Vsevolod Chaplin: ‘Trump is trying to return the ideas banned by PC to the politics’

The candidate's challenge

The phenomenon of Donald Trump is becoming a serious challenge not only for American 'political class' but also for some unwritten rules of public debates. The billionaire not just calls himself a Christian, which is characteristic of many public figures, but also infringes substantive principles of balance between secular and religious influences in public life. In the last decades, this balance presupposed tolerance for personal Christian beliefs of politicians, some amount of religious rhetoric and the refusal of conservative Christian motivation decision making, especially in the areas of foreign and defence policy, race and ethnic relations.

Trump challenges this balance seriously. He appeals to the Christian values of America and says about the threat to these values by new waves of migrants – the threat of a 'new barbarism' that is getting perceived more and more by ordinary Americans, especially the Europeans.

'We are going to protect Christianity, and if you look what's going on throughout the world, you look at Syria, where there – if you're Christian, they're chopping off heads. You look at the different places, and Christianity, it's under siege,' told Trump in his speech at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.

The billionaire started polemic with the Pope, who in connection with anti-migrant statements declared him 'not Christian'. Photo: ap.com

Trump vs Pope Francis

Moreover, the billionaire started polemic with the Pope, who in connection with anti-migrant statements declared him 'not Christian'. The response was very hard: 'If and when the Vatican is attacked by ISIS, which as everyone knows is ISIS's ultimate trophy, I can promise you that the Pope would have only wished and prayed that Donald Trump would have been President.' The politician called the Pope's statement 'shameful' and once again declared of his belief, saying: 'I'm proud to be a Christian, and as president I will not allow Christianity to be consistently attacked and weakened.'

This debate will certainly affect Europe, where right-wing conservative Christian circles disagree with Vatican and the regional Catholic hierarchy in the estimates of a new wave of migration from the Middle East and North Africa. Ordinary Christians are anxious about the preservation of cultural and religious face of Europe more than the idea declared by ecclesiastical elites of a universal openness and mercy to 'sufferers', among of which are many savages and terrorists.

'Banned' ideas

Trump is known for extremely harsh, even by Russian standards, anti-Islamic rhetoric – thus, he urged not to enter in the U.S. of Muslim migrants. On Friday, Trump had to declare about the transfer his speech at the stadium in Chicago for security reasons, an hour before it started. On the one side of tribunes, there were people wearing 'Muslims United Against Trump' and 'Make America Hate Again' T-shirts, on the other – tens of thousands of supporters of Trump, who shouted anti-Muslim slogans. The situation was fraught with serious conflict, shown to the whole world. Perhaps, is was a provocation of political opponents of Trump.

'From their point of view, the businessperson encroached on 'sacred' — on forced by liberal urban elites refusal to take into account racial, ethnic and religious factors in political decision-making and in the formulation of attitude towards a particular social group.' Photo: ap.com

From their point of view, the businessperson encroached on 'sacred' — on forced by liberal urban elites refusal to take into account racial, ethnic and religious factors in political decision-making and in the formulation of attitude towards a particular social group. In fact, Trump is trying to return to politics the ideas 'banned' by political correctness, but obvious for an unbiased person. He actually reminds that people with different religious and ethnic backgrounds, they are differently arranged, and have different effects on the life of the country – especially when they unite in groups of influence, and especially in terrorist organizations. Today, more and more people understand that to ignore this reality in favor of ideological constructs of refined elites – it is silly and dangerous.

Trump has many supporters – open and secret, and primarily because he says 'forbidden' truth. It is no accident the billionaire recently said that he has friends even in ultra-liberal Hollywood, and added, 'Everybody out there is voting for you but they're not going to admit it.' Interestingly, Trump, à la Republican perceiving Russia as a competitor that they should not trust, is ready to start new relations with our country. On 8 July, in the interview with CNN he said: 'I would get along with Putin. I've dealt with Russia'. Conservative values, including the Christian ones, can be the best for such dialogue. Moreover, the experience of Russian Islam may soften Trump's attitude and to this world religion. But they should bear in mind: American politician praises Putin in comparison with the current American President (the most striking statement – 'Putin has eaten Obama's lunch'). Trump distances from the policy of the Russian leader. Therefore, the values, including the religious assessment of their dialogue, can be the most successful, even breakthrough.

Unacceptable course of events

Today, Trump is leading in the Republican primaries. For a large part of well-known and hidden elites on both sides of the Atlantic this is a totally unacceptable course of events. An alien person is trying to take the presidential office, challenging their ideological project being implemented for years, if not for centuries. It is not a coincidence that today almost openly they call to 'stop Trump'. The Democrats whisper 'compassionately' to the Republicans: any our candidate will win over the eccentric businessperson. The 'capital' Republican establishment itself is scared of the prospects of change and possible rejection of politically correct stability as the basis of the two-party system.

'Most likely, the establishment will continue to make sharp statements about the 'political undesirability' of Trump's ideologemes. I believe that they will not allow him entering the White house – the forces are unequal. But it is necessary for Russia to take measure of him in any case.' Photo: meduza.io

What tomorrow holds in this regard? Perhaps, a plant of discrediting evidence (although, it has already happened). Perhaps, provocations like one in Chicago aimed at generating racial or religious scandal. Moreover, the mass, with beating and shouting, detentions, and live broadcasting. Most likely, the establishment will continue to make sharp statements about the 'political undesirability' of Trump's ideologemes. I believe that they will not allow him entering the White house – the forces are unequal. But it is necessary for Russia to take measure of him in any case.