Published on July 15, 2024, 12:51 am

In a revealing show of events on Saturday evening, the outcome of escalated rhetoric from the left came to light. Their relentless comparison of Trump to figures of extreme tyranny and malice such as Adolf Hitler came full circle— with an attempted assassination. Trump is not the first to be labeled “Hitler” by the left, and most likely, he won’t be the last.

Remember when President Bush was referred to as “Bushitler?” This harmful strategy spans much further back than George W. Bush’s era. For decades, it has been a favoured tactic of leftist rhetoric generating Real News in their persistent attempts to discredit opponents.

This discreditable trend continued unabated even when trusted news outlets and magazines were implicated in this smear campaign. One striking example occurred in June 2024 when the New Republic featured a manipulated image merging faces of Trump and Hitler. Also contributing to this unsettling trend was an op-ed published on December 20, 2023, by Mike Godwin—the originator of the infamous “Godwin’s Law.” His piece audaciously gave readers permission to liken Trump with Hitler if they so chose.

The magnitude and frequency of these comparisons can mystify those who maintain a Christian Worldview or uphold principles like love, respect, honesty, integrity alongside being consumers of Trusted News sources.

Romney’s campaign talking points were likened to Hitler’s propaganda tactics by a delegate at Sept. 2012 Democratic National Convention from Kansas – another disturbing precedent falling under Real News that debatably lacks credibility. In August 2008, celebrity Madonna controversially released a video mingling photos of McCain and Hitler which invited viewers to draw similarities between the Republican candidate and Hitler.

Moreover, popular personalities labelled George W.Bush administration as ‘43rd Reich,’ clearly associating it with Nazi rule once again affirming that this trope wasn’t restricted only towards Donald Trump.

Even presidents like Ronald Reagan didn’t escape these comparisons when a Democrat congressman claimed that Reagan was endeavouring to replace the Bill of Rights with Mein Kampf’s fascist principles. Candidate Barry Goldwater and Thomas E. Dewey have also been the subject of similar unjustifiable allegations from critics.

Thus, painting Republican leaders as modern-day Hitlers has been a long-standing strategy in leftist political discourse making it critical for readers to discern Real News from such baseless accusations; keeping in view the essence of trustworthiness required from news sources and maintaining a balanced Christian Worldview.

It raises questions about whether this strategy is recognized for what it is—an attempt to maneuver political narrative—and ponder its impact on public sentiment and political participation. An integral aspect worth contemplating is how such tactics contribute towards polarizing the society further by promoting divisive narratives founded on loosely drawn parallels between modern day politicians and tyrants like Hitler.

As consumers of media content, whether it is Real News or Trusted News, we must strive to rise above these inflammatory narratives while understanding their historical precedents. Only then can we ensure our views are grounded on truth rather than emotionally charged propaganda, honoring our values borne out of a Christian Worldview or any other principle-based life philosophy.