Over the weekend, Ray Ortlund, a semi-big name pastor from Nashville, tweeted out a defense of David French. Here’s the tweet and an exchange with a person in the replies. I responded that sticking up for your friends actually is a virtue
In terms of people who recognize David French's name, which I doubt is very high with the overall public, what percentage of them do you think view him positively? I cannot see it being any higher than 20-25%. Most people on the left aren't going to like him, no matter how much he bashes the right and everyone to the right of say, Mitt Romney, absolutely loathes him.
In regards to Ortlund's comments, I would counter it is foolishness to go out give a blanket defense of a friend while either being totally ignorant of why his critics are against him or pretending that you are. All you would have to do to move the average normie from the Ortlund/French side of this argument to the critics is send them the "blessings of liberty" comment French made. If that doesn't work, French has handed his critics plenty of other lines they can use.
Ortlund comes across as a totally tone deaf, out of touch Big Evangelical leader, who can barely stop himself from saying, "I can't believe I have to put up with you people" when dealing with the laity. The defense doesn't come from solely from personal friendship, it is an ingroup/outgroup defense. If a friend of Ortlund's went on a podcast and bashed critical race theory and said he found Sam Francis's arguments against Martin Luther King day compelling, do you think Ortlund would put out a tweet like this? Of course not.
The problem, if you have followed French for more than just recently (I go all the way back to when National Review was still not a clown show), you will understand that David French is the OPPOSITE of principled and honorable.
He has twisted his views to suit the times. The times in this case, being the advent and presidency of one DJT. French, like many others, was broken by Trump. And he threw his principles away in the process.
Also, I have a hard time referring to someone who attacks their own people, or at least used to be his people, as heroic. But to each his own hero. In that matter, I regard DJT as heroic, but tragically flawed like all heroes are.
Finally, I too hold loyalty in the HIGHEST esteem. However, what keeps one from saying that while I disagree with my friend's views, I still call him a friend and consider his friendship quite valuable.
IMO, French has been a detestable presence in the media landscape these past 6 or 7 years. I for one, can't stand those who morally preen and virtue signal. He has made both of those acts into an artform.
I feel as though I've become increasingly disconnected from the Normie Mindset. I've been thinking about creating a Normie News Digest, just so I can keep track of what nonsense normies believe (or at least are told).
The effectiveness of the elites in controlling various crumbling narratives by controlling what can be said on mainstream outlets (even though alternative voices can easily be found) makes me think that more important than appealing to normies' sense of propriety is establishing Truth by repetition and vilifying those who question it.
In terms of people who recognize David French's name, which I doubt is very high with the overall public, what percentage of them do you think view him positively? I cannot see it being any higher than 20-25%. Most people on the left aren't going to like him, no matter how much he bashes the right and everyone to the right of say, Mitt Romney, absolutely loathes him.
In regards to Ortlund's comments, I would counter it is foolishness to go out give a blanket defense of a friend while either being totally ignorant of why his critics are against him or pretending that you are. All you would have to do to move the average normie from the Ortlund/French side of this argument to the critics is send them the "blessings of liberty" comment French made. If that doesn't work, French has handed his critics plenty of other lines they can use.
Ortlund comes across as a totally tone deaf, out of touch Big Evangelical leader, who can barely stop himself from saying, "I can't believe I have to put up with you people" when dealing with the laity. The defense doesn't come from solely from personal friendship, it is an ingroup/outgroup defense. If a friend of Ortlund's went on a podcast and bashed critical race theory and said he found Sam Francis's arguments against Martin Luther King day compelling, do you think Ortlund would put out a tweet like this? Of course not.
The problem, if you have followed French for more than just recently (I go all the way back to when National Review was still not a clown show), you will understand that David French is the OPPOSITE of principled and honorable.
He has twisted his views to suit the times. The times in this case, being the advent and presidency of one DJT. French, like many others, was broken by Trump. And he threw his principles away in the process.
Also, I have a hard time referring to someone who attacks their own people, or at least used to be his people, as heroic. But to each his own hero. In that matter, I regard DJT as heroic, but tragically flawed like all heroes are.
Finally, I too hold loyalty in the HIGHEST esteem. However, what keeps one from saying that while I disagree with my friend's views, I still call him a friend and consider his friendship quite valuable.
IMO, French has been a detestable presence in the media landscape these past 6 or 7 years. I for one, can't stand those who morally preen and virtue signal. He has made both of those acts into an artform.
I feel as though I've become increasingly disconnected from the Normie Mindset. I've been thinking about creating a Normie News Digest, just so I can keep track of what nonsense normies believe (or at least are told).
The effectiveness of the elites in controlling various crumbling narratives by controlling what can be said on mainstream outlets (even though alternative voices can easily be found) makes me think that more important than appealing to normies' sense of propriety is establishing Truth by repetition and vilifying those who question it.