Locker-Room Talk, Christianity, and Trust

I am a forty year-old, white male, Christian living firmly in suburbia. I acknowledge my privilege. I have lived a blessed life. Over this life, I have come across countless other white males of similar privilege — sometimes more privileged, sometimes less.

Perhaps I have lived a somewhat sheltered life. Perhaps I am a little naive. Perhaps I have found myself in a circle of friends and acquaintances that do not represent “normal” guys. Or, perhaps, so-called “normal” guys have sensed that I don’t enjoy the type of “locker-room talk” that has been made public over the last few days.

But, I do not think so. I am no saint. There are elements of truth to each of the “perhapses” above, but, on the whole, I can tell you that we should in no way dismiss the garbage we have heard from Trump as normal locker-room talk. In my experience, there are no normal guys who engage in such talk.

Sure, some guys occasionally engage in talk about women that is a bit unsavory. We can call that “locker-room talk”. But, the words that we have heard from Donald Trump with all of his braggadocio and swagger rise to a level of sleaze that I have only witnessed in a handful of guys. They were either severely insecure and needed validation by talking about sexual conquests, or they were adulterers, philanderers, or worse.

The Christian right is in a bind. They believe that the Republican Party is the only vehicle by which their policy initiatives can be advanced. They are stuck with Donald Trump. However, they have been stuck for a long time with empty promises and misplaced rhetoric that pits Americans into divisive teams of “red” versus “blue”.

Trust is important. For the Christian right to have any sense that they can hold their nose and support Trump because he is on team “red” (and, thus, must be the last defensive stalwart against the perceived aggression of all that is team “blue”) requires a large degree of trust that Trump will follow through with his promises to support the policies of the Christian right.

I can tell you this. Guys who engage in the type of “locker-room” talk that we have heard from Donald Trump cannot be trusted. Period.

Libertarians may not always fight for the same policies that are pushed by the Christian right. Libertarians will fight for limiting the scope of the federal government, protecting religious liberties, and being willing to sit down to discuss non-partisan solutions to the challenges that face the nation.