Dennis Prager

Dennis Prager (born August 2, 1948) is a syndicated radio host, columnist and public speaker in the United States.

Related Topics:
August 2 - 1948 - Syndicated - Radio - Columnist - Public speaker - United States

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Prager is a advocate for conservative causes and the Republican party. Although he sometimes describes himself as "passionate centrist" or a "JFK liberal", he is critical of leftist ideology and the Democratic party leadership.

Related Topics:
Conservative - Republican - Centrist - JFK - Democratic

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dennis Prager often presents his political positions in moral terms. In his articles, broadcasts, and speeches, Prager claims that America is threatened by two political forces -- by Islamic Fundamentalism from abroad and by left-wing sentiment from within the United States itself. Prager believes the definition of the word "liberal" has shifted somewhat in the last half-century towards a worldview obsessed primarily with identity politics, one based purely on feeling, and lacking the intellectual rigor of right-wing politics. He charges what he deems the liberal institutions in America (among which he includes universities, trial lawyers, the ACLU, and the liberal press including the New York Times) with leading Americans away from Judeo-Christian values in favor of secular humanist ones. Prager claims that the US is now engaged in a "culture war" over fundamental values, which he describes as America's "second civil war." He believes that this divide in moral values is not only present as a fissure within the United States, but he also describes a growing rift which sees occuring on a global scale, one that divides the United States from other industrialized societies. Prager accuses Western Europe and Canada of suffering from "a broken moral compass" and charges that the dominance of leftist thought in those countries have changed their societies into "moral wastelands."

Related Topics:
Political - Moral - Islamic Fundamentalism - Left-wing - Liberal - Identity politics - Right-wing - ACLU - New York Times - Secular humanist - Culture war - Civil war - Europe - Canada

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Although he is Jewish, Prager is a strong supporter of Christian values on the whole. In particular, he favors the ethical beliefs and worldview of the Protestant Christian community in the Central United States. The most transcending theme throughout his work, is the promotion of this set of morals, which he describes in broad terms as "ethical monotheism". Prager believes ethical monotheism to be "the finest set of values to guide the lives of both individuals and societies", and argues that most contemporary domestic crises stem from the absence of these religious values in American life.

Related Topics:
Jewish - Christian - Protestant Christian - Central United States

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Prager does not believe that all Jewish or Christian organizations share these values, however, such as the Anti-Defamation League, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the National Council of Churches.

Related Topics:
Anti-Defamation League - Presbyterian Church (USA) - National Council of Churches

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Prager is a vocal proponent of right-wing American politics. He defends the current Bush administration against its detractors and believes, on a more personal level, that God intervened to make George Bush president. He is an enthusiastic supporter of such initiatives as the War in Iraq, and the movement to teach Intelligent Design in high school science classes. Prager opposes the liberalisation of marriage laws to include homosexual marriages; and specifically decries the increasing normalization of homosexual, transexual and transgendered values into American life. He bears a strong distrust of feminism and gay pride proponents motives.

Related Topics:
War in Iraq - Intelligent Design

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Prager has taken up several personal causes to preserve references to God and the Ten Commandments in public facilities such as schools, parks, and courthouses. In 2004, he spearheaded a movement to protect the official seal of the County of Los Angeles from being redesigned in such a way as to remove a small Christian cross from its imagery after complaints about the seal from the ACLU.

Related Topics:
Ten Commandments - County of Los Angeles - ACLU

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A controversy occured in October 2005 after he challenged liberal radio talk show host Ed Schulz to a debate and Schulz accepted, then backed down. Prager was told by Schulz's radio producer that the debate was off, but on the radio Schulz claimed that Prager had lied and that he had never backed out of the debate. In fact, stated Prager on his October 7, 2005 radio program, this was only true in that it was Schulz's producer, not Schulz himself, who cancelled the debate. Prager stated that he would gladly debate Schulz any time, any place, and with the moderator of Schulz's choice.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~