A Note to (White) Conservatives on the Death of Ahmaud Arbery

To my fellow (white) conservatives:

By now you probably know the name Ahmaud Arbery, the 25-year-old black man mercilessly killed in Georgia by vigilantes who wrongfully profiled and suspected him of neighborhood burleries. One does not have to be “woke” to see the killing of Ahmaud Arbery for what it truly is: a modern-day lynching.

In spite of all we now know about Ahmaud’s death – and the invidious racism that motivated it – conservatives have been mostly absent from the chorus of voices calling for justice on Ahmaud’s behalf.

Let me assure you, I have been conservative for as long as I can remember. Since I was a young man I have sat at the feet of our intellectual forefathers — people like Edmund Burke, William F. Buckley, Roger Scruton, and George F. Will. Like many of you I have worked for conservative causes and candidates – including running Kris Kobach’s 2010 campaign for Kansas Secretary of State – and I proudly call myself a Reagan Republican. In short, my conservative bone fides come after years of thinking about what it means to be conservative.

Speaking as a lifelong conservative, I’m compelled to conclude that our collective silence is shameful and without excuse. We should not allow our skepticism of opposing political views keep us from the essential task of calling out blatant instances of racism and evil.

Conservatism is about preserving what is good, true, and beautiful in history, tradition, and culture. It should never be used as an ideological blinder to shield us from injustice. As a conservative goaded by reality, I have learned from our black brothers and sisters that white privilege is not a fiction of the Left. Indeed, it is real and dangerous, and therefore should be taken utterly seriously by every person in America regardless of their political philosophy.

If you doubt me, ask yourself this simple question: Are you afraid to run in your neighborhood in broad daylight?

Personal freedom, high regard for the rule of law, protection of innocent life — these are among the esteemed core principles of conservatism. More importantly, they are the immoveable cornerstones on which our constitutional republic is built. Yet each one of these things and more were stolen from Ahmaud Arbery by racist men who willfully participated in evil acts which ended his life. The fact that it has taken over two months for charges to be brought against Ahmaud’s perpetrators is a gross affront to our justice system and the entire tradition of Western jurisprudence.

Conservatives should be the first ones calling — no, screaming! — for justice for this innocent young man and his anguished family. Our failure to do so goes against everything we say we stand for.

It is time for conservatives to put paid to the damnable lie that says racism is not a real threat in America. The death of Ahmaud Arbery stands as a tragic witness to the truth. If conservatives have any hope of renewing the culture and restoring Madisonian principles to government, we must first work to understand what it is like to be black in America.

“Morally speaking, there is no limit to the concern one must feel for the suffering of human beings, that indifference to evil is worse than evil itself, that in a free society, some are guilty, but all are responsible.” – Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel