Conservative activist Riley Gaines, a devout Christian, was not impressed with Donald Trump’s recent and now infamous post of himself as the seeming reincarnation of Jesus Christ. Taking to X, she asked why on earth he would consider doing such a thing. In his response, Trump denied that he had meant to compare himself to Christ and dismissed her criticism, saying he had never really been a “fan” of hers. Riley’s video response was wonderful!
Asserting that Trump clearly needed to learn some Humility, she nevertheless said that she loved him and continued to support his agenda. While her criticism of his character was undoubtedly true, she had in no way betrayed her conservative values. Predictably, however, among the millions of respondents to their conflict were many who declared her to be a traitor, a “grifter,” a “Rino,” i.e., a Republican in Name Only!
One’s Values need not blind one to the Truth. Gaines spoke not in response to her Ideology, but at the behest of her Conscience. Such Integrity is mandatory to all meaningful political discourse. This blog is called The Politics of Hate because the Left, devoid of any basis upon which to repudiate the Rational Values of conservatives, simply resorts to name-calling, i.e., Support a country’s right to maintain the integrity of its borders and you are a Racist! Suggest a 200 lb. individual with a penis ought not to compete in Women’s sports, and you are a Transphobe, etc., etc., etc..
While the vast majority of the conservative commentators I admire are governed by Reason rather than irrational biases, those who condemned Riley Gaines for simply criticizing Trump would seem to be guilty of the same intellectual inflexibility that cripples the Left. I found her honesty refreshing and a perfect example of the sort of integrity necessary to rescue Western Culture from the divisiveness by which it is presently paralyzed.