'Right out of the Marxist playbook': Bishop Barron dismantles Ocasio-Cortez's criticism of Western culture

A prominent Catholic leader took on criticism against Western culture from Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and exposed its Marxist underpinnings.

Bishop Robert Barron posted a video to the X platform where he first applauded Sec. of State Marco Rubio on his speech defending Western culture at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

'Your argument is, well, because cultures always change? Well, that's a banality!'

"He was talking about the shared culture of Europe and America. He referenced gothic cathedrals and Dante and Shakespeare and even the Beatles," Barron said.

"And his point was, we gotta get beyond just our political differences and find our sources in the great culture that unites us," he added. "Then he took a further step that was very much in line with Pope Benedict XVI and Christopher Dawson, namely that culture is grounded in 'cult' — at the root of all culture is something like religion. And so he wasn't afraid to reference the Christian faith as a key element in giving rise to the shared culture of Europe and America."

Barron then turned his attention to Ocasio-Cortez, who tried to respond to Rubio's speech by belittling the idea of a Western culture at all.

"I think it's also important to note how thin that foundation is. ... And so, the response that we have to have is, again, it's material. It's class-based. It's common interest," the congresswoman said.

"I was very struck by her answer. I thought it was very illuminating," Barron responded.

"She said, 'Oh, you know, this appeal to culture, it's so 'thin' because culture is ephemeral. It's always changing, and so we shouldn't pay attention to the culture. We should just pay attention to the material foundations in the class struggle,'" he added.

"Well, all of that, everybody, is right out of the Marxist playbook," Barron chuckled.

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"First of all, that Western culture, as Rubio invoked it, is 'thin'? The culture that gave us all those great figures, that gave us the rule of law, that gave us respect for the rights of the individual, that gave us our democratic political system, that gave us the university system, that's thin?" he asked rhetorically.

"And your argument is, well, because cultures always change? Well, that's a banality!" Barron added.

"I mean, of course cultures are alive. They change and evolve. It doesn't mean for a second we can't identify the key elements within a culture that gives it its character. But also this, to characterize culture as 'thin' is a Marxist move," he explained.

"Marx said that culture is simply an epiphenomenal superstructure on top of the economic substructure, and don't be distracted therefore by 'the culture.' That's just protecting the economics at bottom," Barron added. "Well, again, listen to her. 'Let's pay attention to material conditions and to class struggle.' Again, that's the Marxist playbook."

He went on to warn that Marxism is gaining popularity among politicians and cited New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) and his comments about collectivism.

"What's worrying me, everybody, is the extent to which political leadership on the left in America is becoming unapologetically Marxist," Barron continued.

"Might I encourage followers of Mayor Mamdani and AOC: Talk to some of them — they're still alive, some of them — the people that fled Marxist tyranny in Europe. People laboring under it to this day in Cuba, North Korea, Venezuela, et cetera."

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He went on to point out that religion was the first target of Marxism.

"It concerns me not just as someone who follows politics but as a bishop of the Catholic Church. Marx himself said the first critique is a critique of religion. And his political adepts followed him. The first thing the Marxist tyrannies went after in most cases was religion," he continued.

"I am getting a little concerned that in some of these leading figures in our own politics, a Marxist philosophy is taking hold. As a religious leader, this is concerning me quite a bit," Barron added.

"Take a look, everybody. Attend to the language. In a way, they're telling us who they are and what they're for. And I think that should be very concerning to everybody," he concluded. "God bless you."

Barron is the bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in Minnesota.

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