, while the right views gun ownership as a constitutional right for self-defense against criminals and tyranny.

Identity and Cultural Perspectives

• 🎨 The left sees art's purpose as challenging the status quo, while the right believes art should elevate and inspire.
• 🌍 For the left, all cultures are equal, and judging one as superior is seen as problematic; for the right, Western culture has demonstrably superior achievements in human rights and dignity.
• 🧑‍⚖️ The left views judges as pursuing "social justice," while the right believes judges should pursue actual justice.
• 🛂 The left sees national borders as a relic of the past, while the right considers them indispensable for national survival.

Societal Values and Primary Identity

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The left identifies the primary problem facing black Americans as white racism, while the right points to the breakdown of the black family.
• 🗣️ On the left, race is intrinsically significant, while on the right, race is ideally insignificant (race-blindness).
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 The left prioritizes world citizenship, while the right emphasizes national and/or religious identity as primary.
• ⚖️ The left advocates for an international authority imposing its will, while the right distrusts concentrated power, favoring nation-states and limited government.