‘Let’s go Brandon’ isn’t clever, it’s vulgar

At this point, no one is surprised by the vulgarity and stupidity of political discourse in America. Think of the “Access Hollywood” tape in which then-candidate Donald Trump bragged about grabbing a woman by her genitals and when he boasted about the size of his own genitals when taunted by an equally adolescent U.S. senator trying to score points during a primary debate. It’s hard to believe now but, in a different time, such disgraceful talk would have been a disqualifier for the presidency.

While Mr. Trump cannot be blamed for originating the descent into the coarseness of our national dialogue, he did encourage it.

The latest case of rampant vulgarity started this fall. Fans at a NASCAR race began chanting “[expletive] Joe Biden,” but an announcer misheard the chant and reported that the crowd said “Let’s Go Brandon,” to support driver Brandon Brown.

The misunderstanding went viral and became a way for conservatives who used to pride themselves on self-discipline and moral consistency to slip in expletives and rude sentiments in a way that was perceived by fellow Trump supporters as funny and subversive. Members of the U.S. Senate and House used “Let’s Go Brandon” on social media and even in speeches on the floor of Congress. An airline pilot said it over his plane’s intercom system and now faces punishment. The phrase adorns wedding cakes and pizzas across America.

Last week, “Let’s Go Brandon” was chanted in the sanctuary of the Texas church of Trump supporter John Hagee. It was not a regular Sunday worship, but the sanctuary was full of QAnon supporters protesting President Biden, mask mandates and vaccines. “Let’s Go Brandon” united the sanctuary with one bitter chant.

It isn’t just supporters of Mr. Biden who consider the caustic immaturity pathetic; those who disagree with Mr. Biden on many issues will consider the chant off-putting.

We’re long past the point of expecting the return of civility to America. The contagion of offensive speech is already out there and isn’t going anywhere soon. The need for the House to censure of Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar for spreading a cartoon video depicting the killing of a Democratic House member shows how far gone many people already are.

“Let’s Go Brandon” isn’t shocking, surprising or clever. It reveals a moral bankruptcy of those who chant it even in church.

And Brandon McGinley, a PostGazette editorial writer who did not author this piece, would like his good name to be restored.