The game is afoot

The media’s continued tyraid against political opponents is simply beyond the pale of good taste and proper behavior

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would sometimes have his famous character Sherlock Holmes quote Shakespeare’s Henry IV when he would tell his sidekick Watson, “The game is afoot.” In each case, Holmes used the phrase to get his compatriot ready to become engaged in a new mystery that was about to unfold. This same mentality might also apply to the coming 2024 election cycle with the Republican Iowa Caucus now in the books.

Of course, the “talking heads” have all become like moths flinging themselves into the fires of ratings desperation by being the first or most clever of those who would opine about the upcoming election or one of the individual candidates. It has actually become quite the cottage industry for news commentators to profit financially and in popularity metrics by doing so. If that is indeed the case, then the best profit center in the history of their universe is none other than Donald J. Trump, former and perhaps next president of the United States.

Because of the polarization in the camps of those who like or loathe Mr. Trump, it has proven quite lucrative for commentators, and even networks, to have a definitive opinion about him or his electability. This holds true no matter which side a particular news person may fall on the line of demarcation. All that is necessary for the proverbial appropriate bump in ratings is that you deliver your perceived “truth” about a candidate in a manner that tickles the ears of your respective tribe.

MSNBC’s vehement hate for Trump

If that was not enough, it was recently reported that the “highly neutral” MSNBC is now directing their vehement hate for Mr. Trump not only against him, but anyone who might cast a vote for him. It was Ms. Clinton who first coined the phrase “basket of deplorables.” But now Rachel Maddow, one of the primary headliners of the once revered network, stated following Mr. Trump’s victory in Iowa, “Those who are concerned about authoritarianism overtaking the United States should be concerned not just about the leader of such a movement, but also the leader’s followers and supporters.” This “independent tirade” was followed by a proclamation from none other than Joy Reid who propounded that a majority of Iowa’s population being white Christians was a factor in Trump’s victory. She further expounded that what it all really amounted to was “Christian nationalism” where white evangelical Christians believe they own this country simply because God has promised it to them.

Finally, former MSNBChost Chris Matthews forewarned “that those who voted for Trump in the Iowa caucuses would ‘enjoy the tyranny’ that the former president could bring should he return to the White House in 2025.” Matthews continued his diatribe with perhaps the most revealing insight of the day when he stated, “I think we’ve got to start thinking about not how people are polling, but what their attitude is when they poll, and I know they don’t like the government, they don’t like the big shots, they don’t like the elite and all that.”

At least we know now what the main talking point is going to be of the ‘Never Trumper’ camp. But more thoughtful folks should readily see the problems created by such rhetoric. First of all, who made the final determination that Mr. Trump will become a dictator if elected again? Though there obviously are several legal matters, both civil and criminal, in which Mr. Trump now finds himself a defendant, there has not to this point been any adjudication of guilt. Secondly, should not an individual voter be presented with a neutral administration of the news to make up his or her own mind about the potential for good or ill with another Trump administration? Perhaps more devastating than all of this is the derogatory nature of the toxic language used to describe anyone who might have a different opinion than MSNBC. This kind of mouth skitter, seen in its best light, does nothing more than drive the schism even deeper into the psyche of the American populace, making any unification of purpose highly unlikely to succeed. This in turn will have the capacity in, and of itself, to make any newly elected official totally ineffective in governing such a divided populace.

Attacking political opponents with negative monikers

Of course, the reality is that neither former President Trump nor current President Biden are majorly popular political animals. Mr. Biden is simply viewed as being in advanced dotage while Mr. Trump can be downright unlikeable at times. But to ascribe extremely negative monikers to even their reluctant supporters is simply beyond the pale of good taste and proper behavior. Any so-called journalist on either side of the spectrum who resorts to such tactics should be not only ashamed of themselves but should immediately have their Bluetooth microphone batteries removed on a permanent basis. Come to think of it, that would have a great positive impact on the noise pollution problem in our nation as it now exists.

At Southern Evangelical Seminary we are certainly extremely concerned about the political situation in our nation. However, our ultimate consideration is based on the essential continued freedom to proclaim the good news of the Gospel message. While we urge our Christian brothers and sisters to prayerfully consider their vote in light of this most prominent issue, as well as a biblical view of the remaining issues, there is no compulsion on our part to degrade a particular candidate or party. Without question, it is our desire to act toward our fellow citizens in such a way as to first and foremost encourage them to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord. Nevertheless, make no mistake, we will stand firmly on biblical principles when considering our government and we will not hesitate to speak eternal truth that matters into the critical issues facing our nation and world at this crucial crossroad of time.

After a distinguished career as both a lawyer and a judge, Judge Phil Ginn retired as the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge for the 24th Judicial District in North Carolina. Over the course of his 22-year judicial career, he was privileged to hold court in almost 50% of the county seats in North Carolina. Currently, Judge Ginn serves as the president of Southern Evangelical Seminary.