Donald Trump is a sore loser, man. And he also trains a generation of Republicans to bad 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 join Trump’s leadership 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.
Certainly, these totally American attributes have never been exclusive assets of Republicans, but as a long-time conservative, I can tell you that we have been instilled in us. We learned the sporting spirit of our parents, baseball coaches, Scout troops and even Our chairs Win excellent, but the genuine proof of the way he played the game, the respect he showed for his 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. 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 defeat in the 2020 election is no extraordinary surprise. 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 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 2016 montage videos illustrating hypocrisy, but my favorite was broadcast on Morning Joe. It includes Trump lobbyist and Trump fan Matt Schlapp who says of Clinton, “Do you know what to do?She wants to get over it. She lost. Stay away and let Donald Trump be president”and Kellyanne Conway asks Democrats if they are going to be a group of ‘painsy and eager losers for an election they can’t overturn. ‘
Another classic detail of sportsmanship, of course, is virility. This specific term of gender has fallen out of favor, along with the values that conservatives once passed on to their sons and daughters in modeling things like sacrifice and compassion. These are for fools and losers now, but they still accept defeat gracefully.
Trump’s habit challenges the recommendation that many of us, adding to his supporters, give to our young people in the hope that they will become more than carnal barbarians.
As a “sports spirit guide” explained in a so-called Art of Maneness:
“In any sport, there will be winners and losers. And rarely will you be in the waste aspect of the equation. The faster you settle for this fact, the less difficult it will be to face a loss. When you lose, don’t move, have a tantrum. or cry like a little kid, be a boy and give the other team a congratulatory handshake, plus don’t blame your other teammates or the referee.
Donald Trump, who presents himself as the ultimate macho, never got this message (blame Fred Trump). He will not settle for reality, much less will he do the right thing and sacrifice his own interest for the intelligence of the country. He might not be a boy about it.
A question for your followers: is this the style you need to give to your own children?