From a conservative standpoint, the sanctity of human life and the rule of law form the bedrock of a free society. Yet, throughout history, societies have succumbed to the temptation to strip certain groups of their inherent dignity, viewing them as less than fully human. This process of dehumanization erodes the moral fabric that conservatives hold dear -- individual responsibility, traditional values, and the Judeo-Christian ethic of loving one's neighbor.

Dehumanization does not arise in a vacuum; it stems from fear, power dynamics, and ideological divisions, often amplified in politics. Its dangers are profound, leading to violence and societal breakdown. Conservatives, who prize limited government and moral order, must confront this head-on, for dehumanization doesn't just endanger the "other" -- it invites bedlam, eroding the social compact that preserves liberty.

Dehumanization arises when we perceive groups as existential threats, a natural but dangerous response in times of uncertainty. The tendency is to then categorize them as subhuman to legitimize aggression or exclusion. Conservatives recognize this in the context of preserving cultural and national identity.

In political discourse, liberals might view conservatives as "deplorables" or savage and primitive. Meanwhile conservatives may emphasize the immaturity and childishness of liberals and their delusional or even demonic celebration of the horrors of abortion and transgenderism. These views fuel reciprocated contempt and create a cycle of mutual exclusion rather than the style of reasoned debate exemplified by Charlie Kirk.

Prominent figures -- whether in government or the media -- dehumanize to maintain control, as seen in historical tyrannies. Conservatives decry how godless ideologies fuel this evil. Dehumanization always starts with language. During the Holocaust, Nazis called Jews "Untermenschen" and rats, justifying the murder of six million under the banner of racial purity -- a perversion of order that conservatives abhor as tyrannical overreach.

In Rwanda's 1994 genocide, Hutus labeled Tutsis "cockroaches," enabling the slaughter of 800,000 in 100 days, a tribal savagery born of unchecked passions unbound by moral absolutes. Dehumanization paved the way for the genocides in Cambodia, with the Khmer Rouge calling intellectuals "worms."

Closer to home, American slavery dehumanized Africans as "savages" or property, rationalizing bondage under the guise of civilizing a "lesser" race -- a stain on the nation's founding principles of equality under God.

Even today, in U.S. politics, left-wing portrayals of Trump supporters as "fascists" dehumanize half the electorate, stifling the civil discourse essential to federalism. Such language, conservatives argue, arises from media echo chambers that prioritize sensationalism over dialogue, eroding the social contract.

The dangers of dehumanization are catastrophic, as it removes moral restraints against harm and threatens the ordered liberty that conservatives champion. Dehumanization fosters exclusion, where empathy evaporates and paves the way for violence and societal fracture. It leads to atrocities such as the murders of Charlie Kirk, Iryna Zarutska, Fletcher Alexander Merkel and Harper Lillian Moyski, Debrina Kawam, and Brian Thompson.

This threatens the constitutional order: dehumanization undermines limited government by justifying overreach, like internment camps or surveillance states. It fragments communities, weakens the family and church and diminishes their effectiveness as bulwarks against tyranny. This invites the relativism and authoritarianism we oppose -- the woke indoctrination that silences dissent by deeming it "hateful." Worse, social media facilitates its spread, where anonymous vitriol amplifies biases. Broader society suffers: it normalizes cruelty, from workplace burnout leading to patient neglect in healthcare to family breakdowns fueled by ideological scorn. 

The cycle is vicious: dehumanized groups lash out, deepening polarization and weakening our republic's federal balance.

Political narcissism, grandiose attachment to one's ideology, predicts dehumanization across the spectrum. This is a symptom of moral relativism, where rejecting absolute truths encourages viewing opponents as existential threats. The result? Polarization that hampers discussion on issues like abortion or gun rights, where each side sees the other as inhumanely callous. Couple this with a corrupt or ineffective justice system and you end up with tribal cultures like those in the Middle East, where blood feuds and vigilantism take the place of law enforcement, leading to societies where assassination of one’s enemies is normalized.

To combat this, conservatives can follow Charlie Kirk's stellar example -- upholding the Golden Rule, rooted in Scripture, by fostering personal connections and emphasizing shared humanity under God. We must reclaim leadership through principle, not passion. Education in history and civics can expose dehumanization's roots, while fostering respectful dialogue that rebuilds trust.

As Ronald Reagan stated, America's strength lies in its people, not division. He told us to "Trust but verify" -- extend grace while guarding sovereignty. Dehumanization doesn't just endanger the targeted. It's a self-inflicted wound on the body politic and it corrodes the soul of the nation. It invites the very authoritarianism and vigilantism conservatives abhor. By rejecting it, we fortify the moral order and we ensure that liberty endures.

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