Normalizing Awful Behavior Under President Trump

Regular Contributor Raymond

A word I read a lot on liberal social media and hear from television shows with liberal slants is “normalize.” There is a huge concern that Republicans and conservatives are “normalizing” hatred and discrimination among groups of people based on the thoughts of a few or the misconstruing of the views of others. Liberals in the Democratic Party feel the need to use these words (and others) to address the outrageous behavior of Trump and his supporters.

I agree that we have a New Normal on our hands in this country.

-We used to preach about respect for women and their bodies. Where was that respect (and support) for the Female Trump Supporter at UC Berkeley who was pepper sprayed on video?

-We used to preach consistently about tolerance, love, and unity regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation. But where is that message when people attack black conservatives, gay conservatives, or Christians?

-We used to preach about supporting and defending the First Amendment. Where was that support and defense when actors who supported Trump or would-be performers at Trump’s Inauguration were brutally trolled? For the folks that wanted to hear Milo Yiannopoulos speak?

The events at UC Berkeley this week weren’t the tipping point. It was a further demonstration of the “New Normal” some in the media (and the party) want to desperately attribute to Republicans, conservatives, and Trump supporters after an embarrassing election cycle. Folks are finding new (and stupid) reasons to destroy their neighborhoods and college campuses for instant gratification and the need to create their own history. And instead of preaching the nonviolence on the campaign trail when we need it the most (Love Trumps Hate, Stronger Together, Low/High, etc.) many Democrats (including elected officials) refuse to address it or even condone the behavior.

I want to caution my fellow Democrats that this New Normal is not without consequence. In the “Hashtag de Resistance,” we fail to see that losing businesses, school enrollment, and other economic impacts could potentially hit these areas. It makes it difficult for anyone to find allies or simple solidarity because they are too busy calling someone a Nazi for merely asking why violence is necessary to protest. It makes the few moderates and conservatives we have left in the party want to jump ship, vote against party until we get it right, or sit out yet another election cycle. And it also gives validity to every single proposal the Trump Administration pitches to either curtail your freedom through Executive Order or defund your public primary/secondary schools and institutions of higher education. By condoning and participating in such behavior, you’re basically writing it for them.

When we look at all of this, it makes for an interesting argument. We are indeed normalizing awful behavior under President Trump. And all signs on the map point to the far left.