Tired of all the uniformity being spewed out by those framing the story in our media landscape? May I suggest, then, that this may be the place for you?
The Ready Standard is a publication that seeks to cut through the tribalistic spin that defines the so much of the media on both ends of the political spectrum. Right-wing media for the past couple of years has increasingly become a people-pleaser operation for a very specific subgroup. The ideas championed by the great conservatives of the past such as Calvin Coolidge, William F. Buckley Jr., Milton Friedman, and Ronald Reagan have been sidelined for a populist craze that is fueled by personality rather than principle. Meanwhile, the left-wing media has been in the business for a long time to forgo truth and “objectivity” to serve their own partisan interests. Too often, the narrative is framed in such a dishonest way, and the ideas one will find in the opinion pages are truly preposterous and crazy. Moreover, much of the conservative and progressive sides lack a proper moral foundation. What is right and wrong anyway, and by what standard can we assert moral judgments?
Here at The Ready Standard, a traditional conservatism will be advocated, firmly rooted in the principles of Christianity. Christianity? Yes. This publication will not be a Bible-thumping outlet. So, the Bible will not be inserted into a topic without good cause. However, for The Ready Standard to be effective in this endeavor, it must be rooted in a solid foundation—Christianity. So many of the opinions offered in today’s society lack depth and intellectual honesty. The lack of a proper foundation is the biggest driver of this problem. This is not to say that atheists, agnostics, secularists, etc., cannot give honest, principled opinions and analysis. Some of them have turned out to be more principled than many who profess faith. This does not change the fact, though, that the non-theist lacks the ability to have a consistent moral grounding because they have no real grasp on transcendental truth to guide them. (Their appeal to tradition learned over millenniums of human experience is shaky at best.) Ultimately, if one is going to say something is right or wrong, there must be a moral law that defines the terms, and if there is a moral law, there must be a moral law Giver. At The Ready Standard, it will be asserted that this moral law Giver is the God of Christianity as revealed in the Bible and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Mission
The Ready Standard’s mission will be to provide fine analysis and commentary on politics, culture, and faith. Politics will be covered fairly but with a conservative viewpoint. It is important to emphasize that being conservative does not equal a party or select candidate loyalty. Conservatism is about ideas, not personalities. The political left and the right are increasingly so wrapped up in tribalism that they tend to act as nothing but cheerleaders for their sides. Self-reflection is nil. Writers and pundits have made themselves defenders of their ideological camps. At The Ready Standard, no party, candidate, politician, or media personality will be treated with kid gloves. It does not matter how “conservative,” “right-wing,” or even “Christian” they may claim to be. This is where that moral foundation comes in. In Christianity, there is no such thing as a “good” person. Every human being is flawed and incapable of changing his fallen nature. With this understanding affirmed, it becomes all the more clear that there is deep danger in being completely loyal to any side. Any person can make mistakes, have ulterior motives, and do awful things. It is the truth that must be defended at all costs, not someone who claims to be a torchbearer for your side.
Culture will be another area of commentary for The Ready Standard. The constant change of culture can be overwhelming. Moral clarity must be offered in this turbulent world. In this present time, all sorts of movements and fads are aggressively being advanced. Ideologies have been built around the subjects of race and sexuality. Our discourse is constantly flooded with acronyms like DEI and LGBTQ. Entertainment is increasingly advancing amoral worldviews. Amid this sea of cultural trends and sentiments, The Ready Standard is committed to providing helpful commentary while holding fast to objective truths and morals.
Faith is another very important subject that shall be expounded on here at The Ready Standard. As stated above, Christianity provides the foundation for this outlet. Christian theology, philosophy, and principles will receive considerable attention. Again, there will be no Bible-thumping. Of course, the Bible will be used constantly in discussions about faith, but it would be inappropriate to throw in a Bible verse in an article about current events unless it is fitting. Nevertheless, The Ready Standard will unapologetically defend its Christian foundation, and it will seek to appeal to a wider audience at the same time.
This mission statement is an ambitious one, and it may very well take a good amount of time before The Ready Standard can reach its full potential. But with your support, these goals can be realized. This brings us back to the opening question: Are you tired of the uniformity that both right-wing and left-wing media have been offering? If you want to help build something genuinely new, to be exposed to principled perspectives that just aren’t being publicly voiced in the media sphere often enough, then come jump on board with this endeavor. Help bridge the gap, and let’s see where this new path goes.
See you on the road, dear traveler.