Tip for conservative activists: Don’t be jerks on national television

During an appearance on Laura Ingraham’s Fox News show California Mass Resistance leader Arthur Schaper and Johnathan Merritt, a progressive Christian writer, debated Drag Queen Storytime at local libraries. Merritt was introduced by Ingraham as a defender of the Drag Queen Story programs. Merritt is the son of a former Southern Baptist Convention president James Merritt. James Merritt was on Southern Baptist Convention program’s Racial Reconciliation panel Tuesday at the SBC’s Annual Meeting in Birmingham.

Schaper attacked these Drag Queen Storytimes as “perverse.”

“We are not talking about diversity here,” Schaper said. “We are talking about deviance. We are talking about perverse and destructive lifestyles being advertised to children.”

Note to conservative activists—Don’t be jerks. It looked as if he wanted to argue with both Ingraham, the host, and with the other guest.

Schaper’s rude performance overshadowed any point he was trying to make.

Such combativeness does no good for the conservative, pro-family cause. Being a strong advocate for a position is important, but it does not mean one should be rude. He wouldn’t stop, and talked over and through everyone.

That isn’t winsome. That isn’t effective communication.

Not good.

Ingraham described Merritt as a supporter of the Drag Queen Story events at local libraries, and asked him to defend the events.

Merritt was able to critique Schaper’s obvious antipathy, Merritt called it “disgust,” and make the discussion about Schaper and his group’s personal feelings rather than the issue of what’s good for the children, and the origins and purpose of the Drag Queen Storytime events.

Ingraham was visibly frustrated at Schaper’s promotion of his group and ended the discussion abruptly.  However, Merritt was on the show to promote these events. That’s important for understanding where the popular writer stands on these issues.

You can watch the entire segment here.