Stevens College Republicans organized Dinesh D’Souza, a former policy adviser to Ronald Reagan and prominent conservative commentator, to bring his “D’Souza Unchained” lecture series to campus this past Wednesday, April 26. D’Souza mainly discussed Donald Trump, the 2016 presidential election, and the many criticisms against the president. He began by describing the historic swing of power in the three branches of government between the Republican and Democratic party. D’Souza then detailed the U.S.’s current state as “auspicious” with the Republican party holding power; “Trump is fighting not only a political battle, he’s fighting a cultural war at the same time”. He praised the president saying, “It’s almost like Trump doesn’t know what the ‘rules’ are”, commending him on his unconventional style.
D’Souza then started to critique the Democratic party, stating that they “have been the author and the perpetrator of all the crimes that they claim they are there to correct.” In responding to depictions of Trump as a fascist and a racist, he claimed that the Democratic party is actually “the more fascist and racist group”. D’Souza related that the Democratic party was the perpetrator and sustaining force behind slavery and that the founder of the KKK was a notable democrat. He also claimed that the Democratic Party’s recent actions resemble early fascism, citing poor inauguration attendance, unnecessary recounts, and generally undermining Trump’s authority as president.
D’Souza ended by lamenting, “Americans used to share values, but disagreed about how to get there. Anymore, we’re heading in opposite directions”. He described conservatism and liberalism as a “ladder and a rope”, respectively; the ladder requires more work, to build it and climb it, while the rope, being lifted by those at the top, is more alluring. However, according to D’Souza, liberalism never actually happens that way. He then wondered which ideology will win over the other, stating, “For me, the American dream is hanging in the balance”.
Does anyone here remember that D’Souza is a felon?