Many columnists who tilt left in their politics are now being chastised and told to re-examine their distorted worldviews. That's because we were so wrong about the merits and outcome of the Trump candidacy. A common criticism is that we are elitist and have lost touch with the average working-class person.
One of my loyal readers accused me of never doing anything in my life "but suck the oxygen from the room. And people like you set back and always throw stone at everybody else's hard work, success and accomplishments. … People like me, plant the seeds, build the homes, build the apartments, build the roads, build the factories, harvest the food, process the food, so your useless dumb *** can live. And you think, you are so intelligent to direct us on who we should vote for."
First, those who are regular readers should know I was ambivalent about Clinton's candidacy and never endorsed her for president. I did consistently say that she was the better candidate because of the long list of Trump's character defects, and even my final column before the election counseled, "If you can't vote for Clinton, don't. But also don't use this decision as an excuse to vote for a man who is the most deeply flawed candidate in recent history."
Second, I was raised lower-middle class. My family didn't even own a car until my oldest sister needed one to commute to college. I sold shoes for three years and worked in factories on a refrigeration unit assembly line and as a forklift operator. Of course, none of this manual labor makes me either better or worse than anyone else, though it did give me some wonderful experiences and friendships. And my goal was always to earn cash enough to get my college degree, ably assisted by my gray-collar father's support.
After college, I served as an enlisted man during the Vietnam War and went to grad school courtesy of the G.I. Bill. This smacks more of ambition than elitism. I do understand that some folks might consider a college degree high on the "uppity" scale, but with my background, I simply can't.
I will admit to sometimes wearing my religion on my sleeve. I am a big advocate of Christianity's Beatitudes and saw more of them reflected in the Democratic platform. I didn't understand how blocking Syrian refugee families, building a southern wall or deporting teenage, immigrant "dreamers" served the poor in spirit, the meek or those "persecuted for the sake of righteousness."
I also didn't see how giving tax breaks to the rich at the expense of the safety net for the poor and elderly can be reconciled with Matthew 25:25: "For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in."
I am befuddled as to why "eight-in-ten self-identified white, born-again/evangelical Christians say they voted for Trump," according to the Pew Research Center's exit polling. I know evangelicals can easily talk the talk, but why can't they walk the walk? The still-controversial abortion issue aside, what redeemable Christian qualities did they see in the Republican platform and a candidate who lacks a moral compass?
I was especially troubled by Trump's coarsening of the American conversation through word and deed. Courtesy of the mass media, we have been sledding downhill for quite some time, but Trump has waxed the runners with his foul language, lewd comments about women and parodying of the handicapped. Doesn't this count for anything?
Do I think I am smarter than everyone else? Of course not, but this is the opinion page and I have opinions to share. These are based not on a narrow media diet, but on one that includes large gulps of conservative media, including talk radio and far-right websites and blogs. I do this to try to understand why people think the way they do. I can't deny that what I read, hear and see is sifted through my own selective filters. I am only human, but I am a fanatic about fact-checking.
On the Sunday after the election, our pastor sensed that many people were frightened and hurting. He counseled that prayer was the best remedy. Amen to that now, and for the next four years.
Frank Batavick writes from Westminster. His column appears Fridays. Email him at fjbatavick@gmail.com.
