ANALYSIS/OPINION:

An important paradigm shift seems to be happening. Case in point: Typical gay liberals decide to publicly bully Christians because of their faith. Bullies then expect all hell to break loose, with targeted Christians being frightened into either disavowing aspects of their faith or, more likely, their business or livelihood being destroyed after a campaign of public hate and derision.

But, alas, that’s not what happened. While we know the presidential election was an undeniable statement rejecting politics as usual, it may have also signaled a paradigm shift involving an end of Americans’ patience with liberal bullies.

Always on the lookout to announce their perceived victimhood from the highest mountain, targeting Chip and Joanna Gaines of the popular HGTV show “Fixer Upper” may have seemed like the perfect project by liberal bullies, but things did not go as planned.

At BuzzFeed, a website that bills itself as a “social news and entertainment company” reporter Kate Aurthur penned a story titled, “Chip and Joanna Gaines’ church is firmly against same-sex marriage.” Forget that same-sex marriage is the law of the land, the left have made now it a fine art to harass people who simply disagree with them on any issue.

Ms. Aurthur opens her inquisition by detailing the Gaines’ success and their “small empire” (signaling there’s plenty to threaten), mocks Joanna’s faith and then attempts to malign them by telling the reader that their pro-traditional marriage pastor considers them “good friends.” We are then led by the nose to the big reveal of possible thought crimes as Ms. Aurthur asks, “So are the Gaineses against same-sex marriage?”

The Gaines’ crime is that they maybe, might, possibly, also believe in traditional marriage. Gasp. Who told them they have a right to their own opinions without being condemned?

As a gay woman, I find it embarrassing to watch gays publicly harass individuals simply for who they are. For several years now we have watched so-called gay leadership and their affiliated activists target Christians and their businesses to either punish them and send a message to everyone else — either conform to the liberal narrative or suffer grave consequences.

The attempt to smear the Gaineses by association is not unlike the infamous McCarthyist accusation of subversion by association by asking, “Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist Party?” Instead of the Communist Party, it’s today’s Christians who face accusation of disloyalty to the cultural gatekeepers and is meant specifically to intimidate Christians both politically and culturally.

Commenters on BuzzFeed rightly called this out as a “witch hunt,” while conservative gay pundit Gabriel Malor observed on Twitter, BuzzFeed “would never publish a piece ‘this TX pastor you’ve never heard of opposes gay marriage.’ The target here was the couple. … But the reporter never ascertained the couple’s view before publishing the piece about them. That’s purely harassment, not journalism,” he tweeted.

Mr. Malor is right. The instigators of this weren’t interested in the actual position of the Gaineses, they were interested in more Christian hides for their wall.

Moreover, the real issue here is the fascist nature of the effort itself. After all, why should anyone have to endure a public interrogation about their faith, with the expectation of punishment if they dare to answer a stranger’s inquisition incorrectly?

After a presidential election elevating a man who ran, in part, on rejecting political correctness and the scourge of the left, BuzzFeed should not have been surprised that its attempt at polishing liberal jackboots was rejected across the board.

Liberal and conservative writers and pundits, columnists and activists alike, have rejected an obviously pathetic attempt to scare what they consider pesky redneck Trump voters into submission with more anti-Christian bigotry.

Breitbart reported, “BuzzFeed News pulled off a tricky feat Wednesday, managing to offend most of civil society and even its peers in progressive media with a hit piece on Christian reality television stars Chip and Joanna Gaines.”

The most dramatic and satisfying display of the public’s rejection of anti-Christian bigotry is the fact that “Fixer Upper,” in the midst of the smear campaign, enjoyed a record-breaking premiere on HGTV.

For gays to be attacking others with accusation of discrimination is now laughable. The only people these days who are threatened with unemployment, the destruction of their business or public shunning because of who they are, are Christians. Just ask the owners of Portland’s Melissa’s Sweet Cakes, who announced in October that they are closing for good after being ruined for declining to bake a cake for a gay wedding.

The Trump victory politically crushed the Bush, Clinton and Obama machines. Hopefully, the rejection of the attacks on Chip and Joanna Gaines signifies it’s also emboldening Americans in general to stand up for personal freedom and an end to a culture of intimidation.

• Tammy Bruce, author and Fox News contributor, is a radio talk show host.

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