What started out as a solid youth movement has turned into an anti-intellectual, vapid groupthink whose main objective is to not spread policy goals, but put notches in their belt by angering the right people and recruiting as many non-intellectual people as possible. The “Live Savage, Not Average” mentality that most within Turning Point USA hold to is not only absurd and counterproductive for its goals, it betrays a basic and fundamental Christian character trait.
In a perfect world, one could critique the political philosophy of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), its members, and its leaders, but it is so anti-intellectual that it is fruitless to fully try. Rather than touch on every societal and political ill that exists within their ranks, as it would take volumes, only their mentality to lash out and make farcical statements in the name of anti-political correctness will be addressed.
While a writer at Hypeline, TPUSA’s Buzzfeed-esque “news” site, uses an Urban Dictionary definition of “savage” saying, “something so incredibly bad ass that you can’t just say bad ass,” that definition doesn’t quite fully develop the mentality behind the statement. To get to the heart of the word, another Urban Dictionary definition is needed: “A savage is [someone] who does not care about the Consequences of his or her actions.”
This is a perfect definition to describe people like Charlie Kirk, Joshua Thifault, and other TPUSA people. Between their “Taxation is Theft” and “Socialism Sucks” catchphrases, it seems like the most important objective to TPUSA is to make the right people mad at them.
Facts don't care about your feelings https://t.co/QETHpecWFJ
— Joshua Thifault (@JoshuaThifault) June 25, 2016
The phrase “facts don’t care about your feelings” is inherently supposed to make another person mad or upset at your prior statement. There’s no other way to read or understand it. This is not only the wrong way to look at politics in general, but it is against our Christian witness to simply throw written grenades like Thifault and Co. have so often done.
This problem of written grenade-like statements goes beyond Thifault, Kirk, and TPUSA. It seems like everyday, more people are sharing video clips of TheBlaze’s talking head Tomi Lahren and her cookie-cutter statements. Under the guise of anti-political correctness, Lahren uses her platform to lambast anything and everything that seems to irk her that day. Notably, she has used her platform to verbally crucify Colin Kaepernick and the Black Lives Matters movement among others. Recently, Lahren had an armed services veteran on her program to discuss the Kaepernick controversy.
What logical purpose does such a stunt do besides throw anger and emotion back in the face of the supporters of Kaepernick? Bringing in a veteran who, though he has served his country honorably, has no logical connection to Kaepernick destroys any legitimate discussion that could be had.
Lahren and her ilk are nothing more than the emotional fear-mongerers that most right-wingers accuse left-wingers of being. They stoke the flame of discord and anger in the name of being anti-politically correct. Such statements like, “facts don’t care about your feelings,” are nothing more than cover for one’s own love of discord and disagreements.
If you’re not a Christian, such actions are still wholly against the spirit of the American political system. However, if you claim Christ as your savior, you have an even bigger issue with such behavior. You have a higher calling.
Your speech is supposed to be one that is “gracious, seasoned with salt” (Col. 4:6). Living “savage” leads to a life filled with a reckless mentality. Rather than genuinely care about other people, even those with whom you vehemently disagree with, taking pot shots becomes a priority. Saying truthful things doesn’t have to come across as disrespectful and vitriolic.
Acting like the world will not gain you anything.
Act better.
Speak and write better.
Be better.
