March 23, 2021

 

MY CORNER by Boyd Cathey

 

My Recent Contributions to the Culture War: We Are All Called to Engage

 

Friends,

One of the satisfactions I receive in writing these little essays at MY CORNER is seeing them picked up and published by major Web magazines. I generally write for two reasons: first, I think—and hope—that what I have to say is of some importance, that in some way some readers will find what I write to be of interest and just maybe cause additional reflection and thought. And, second, I believe we all have a God-given duty to use whatever grace and talent we have in defense of our inherited Christian civilization which is under such severe assault in our age.

Each one of us has endowed graces, talents…and those talents are personalized, and cannot really be measured in comparison to the talents of others. It would be, I believe, wrong to appraise and weigh talents between individuals—an invidious comparison. As St. Matthew recounts in the Parable of the Talents,  we are not judged by God by how we compare to others, but on how well we fulfill and use our talent, that grace given to each of us singularly.

Thus, the brilliant scientist who does not use his knowledge, his gift from God, fails the test; while a simple but caring and Christian father who raises a family annealed in the love of Our Lord, succeeds.

My believe is that this is what we all must do…not to lament that we are not like person X the billionaire or person Y the famous sportsman, but that we understand who we are, what our goal is in this life, what talents we have…even those that appear the most mundane or smallest. For the delight and joy of Our Lord over a father who raises a truly Christian family is, surely, far greater than the disappointment over a scientist’s failure to use his knowledge.

I am a disaster at math and figures—I always check my figures three times for error. Years ago my father summed up my gardening skills thusly: “You’re the first in my family to totally lack a ‘green thumb’.” Technology and computer science elude me...I’m lucky to have even email, much less use other programs (I still have my old trusty typewriter upstairs). I’m not much of a “fix it up” guy—thank goodness I have some skillful neighbors (who take pity on me).

What I am saying is this: writing is what I can do, and sometimes maybe it will be (I hope) of value, it may reach a reader and mean something. It took me years to understand that: this is my offering to the good Lord, my talent, such as it is.

So, today I am pleased—and also honored—to mention that six of my last MY CORNER essays (from late February to late March) have been snatched up and published by online magazines at least nine times. As a writer it is gratifying to have my works published. But more, if the things I write about, the things I say can have some resonance, reach folks and cause them to think, then I will count that a success…and a fulfillment of whatever talent that God has given me.

Here are those essays and where they appeared:

First, my essay, “The Curse of Canine Racism,” published on MY CORNER, February 17, and then published by RECKONIN.com on February 26: https://www.reckonin.com/boyd-cathey/the-curse-of-canine-racism

There followed an essay which has received quite a lot of comment and exposure: “My Friend Susan, Abraham Lincoln, and the Pod People.”  It was featured on MY CORNER on February 28. And then on March 2 it was published by both -

 

1) LewRockwell.com, at: https://www.lewrockwell.com/2021/03/no_author/my-friend-susan-abraham-lincoln-and-the-pod-people/   

 

2) And by THE UNZ REVIEW, at: https://www.unz.com/article/my-friend-susan-abraham-lincoln-and-the-pod-people/ 

 

I reviewed the film “Firetrail” (the uncut version) on March 9, “The Film ‘Firetrail’ and Sherman’s March Through the Carolinas.” That one was picked up by both -

1) The Abbeville Institute (March 17): https://www.abbevilleinstitute.org/blog/firetrail/

2) And by RECKONIN.com (March 15): https://www.reckonin.com/boyd-cathey/the-film-firetrail

LewRockwell.com also published my long essay of March 10, “Liberty or Equality: You Cannot Have Both,” as part of their March 12 offerings: https://www.lewrockwell.com/2021/03/no_author/liberty-or-equality-you-cannot-have-both/

 

Also, my little film review, “Three Great Films I Recommend,” at MY CORNER on March 14, then appeared at LewRockwell.com on March 15: https://www.lewrockwell.com/2021/03/no_author/793401-2/

 

Lastly, my essay, “The Musical Trojan Horse: Destruction of Western Civilization through Music and the Arts,” which I authored on March 19, was republished by both -

1) THE UNZ REVIEW (March 20): https://www.unz.com/article/the-musical-trojan-horse/

2) And at LewRockwell.com on March 22: https://www.lewrockwell.com/2021/03/no_author/the-musical-trojan-horse-destruction-of-western-civilization-through-music-and-the-arts/

My hope is that you will return to these essays as published and read them again. Despite the diverse subjects, I think they all revolve around a central core purpose and goal: to defend our inherited Western and Christian civilization. My voice is a small one—there are others with far more resonance and influence, some of whom I have quoted from time to time. But I am aware that we all—each of us, from the father who raises a Godly family to a national figure who commands a large audience—have a role to play in the terrible conflict which confronts us and threatens to extinguish us.