Donald Trump is a bad loser, man. And he’s also educating a generation of Republicans to hurt losers.
Just take a look at Saturday’s million MAGA march, which The Washington Post describes as “manifestations of President Trump’s refusal to settle for the effects of the presidential election,” a time when Trump himself said Friday that he might appear.
Conservatives who follow Trump’s example have focused only on political preferences, but also on the importance of virtues such as integrity, courage, empathy, loyalty, and, yes, even acceptance of defeat.
Of course, these all-American attributes have never been exclusive assets of Republicans, but as a long-time conservative, I can tell you that they have instilled in us. We learned the sporting spirit of our parents, baseball coaches, Scout troops and even our chairs. Win great, but the genuine test of the way you played the game: the respect you showed for your teammates and competitors.
In fact, graciously accepting defeat was the kind of classic American cliché related to Ward Cleaver teaching Wally and the Beaver, or Sheriff Andy Taylor giving Opie a lecture. It was modeled through our heroes on the baseball field, just as we were taught to do so. disintegrating whimsical athletes who were enraged. Wanting those basic cultural values was once a component of the global umbrella that we might call conservative values. Not since Trump came to town.
Trump’s unhappy with the defeat in the 2020 election is not extraordinarily surprising. There have been fools. The difference is that they were ridiculed and rejected, not excused or celebrated.
It’s a total change from everything the Conservatives have advocated. I grew up listening to JFK steal the 1960 election and how Richard Nixon let them through so as not to destroy the country. During the 2000 recount, after Al Gore granted and then withdrew his concession, republicans began calling Gore-Lieberman “Sore-Loserman. “Just four years later, Republicans fell calling Democrats “bad losers” for not accepting Trump’s legitimacy, despite the fact that Hillary Clinton granted the election (which Donald Trump might never have).
I’ve noticed several montage videos from 2016 illustrating the hypocrisy, but my favorite was aired on Morning Joe. It includes lobbyist and Trump fan Matt Schlapp who says of Clinton, “You know what she has to do? She wants to get over it. She lost. Get away and let Donald Trump be president” and Kellyanne Conway asks the Democrats if they’re going to be a group of ‘sore and eager losers for an election they cannot recall’.
Another classic detail of the sporting spirit, of course, is virility. This term of gender has fallen out of favor, as have the values that conservatives once passed on to their sons and daughters by modeling things like sacrifice and compassion, which are now for fools and losers. besides accepting defeat in some way.
Trump’s habit challenges the recommendation that many of us, adding up to his supporters, give to our young people in the hope that they will become more than just carnal barbarians.
As one “sportsmanship guide” explained in a so-called Art of Maneness:
“In any sport, there will be winners and losers. And infrequently you’ll be in the loss aspect of the equation. The faster you settle for this fact, the less difficult it will be to face a defeat. When you lose, don’t move, have a tantrum, or cry like a child. Be a boy and give the other team a congratulatory handshake. Also, don’t blame your other teammates or referees. »
Donald Trump, who presents himself as the ultimate male, has never understood this message (blame Fred Trump). He will not settle for reality, let alone do the right thing and sacrifice his non-public interest for the smart people of the country. I probably wouldn’t be a kid about it.
A question for your followers: is this the style you need to give your own children?