Princeton University Professor Robert George, an outspoken social conservative, has “declared June to be ‘Fidelity Month’—a month dedicated to the importance of fidelity to God, spouses and families, our country, and our communities.”“You may have read about the rather disturbing recent WSJ poll indicating a precipitous decline in our fellow Americans’ belief in the importance of such values as patriotism, religion, family, and community—the values that used to unite Americans despite our many differences,” he wrote on Facebook. “There are a million things we can and should do to restore the faith of our people, and begin to heal the dreadful division in our county, but I would like you to join in one small one.”“I’d be grateful,” he continued, “if you and any organizations which you are involved in, or in which have influence… recognize and celebrate Fidelity Month. Put out a statement. Hold an event (like hosting a speaker on the importance of any of the values we need to restore). Use the symbol [a myrtle—the emblem of fidelity] to make and fly a Fidelity Month flag. Use the symbol as your Facebook banner or profile picture or on your website. Think of other things to do.” SEE ALSO: When everyone bows, are you willing to stand? Fidelity Month, of course, stands in opposition to Pride Month, and the idea behind it is brilliant. Rather than put any undue attention on the deadly sin of pride, Prof. George seeks to instead elevate a virtue.While pride puts the self above the whole, thereby weakening society, fidelity subjects selfish desires to a greater good. Pride encourages all manner of deviance (including infidelity); fidelity promotes faithfulness, steadfastness. It puts moral propriety above the boundary-breaking, social fabric-tearing narcissism of LGBTQ pride.Prof. George seems to understand that railing endlessly against a degenerate ideology—as conservatives often do—will not accomplish anything if we do not put a substitute virtue in its place. That is to say: we cannot simply be anti-something bad; we must be pro-something better, something pure.The left’s obsession with pride—a vice—says all we need to know about the error of their ways. But what are we to do about it? Simply complain? Bemoan the capitulation of corporate America? Surely, there’s more to be done than just that.If a small minority can pressure the whole country into celebrating something shameful, surely we can do the reverse. We can make virtue fashionable again. SEE ALSO: Josh Hawley’s new book celebrates virtuous masculinity “We want to hold up models of fidelity during this month,” Prof. George explained in an interview, “the saints, martyrs and other heroes who have given their lives for the poor and their faith, or who have made sacrifices in order to stick to their principles, or who have served their country, like the men who hit those beaches at Normandy.”“We want to highlight the good things that fidelity serves and supports,” he added.This month, we can bet on being inundated with many examples of degenerate behavior, but let’s not allow the left a monopoly on setting societal paradigms. Rather than simply gawk, let’s make June our own.America doesn’t need another Pride flag or celebratory display of sin. We need virtue. We need virtue on display for the world to see and again strive for.Jakob Fay is a staff writer for the Convention of States Project, a project of Citizens for Self-Governance.
