Some Anti-Straussophobic Answers

HARPERS thought Peter Minowitz had some more explaining to do in his defense of Strauss and Straussians. And I think his answers will be helpful to non- and anti-Straussians. We learn, for example, that Strauss became less Nietzschean and less militaristic over time, but not less pro-American or toughly anticommunist. The mature Strauss took a strong stand against both overemphasizing military virtue and thinking it can somehow become dispensable. Peter also quotes historian Gordon Wood’s complaint about the Straussians turning our Founding into a fetish without really contradicting him. But as our friend Bob Cheeks reminds us, Founderism is a noble and pious inclination that almost all American conservatives share in common. (Peter sent me this link in an admirable act of shameless self-promotion, and the only noble lie he’ll admit to is that the handsome picture of him isn’t so recent.)