Letter: Re Trump's electoral victory

Re: ICN Viewpoint Ian Linden: Trump's Second Coming: Why and how did he win? Feb 3rd, 2025

Dear ICN,

Honestly, Ian Linden's note on Trump's electoral victory is either wilfully blind or ignorantly so.

The whole social engineering/identity politics of the Democrats was rejected wholesale by the USA electorate.

56% of Catholics voted for Trump. I am no cheerleader for him or anyone else, but the fact that the executive order signing into law the re-assertion of only two genders gained the biggest cheer on that occasion.

Indeed Bishop Barron has applauded this; Trump's re-establishment of "parents as primary educators" has drawn praise from the US Catholic Bishops; his removal of transgender activism from schools - or his intentions therein - could have come straight from the recent Vatican declaration "Dignitas Infinita".

It is clear this is a major part of his presidency and of his appeal. Ian Linden either refuses to see this or cannot.

Can ICN carry more balanced articles on this issue? And report what the US Bishops actually say and do to balance this utterly one-sided account? Kind regards,

Edmund Matyjaszek

Ryde, Isle of Wight

Professor Linden responds:

My aim was to discuss the main explanations/reasons for Donald Trump 2024 victory. Edmund Matyjaszek believes some key religious ethical issues form 'a major part of his Presidency' and correspondingly of his campaign winning. The evidence, putting it kindly, is against him. Reputable research by the Pew Foundation finds US Catholics vote much the same as other voters on abortion. Though on identity issues 62% of US Catholics share Mr. Matyjaszek's views on gender but, again, where is the evidence this was dominant in their voting decisions? The Democrats' obsessive focus on abortion was indeed damaging because most people were preoccupied with immigration and economic issues and Trump's take on them, far fewer on ethical issues linked to sexuality.

The sweeping statement "The whole social engineering/identity politics of the Democrats was rejected wholesale by the USA electorate" is factually incorrect. Take away voter suppression and Biden's delayed resigning, and the Democrats might even have won.

Though not noted as MAGA reading matter, Mr. Matyjaszek cites Dignitas Infinita. Given his concern for balance, perhaps we can expect his future letters to ICN to cite Dignitas Infinita's "firm rejection of the death penalty which shows to what extent it is possible to recognise the inalienable dignity of the human person" and its admonitions on the human dignity of migrants and asylum seekers. And show how both form a major part of Mr Trump's Presidency".

Professor Ian Linden