Crosstalk: January 25, 2017

Robert Knight is the senior fellow and policy expert with the American Civil Rights Union. He served as a journalist for 15 years, seven as an editor and writer with the Los Angeles Times. He is a regular weekly columnist for the Washington Times, Townhall.com and OneNewsNow.com. He has held senior positions with the Heritage Foundation, Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, Media Research Center and Coral Ridge Ministries.

This Crosstalk began with Robert describing how the ACLU's website shows them to be more hysterical than they usually are. They were pushing the women's march that took place last Saturday. They featured a downloadable poster of the Statue of Liberty with a clenched fist along with an oath people could sign. They also have a blog with essays on it dealing with how awful Trump's America is going to be, so they believe there needs to be a sustained resistance.

Robert then switched gears to discuss a point that still has the 'left' reeling. They're saying that the electoral college is terrible due to Hillary Clinton's popular vote total. Robert reminded listeners that we have a republic and not a direct democracy. The founders set things up the way they did so that we wouldn't end up with a concentration of people in the cities dictating policy for the entire nation. He went on to explain that if you subtract Clinton's margins in New York and California you come up with a very even election.

Next on the discussion agenda was the Southern Poverty Law Center. Jim wondered if the ACLU is on the SPLC's hate group list. After all, the ACLU has been pledging/encouraging resistance.

Robert described the SPLC as a group that began on a good note as they sought to reign in the Ku Klux Klan and other White nationalist groups. Unfortunately they continue to raise money off the fear of 'hate' so now their list includes Christian groups.

Robert reviewed the case of the Family Research Council because they oppose the homosexual political agenda. A few years ago, one young, disturbed man was inspired by the SPLC to enter the FRC with a gun and a backpack full of Chick-fil-A sandwiches (which he considered to be a 'hate' fast-food chain). The only reason he wasn't able to commit mass murder is because of the heroic actions of guard Leo Johnson. When the SPLC was asked to take the FRC off their hate map because they inspired someone to commit a hate-filled act, they refused.

The 'left' has become so incensed that they appear to be turning on themselves by attacking the people they claim to be defending. Jim proved the point by mentioning a story from the Washington Examiner. A limousine had been set on fire during an anti-Trump, anarchist protest. It was eventually discovered that this limousine belonged to a limousine service owned by a Muslim immigrant.

Robert mentioned that he didn't recall conservatives rioting when President Obama was elected in 2008 and again in 2012. Many were disappointed that he was re-elected but they didn't resort to violence. In fact, there weren't any protests. That's the way it should be but unfortunately the 'left' has shown that they no longer believe in the American system. It's 'their way or the highway'.

As an example, Robert cited life on college campuses. He said you can ask any conservative student what it's like. They'll tell you that they're in a minority that does not dare to speak its views or they'll be persecuted by professors or identity groups. It's a totalitarian mindset. He believes the tolerance mindset has morphed into, 'You will accept our vision of reality, our new definitions of everything, or we'll come after you.' This includes not being able to make a living, putting you out of business or putting you in jail for hate crimes if they don't like what you say.

Robert is encouraged that this is backfiring on the 'left'. He doesn't believe most Americans are buying into it. It just makes the 'left' look very bad and like sore losers.

You'll be able to hear Jim and Robert share more accounts of hysteria from the 'left' when you review this edition of Crosstalk.