Perhaps you have noticed the new conflictive norms being thrust upon us. You know, norms, the standards of behavior that guide our interactions.

Elon Musk is one of the champions of these new norms, i.e., touting free speech then disparaging some of those who use it.

“I acquired X in order to preserve free speech in America,” Musk posted on X.

“60 Minutes are the biggest liars in the world!” he later posted after the news program aired a segment critical of his DOGE cuts to USAID. “They deserve a long prison sentence.”

Of course, Musk is not the only one practicing the new norms.

The declared mission of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, a Mississippi public charity, is to “advocate for and advance” conservative ideas. A recent newsletter from its president and CEO Douglas Carswell suggests its mission is to promote chosen politicians and disparage others.

The Center’s mission statement reads: “To advance the constitutional ideals of liberty and justice for all Mississippians by employing an evidenced-based approach to public policy whereby we advocate for and advance real conservative ideas with policy makers, members of the media, business leaders, the academic community, and private citizens.”

 

Carswell’s March 15 newsletter reads in the part on tax reform: “Governor Tate Reeves has made income tax elimination a priority, and the House agreed, passing Speaker Jason White and Rep. Trey Lamar’s HB1 bill early in the session. Now, the Senate’s liberal leadership is stalling, with a critical deadline looming this Tuesday. If HB1 fails, it will be a deliberate choice by Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann, whose stance aligns more with liberals than with conservative taxpayers. We can’t waver. We must rally behind leaders like the Governor and Speaker who take bold conservative stands—and call out those who don’t. To achieve change, conservative organizations must not equivocate.”

It’s one thing to advocate and promote policy, another to advocate politicians, and quite another to falsely disparage other politicians.

 

So who supports this new conflictive norm the Center is espousing?

 

The web site lists the following as board members: Cal Wells, chairman, Gloria Walker, Alan Wilson, Ashley Meena, Mac McGehee, John Marchetti, Price Johnson, Jim Herring, Doug McDaniel, Arty Finkelberg and Thomas Dunbar.

Staff members shown include: director of operations Anika Page, fellows Anja Baker, Vance Ginn, Matthew Mitchell and Ilya Shapiro, and interns Lindan Garner and Elle Herrington.

As for our growing conflictive norms, they are part of our evolving us versus them mentality with disparagement a useful rallying tactic.

NOTE: As this column was written the House had moved to adopt the Senate’s revised proposal.

 

Crawford is the author of “A Republican’s Lament: Mississippi Needs Good Government Conservatives.”