This fits perfectly into my running theme that the best minds are breaking down due to the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump. I have long been a fan of the work of Robert P. George — and yes, even he is experiencing a crack-up. The other day when Trump answered a question wrong about punishing women who have abortions, George wrote a piece titled “Trump is No Pro-Lifer.”
Evidently, the great Robert P. George (and I do think he is great) can see into the heart of Trump on the issue of abortion.
The reality is, conservatives and Christians have been losing the information war for decades due to a lack of vision. Even though the pro-life movement has made great progress, it too has fallen short — abortion is still legal.
Trump’s mistake was understandable. Think about how simple it is. Things that are against the law typically have a penalty attached when the law is broken. Trump didn’t know what a lot of people don’t know because they haven’t thought about it to the degree so many veteran pro-lifers have.
Here is what I wrote in the comments section under George’s article:
As a fan of Professor George’s work, I’d like to suggest that had pro-lifers been better at fighting the information war, maybe people new to thinking about the issue (yes, sorry, some people are) would already have heard this part of the debate and thus they would be better prepared for that kind of question. I remember 20-something years ago being presented with that question and not having a ready-answer because I’d never thought far enough into it. I went to school on it fast, just as Trump now no doubt has as well.
Putting on the “I’m superior because I know” hat and calling anyone outside the enlightened circle as “not one of us” is only understandable when you realize our side doesn’t even know it’s losing the information war though its own limited vision and foolishness. We’re right on the substance — let’s reach more people and lessen the criticism of those who don’t yet know because we haven’t reached them.
If you’re shocked at what Trump doesn’t know, well, you should spend some time with more conservative Republican office holders and candidates. Cruz thinks religious liberty regarding the marriage issue is a state issue. Go figure.
Am I calling Robert George “childish”? I think what he wrote in the above-linked piece was a mistake. We all make them.
Rush Limbaugh made the point that the Republican Party still doesn’t understand how to deal with abortion. Trump’s mistake is just one more in a long line of mistakes.
Here are a few other posts about Trump’s mistake:
Was Trump Right That Women Who Have Abortions Should Be Punished?
Pro-Life Leaders Say Abortionists Should Be Punished, Not Their Women Victims
Donald Trump: “I Misspoke” Saying “Punish” Women for Abortions, Blames “Convoluted” Question
Image credit: www.barbwire.com.
