They Cheered

An Introduction: Hated. Despised. Emboldened.

When news of Charlie Kirk’s assassination struck the world, the students of the University of St. Andrews shouted for joy.

I came to political consciousness around the election of 2016, just in time for Hillary Clinton to relegate half of Trump supporters to a “basket of deplorables.” The idea stuck with me. Not until the past weeks, however, did I truly understand the sentiment. I have come to realize Hillary’s statement is not about Trump, or the alt-right (whatever the heck that is), or about being racist, sexist, homophobic, and all their other insults, it was about you and me. If you are a Christian or a Conservative, then to them you are the embodiment of their highest evils. To them, you are a fascist no matter how much you love freedom. To them you are a sexist, no matter how much you prize the fairer sex. To them, you are a dangerous homophobe, even when it is in love that you speak the truth. To them you are a racist, simply by judging individuals on character instead of color. To them you are nothing less than evil. You are to be justly hated. You are, like me, by nature deplorable.

I am not just any deplorable. I am peculiar within the hated ones. I am not a libertarian or a reactionary Catholic convert. I am a Protestant Southerner. I am backwards, old-school, God-fearing. I am a Conservative in the old way, not the cussing, crass, hyper-capitalist “conservative,” but the Classical way, the Traditional way…the backwards way. Quixotic and Romantic. I am one whose faith guides life, including political and societal action. Today, young men react to the failings of our society by flocking to traditional religions and Conservative views of life. However, I am not reacting. Dogma has been passed to me, the old way. I was destined to be a deplorable.

Because of that destiny, from my family, my blood, and my soul, I have by some twist of Providence landed on the shores of Scotland to pursue my studies of Reformation history. Like many young Southern gents of times past, I have been blessed to pursue my education in “the Old Country,” amongst the soil from which my ancestors sprang in the land of my heroes of history and literature. Historically, this should be a land of great allies, but today it is a land of great enemies. My convictions do not fit here, but this is where they ought to be best fitted.

Scotland is a beautiful place. The pastures, the Romantic ruins, the beautiful gray stone buildings, the inspiring, rich history. Scotland was the land the Romans could not conquer. The United Kingdom was the throne of the Empire on which the sun never set. This place modeled greatness. Now, it models a fall. Today, Scotland is a lost place. Once a stronghold of Christian faith, it has become a nearly unreached people. With extinction on the horizon, addiction, suicides, a total loss of principles, pride, and identity, in all respects, this is a dying people.

The world awakens to the fact that something has gone terribly wrong in the West. Scotland, as an amplified example of that phenomenon, provides me with a specimen of a failing society to study firsthand. Over the next year, I will ask why the West fails, what is the nature of its suicide, and what might be the nature of its cure.

The news of Charlie Kirk was announced. A group of St. Andrews students cheered. My friend at that social cowered. My blood boiled and stomach churned.

As my initial shock of disgust set in, the realization hit me, if they only knew what I believed they would cheer my death too. It is not hyperbole to say that because of my beliefs, they want me dead. They cheered Kirk’s death because of his principles. They cheered his death because of his not so radical beliefs. Because of principles inspired by faith. If they only knew my name, they would meet my murder with cheers too. Lord, I pray they might know my name.

The veil is thrown off. The jig is up, the game over. The party of “empathy” has been revealed as the party of hate. Their “sophistication” goes beyond mere smugness. It is an unspeakable despising of the wretches, the deplorables…you and me. They have lost their grip that drove me to self-censor, striving for respect or social credit. I now know that no matter how I please them, how I jump through their hoops or play by their rules, they would cheer my death. I believe they are likewise losing their hold over our country. I hope to convince you that being a deplorable in these people’s eyes is nothing but a medal of honor.

If you are in that company of believers, those who want a brighter future for the country, who do not want to see America follow the fatal steps of Europe, I invite you to join me on my adventure. To those who are despised like me, those who are the hope for the future, I present: “A Deplorable Abroad.”