Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Gratuitous Hatred is Destroying The Republicans (And FreeRepublic)
National Review ^ | 3/1/2016 | Dennis Prager

Posted on 03/03/2016 4:52:15 AM PST by LouD

Gratuitous Hatred Is Destroying Republicans — Just as It Did the Ancient Israelites By Dennis Prager — March 1, 2016 I have been a radio talk-show host for 33 years, nationally syndicated for 18. I have never experienced anything similar to what I am experiencing now. Until recently, the only hate mail I ever received was from a small number of people on the left. The major reason for this, I am convinced, is that I don’t yell at callers and I treat callers who disagree with respect.

Reading my e-mails these days is a brand-new experience. I receive hate mail, sometimes laced with obscenities, from Republicans. Most of it comes from Trump supporters, even though whenever I explain my opposition to Trump, I also explain that I understand why so many people support Trump, and even though I ask anti-Trump listeners to respect these Trump supporters.

To show how widespread the hatred among Republicans is, here are excerpts from an e-mail sent by a Cruz supporter in Michigan. He was livid at my having suggested that Cruz consider announcing that he will now back Rubio in order to give Republicans a unified opposition, which is the only chance to stop Trump. I might add that I have said many times that if I could simply appoint a Republican president, it would be Ted Cruz, since he is a true conservative and he doesn’t care whether people love him. However, I believe that Rubio – at least until this weekend and his imitation of Trump’s high-school-level personal insults – has been the Republican with the best chance of defeating Hillary Clinton.

The listener’s e-mail read in part:

Dennis, I can’t tell you how p**sed off I am at you for suggesting Cruz drop out in favor of the back stabbing, lying Rubio. You have compromised your own principles. . . . Despicable! A*****es like you . . . lie about “if I could appoint a president, it would be Cruz.” Screw you and all your Salem colleague’s [sic] for pushing the false narrative ‘Rubio is more electable.’ . . . I am no longer a faithful listener and have switched back to Rush after many years. You have lied by obfuscation, and tried to manipulate your listeners, and for that, I despise you and the other Salem turncoats. You all can go F*** yourselves!

As noted, I have quite a few e-mails from Trump supporters who, after years, even decades, of listening to my show, have decided that I am no longer worthy of being listened to. If one doesn’t support Trump, they believe, one is a traitor to the cause.

It is important to point out that I have said over and over that I would vote for Trump if he were the nominee, because it is difficult to conceive of even Trump being worse than four more years of a left-wing president and decades of a left-wing Supreme Court. But to more than a few Trump supporters that is not enough: If you don’t support Trump, you are the enemy.

RELATED: The Worrisome Implications of 2016’s ‘Insult Campaign’

In a nutshell, the hatred and contempt some of the Republican candidates have shown one another is reflected among rank-and-file Republicans. I understand why: Most Republicans view this election as the last chance to save America from becoming the opposite of what it was founded to be. The Left has been eating away at America’s foundational values for nearly a century, and it has been largely successful. Two examples: Seventy percent of college students do not believe in freedom of speech if the speech might hurt someone’s feelings, and many young Americans support a socialist for president.

Meanwhile, many Republicans believe that only their candidate can turn things around. Therefore, Republicans who oppose their man are regarded as no different from Democrats — indeed, perhaps worse.

So this is where we stand today: Many anti-Rubio Republicans regard Rubio as a traitor on the immigration issue and therefore have contempt for his supporters. Many anti-Cruz Republicans regard Cruz as an extremist conservative who is, moreover, a misanthrope, and therefore have contempt for his supporters. And many anti-Trump Republicans – perhaps most – regard Trump as a dangerous fraud, and therefore view his supporters with contempt.

Needless to say, with these attitudes, there is little chance any Republican can win.

RELATED: Stop Defending Trump’s Poisonous ‘Middle-Finger Politics’

So, then, despite eight years of failure under a Democratic president, and with Hillary Clinton — widely regarded as a completely untrustworthy woman who has put pursuit of money and power above the interests of her country — as the Democratic candidate, Republicans will still lose.

And Republicans will have no one to blame but themselves.

In Jewish tradition, there is a famous explanation for the destruction of the Jewish state by the Romans in 70 a.d. The ancient rabbis did not blame the Romans. They blamed the Jews. And the reason, they said, was “gratuitous hatred” — Jews hating one another for no good reason.

Bear in mind: Not all hatred is gratuitous. The hatred of evil, for example, is actually the only moral response to evil.

But gratuitous hatred is utterly destructive. And that’s what many Republicans now have for one another — and what will therefore enable today’s Romans, the Democrats, to destroy our country in the year 2016.

— Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host and columnist. His latest book, The Ten Commandments: Still the Best Moral Code, was published by Regnery. He is the founder of Prager University and may be contacted at dennisprager.com. © 2016 Creators.com


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: absolutism; boohoolou; dennisprager; gop; happy2losewithcruz; losewithcruz; purges; tedthebestloserever
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 181-188 next last
To: MNJohnnie
There are no perfect candidates. I have not declared my support for any of the remaining candidates over the other, but I think either Cruz or Rubio - particularly Cruz - would be a conservative president, who would undo the damage done by Obama, and ensure that conservatives are named to SCOTUS as well as make other prudent judicial appointments.

"But, but, amnesty, amnesty..." Immigration is a problem, but it is not our biggest problem. It is amplified by the poor economic growth of the past few years, which in turn were a direct result of Obama's economic policies. Fix the economy, and we will have more jobs than workers again. We will need immigrants.

We do need to fix our immigration system, and decide who gets to come here, and who has to leave. In that, Trump actually supports "amnesty", as he has said exactly what his supporters attack other conservatives for saying: illegals need to return to their home countries and apply to return here.

Those who support the #NeverTrump campaign do so because they believe that Trump is not a conservative, is temperamentally unsuited to the presidency, has no actual solutions beyond superficial sound bites, is incapable of winning a general election, or some combination thereof. None of those concerns exist to the same extent with any other candidates - and yes, I would support any other Republican over Donald Trump.

101 posted on 03/03/2016 6:32:57 AM PST by LouD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: MNJohnnie

What have I said that is hateful ?

Trump supporters have wished death and executions upon Americans
I never did


102 posted on 03/03/2016 6:34:55 AM PST by Rock Eye Jack
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 98 | View Replies]

To: Em and Brets Mum

Cruz and Rubio both have strengths, but Cruz has shown a strong commitment to the Constitution, and is a committed constitutional conservative - and I believe that is what is needed most right now.


103 posted on 03/03/2016 6:35:46 AM PST by LouD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: bigtoona

You have subscribed to a false dichotomy of “establishment” versus America.


104 posted on 03/03/2016 6:37:09 AM PST by LouD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Awgie

Yes, fraud has a specific meaning, and it is applicable to someone who has conveniently and recently adopted conservative beliefs after a lifetime of supporting statists, liberals, and crony capitalists - and whose statements both public and private frequently reveal he does not actually believe what he purports to believe.


105 posted on 03/03/2016 6:39:16 AM PST by LouD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: MNJohnnie

First wave, exactly. Trump needs to bust it all up and clear the way.

Assume Cruz through some insane miracle was able to win the general. We would still have the GOP cabal in place. They would simply work with the dems just like they are doing now with Obama.

Cruz doesn’t have the leadership or charisma to get any of his agenda passed or build coalitions. He has proven this over and over. You don’t even see the tea party people standing with him in Washington. Trump is the opposite, he will get things through and I think he will even get some democrats to reach across the aisle to us for the first time in 30 years.


106 posted on 03/03/2016 6:40:07 AM PST by bigtoona (Lose on amnesty, socialism cemented in place forever Trump is the only hope.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: Vinnie

I hate the so called “debates” we’ve been subjected to - but we need to remember that it was Trump who turned it into a 5th grade schoolyard level exercise in name-calling. It was only when such attacks proved effective with a particularly dimwitted segment of the audience that the other candidates, Rubio in particular, recently adopted the same tactics.

I understand why he did so, but I don’t think any of that BS has helped to inform the country about where the candidates actually stand. If the country were better informed, Trump would be an asterisk by now, because his sideshow candidacy is the least based on ideas and policies, and the most reliant on ad hominem attacks.


107 posted on 03/03/2016 6:44:49 AM PST by LouD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: bigtoona

Thank you for your thoughtful and insightful comment. /sarc


108 posted on 03/03/2016 6:45:48 AM PST by LouD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: CaptainK

Trump has not said he’s going to repeal ObamaCare, he has said that he will “replace it with something terrific” and that “something terrific” will be government provided, and universal.

That is not repealing ObamaCare, it is expanding it. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my government deciding what is covered, and what is not. The obvious risk of politicization of health decisions is unacceptable.


109 posted on 03/03/2016 6:49:24 AM PST by LouD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: LouD
The hatred was brought on by those running the party and they do not care. So getting mad about the hatred now when you are the cause of it is just emotional manipulation to get people under control.

The grossness comes when it is turned against other republicans who are just as or more anti establishment, just not believing you are backing the right candidate....why would anyone back your candidate if theirs looses when they have been treated to such nastiness over and over by a bunch of asses. They are already afraid your guy is playing a game and not trustworthy and now their followers act like brown shirts with constant browbeating and put downs. You are turning off the voters you want to vote for your candidate. Just as stupid as the elite and their constant manipulation.

This is the first time I have come through a primary being as disgusted with candidates as I am with their voters.

110 posted on 03/03/2016 6:50:08 AM PST by Lady Heron
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ohioman

Not your decision to make.


111 posted on 03/03/2016 6:50:45 AM PST by LouD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: LouD
The hatred isn't gratuitous when your leadership has sold-out every conservative position for over 20 years.

The hatred is well and truly EARNED.

112 posted on 03/03/2016 6:51:21 AM PST by Uncle Miltie (Trump's populisim isn't conservative, but will help destroy the Uniparty. JOIN AND ATTACK!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bigtoona

Reagan operated from a conservative perspective. He put conservative justices on the Supreme Court and elsewhere in the federal judiciary. His foreign policy was clearly conservative, and won the Cold War.

Donald Trump is NO Ronald Reagan.


113 posted on 03/03/2016 6:53:02 AM PST by LouD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: Louis Foxwell
Cruz and Trump represent two sides of the same coin

One is a constitutional conservative, and the other is a life-long liberal authoritarian who has already suggested he will take actions which are not permissible under the Constitution.

114 posted on 03/03/2016 6:56:44 AM PST by LouD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: bigtoona

He’s an empty vessel just like Obama in 2008. People could conjure Obama into anything he wanted with his cage “Hope and Change” campaign. With a self-contradictory record, with his many flip flops, and his years as a Dem, conservatives are going to sorely rue voting for him.


115 posted on 03/03/2016 6:58:09 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: bert

Trump would not prevail over Hillary in a general election.


116 posted on 03/03/2016 7:00:07 AM PST by LouD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: Hugin

Please point out where I have said I was a “Cruzor.” I support Cruz, but am equally OK with Rubio. I want an actual conservative elected, not a big government populist who acts like a poorly drawn caricature of conservatism.


117 posted on 03/03/2016 7:02:39 AM PST by LouD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Teacher317

Dismissed.


118 posted on 03/03/2016 7:04:32 AM PST by LS ("Castles Made of Sand, Fall in the Sea . . . Eventually" (Hendrix))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 86 | View Replies]

To: LouD

Your willingness to defame and distort, in the name of your subjective reality, betrays a personality that is likely capable of unrestrained demagoguery and mischief against any number of innocent individuals, in the name of your own perceived righteousness. That’s the nicest way I can say it.


119 posted on 03/03/2016 7:13:08 AM PST by Awgie (truth is always stranger than fiction)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 105 | View Replies]

To: mad_as_he$$

“The end result is the same. Time dependent but still the same. I for one am sick and tied of being in the pan”

_______________________________________________

My thoughts exactly. The pro-immigrant, pro-homo dems and the gop are trains heading to the same destination, though at slightly different speeds. Sometimes they even couple together for stretches of the journey.

We may find ourselves out of the frying pan and into the fire with Trump, but at least we’ll get there quicker, and while I’m still young enough to help with the reset.

Tired of this death by a thousand cuts.


120 posted on 03/03/2016 7:15:35 AM PST by ConservativeWarrior (Fall down 7 times, stand up 8. - Japanese proverb)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 181-188 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson