ERLC Fellow Defends Drag Queen Story Hour in ‘Anti-Christian Nationalism’ Book
Paul D. Miller is a Professor of the Practice of International Affairs at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and co-chair of the Global Politics and Security concentration.
He’s a research fellow for the ERLC and his writings have appeared in Mere Orthodoxy and The Gospel Coalition. Notably, he also wrote the 2022 book The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism, which has been endorsed by Russell Moore and Karen Swallow Prior and whose forward was written by David French.
This tracks, given some of the comments found in his book, which include an apologetic for Drag Queen story hour.
For example, to return to Drag Queen Story Hour, if Ahmari and Vermeule are right, it would be impossible for a library administrator to effectively, impartially adjudicate the requirement to sustain “viewpoint neutrality” in deciding how to allocate library resources.
But that seems absurd on its face. How hard is it to say both drag queens and fundamentalist Christians can both use the library and host events there? This isn’t especially hard, no matter how deep original sin goes, no matter the noetic effects of the fall.
And if it is possible, it is also desirable: drag queens are people too, and no matter your views on their sexuality, they are tax-paying citizens and deserve equal treatment under law and thus equal access to public resources.
Denying them access to public facilities on the basis of their beliefs or identities would be simply unfair and unjust, a clear misapplication of government’s duty to promote good and punish evil.
Commenting on his argument, the Dissenter, where this story first appeared, notes:
This isn’t just an academic critique of a political philosophy—it’s a full-throated assault on any attempt by Christians to exert meaningful influence over the nation’s trajectory…the man is so desperate to tear down Christian political influence that he finds himself making an apologetic for men in dresses having play dates with little children in public libraries…
This is the exact same delusional reasoning put forth by David French, who infamously dubbed Drag Queen Story Hour a “blessing of liberty.” It is the logical endpoint of an ideology so desperate to avoid the appearance of Christian political engagement that it ends up championing the most grotesque elements of the secular revolution.
If drag queens must be accommodated, then why stop there? Strippers, sex workers, and even drug dealers are tax-paying citizens too. By Miller’s logic, why not let them indoctrinate children in public spaces? Why not remove all moral considerations from the public square and leave it as a free-for-all for whatever depravity our decaying culture can muster?
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