For those familiar with the man, I don't think it's exactly news to point out that New York Times columnist David French is a bit self-absorbed. It's been a shocking descent for a guy that seemed so solid just a relatively short time ago.
Before we get to the memes, let me remind you of this man's history: There was a time 10 years ago that French was one of the most articulate voices for conservative Christian thought. Humble but bold, French was a must-read for believers who recognized the importance politics plays in living out our faith.
Unfortunately, as his notoriety rose, there was a proportional slide in his commitment to a conservative worldview. In 2016, as Christian conservatives agonized over whether they should support Donald Trump, Republican kingmaker Bill Kristol began touting a "secret candidate" he was working to introduce into the race. It turned out that candidate was David French. French ended up demurring, Kristol ended up losing his mind and becoming a Democrat, and Donald Trump went on to become president and appoint 3 conservative justices that overturned Roe v. Wade.
But even though French bowed out of the opportunity to run against Trump, he became obsessed with him. More than that, French found the perfect get-rich-quick scheme: Use his conservative credentials to dance for the liberal media. French found no small audience among progressives who couldn't get enough of the way he mocked, derided, shamed, and condemned Christians who supported Trump.
He parlayed his Christian mockery into a gig at The Atlantic and then The New York Times - the mecca of anti-Christian derision.
Each week French trots out the same article: "If only Christians in this country were as sophisticated as me, they'd be taken seriously by the world like I am." It's self-righteous drivel.
But hey, he makes good money and that's what it's all about.
On Friday night, French tweeted out another one of his finger-wagging lectures about how other people aren't as good as he is. And this time, he scolded, it was really going to cost us: he was leaving Twitter and depriving us of his counsel, indefinitely.
I'm leaving Twitter, for the indefinite future. The reason is simple: this site is becoming more like Gab every day. It's a font of hatred, lies, and harassment. And while it's never been great, at least it had its uses. No longer. At least not for me.
The constant hatred and malice on this site is bad for the soul. The tsunami of lies and misinformation is bad for the mind. There was a time when Twitter still gave me some value. It helped me find some of the smartest and wisest voices in public life.
But now it repeatedly boosts the worst and most thoughtless. I just can't stay here in good conscience. I don't begrudge anyone staying. People can certainly draw different lines, and I will miss Grizzlies twitter, but real-time news is actually better reported and more accurate on news sites, Twitter is utterly irrelevant to promoting my pieces (typically fewer than one percent of readers come through Twitter), and most of the people I respect are also on other sites.
He took five tweets to leave!
(I didn't even include the last one!)
French, like most New York Times journalists, doesn't care for platforms where he is forced out of his echo chamber. So now he will happily descend back into one (Threads). But because Twitter is a medium through which ordinary people can respond to the arrogance of those who deign to be their "betters," French didn't get the forlorn, desperate cries he was perhaps expecting. Instead, here were some of the best, most hilarious reactions to the departure of one of the most insufferable voices in politics:
You gotta love it.
It wouldn't be any fun if we didn't get in on the farewells!
I certainly do wish Mr. French all the best as he continues condescending to all those who join him on Threads. But if he really wants to know why "things changed" on Twitter for him, conservative activist Christopher Rufo nailed it. I'll leave you with his thoughts:
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