The left’s inability to self-reflect combined with an unfounded sanctimonious attitude have led many left-leaning pundits to blame the outcome of the 2016 election on a combination of racism – “white lash” as Van Jones put it, sexism and bigotry. Numerous comedians and celebrities have emerged from their Beverley Hills mansions to admonish the American people and warn that America is still a racist, sexist, bigoted place. However, this is another case of inanity on the left.
The rise of Donald Trump is a response to the far left “social-justice warrior” progressive movement – and leftists remain, to an astonishing degree, blinded by their own self-righteousness.
Before I am accused of blaming Trump’s victory entirely on the left, I will concede this: the right enabled Trump throughout the entire election process and ought to be ashamed of its doing so.
But the left is at least equally culpable for Trump’s victory.
Many Americans are sick of being told they are racist, sexist, bigoted homophobes. They find it ridiculous that failing to call someone by their preferred gender pronoun, such as “ze,” could result violation of New York City Human Rights Law, and subsequently lead to hefty fines in that city. They are disgusted when they watch Black Lives Matter tear apart cities through riots and looting, and are sick of being told jihadism has nothing to do with Islam. They cringe when they hear Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama claim we all deal with serious implicit bias. Americans are fed up with political correctness. Most importantly, they are sick of being lied to by the media.
The media has “cried wolf” about Republicans for years. Mainstream media pundits compared Mitt Romney to authoritarian strongmen, and they called George W. Bush a war criminal. This time, there really was a wolf at the door, and the media’s cries fell upon deaf ears.
In 2012, after Mitt Romney narrowly lost to President Obama, Bill Maher said of Republicans, “They were shocked by this election … they need to somehow fix the way they get information … They were rudely awakened last night.” Maher, who recently admitted he had “cried wolf” about Republicans (only to go on and compare Trump to Hitler), should take his own advice.
The left has been in full meltdown mode for the past weeks: pundits have doubled down on the “racist, sexist” narrative, protesters have taken to the streets chanting “F*** Donald Trump,” and #NotMyPresident trended on Twitter. If only the left could see that these actions vindicate the hesitant Trump supporter: they make the folks who voted for Obama twice in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan even more satisfied with their choice of Trump in 2016. Until Trump takes office, the left will continue to tear itself apart and expose its childish core.
Zach Gluckow is a freshman majoring in philosophy and political science.
Feature photo courtesy Flickr user Michael Vadon.