As an european, seeing the american far right make a hold-up on so-called "western civ" is deeply unsettling.
The thing they promote as rooted in "western civ" and say is shared among "westerners" is not related to anything I know here. It is also surprising to hear about the opposition to "multi-culturalism" when Europe has never had one single culture.
So please if you want to promote that thing of yours, stop calling it "western". Call it american, or what you want that doesn't represent it as rooted in some thing we'd share in your imagination.
You aren't clear in what things you claim the "far right" is advocating but I'm guessing it isn't the things that I think the right is advocating like:
* individual rights
* equality for women
* limited government (especially at the national level)
* free market economics
* personal responsibility
* separation of church and state
You are probably right that there are some things that are more American than European (expansive free speech rights, gun ownership), but I was trying to keep things simple by saying "western civ". The right wants to welcome people who support these ideas and shun people who don't support these ideas.
As for multiculturalism, your comments suggest that your use of that term is not the same as mine. Multiculturalism from the left is not about assimilating people from disparate cultures but instead is about insisting that the ideas I listed above aren't to be valued and instead all cultures and ideologies are to be accepted as is, leading to balkanization, discord, and the devaluation of the ideas that have made the "West" and America successful.
Half of the the things you cite are not core components of european societies. France has historically implemented colbertism, Germany is ordoliberal, both things which are at odds with free markets. Limited govt has never been a thing in Europe, e.g. most european countries have a government-run social system including healthcare. Personal responsibility is a major rift between american liberals (in its actual meaning) and european liberals, since europe mostly defends a positive enforcement of liberties, while the US goes the other way.
Promoting your ideas as "western civ" in order to give them polish is an unfounded appeal to authority. The fact that Europe succeeded despite not sharing your views shows why this appeal is wrong.
Please keep your internal politics at home, and don't get us involved.
I'm pretty surprised at the hostility you have in your comments and your effort to convince me that there is little in common between the ideas I listed and your understanding of European sensibilities in these areas. You almost go as far as too say that there is nothing in common.
I'm not willing to accept your pushback on its face, but it certainly has me thinking a bit more about my own assumptions about what we share with Europe.
I'm still in the dark about what has made you hostile to whatever you think the American "far-right" is advocating. If it is some of the ideas I listed that would be good to know. If it is some mistaken understanding about what the "far right" is in America, that would also be good to know but I can't really tell from your comments.
Well... yeah... but now we have a Commissioner for the "European way of life". Last time I checked that same person ought to be the commissioner for immigration.
The thing they promote as rooted in "western civ" and say is shared among "westerners" is not related to anything I know here. It is also surprising to hear about the opposition to "multi-culturalism" when Europe has never had one single culture.
So please if you want to promote that thing of yours, stop calling it "western". Call it american, or what you want that doesn't represent it as rooted in some thing we'd share in your imagination.