Upon learning of the Monday death of Phyllis Schlafly, Donald Trump had a response that matches his usual fact-deficient approach about everything from immigration to the nuclear triad with a brief paean to one of the vilest enemies of social progress:
"Phyllis Schlafly is a conservative icon who led millions to action, reshaped the conservative movement, and fearlessly battled globalism and the 'kingmakers' on behalf of America's workers and families," the statement read. "I was honored to spend time with her during this campaign as she waged one more great battle for national sovereignty. I was able to speak with her by phone only a few weeks ago, and she sounded as resilient as ever. Our deepest prayers go to to her family and all her loved ones. She was a patriot, a champion for women, and a symbol of strength. She fought every day right to the end for America First. Her legacy will live on in the movement she led and the millions she inspired."
As I.F. Stone once said, “Funerals are occasions for pious lying.” In fact, a fair piece of Schlafly’s legacy is in tatters. But Trump is no doubt right that “millions she inspired” will stick to the tenets of her anti-feminist, anti-gay crusade even as much—though scarcely all—of the opposition to equality has succumbed over the years to court and legislative action.
As for being a “champion for women,” Schlafly made a public career out of preaching a version of the philosophy of Kinder, Küche, Kirche—arguing against women having public careers. She was instrumental in wrecking ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.
Given the decades of her crusade, there are plenty of examples in which her own words demolish Trump’s claim. Here are a few thanks to Sarah K. Burris:
• “Non-criminal sexual harassment on the job is not a problem for the virtuous woman except in the rarest of cases.” Before the United States Senate, 1981.
• “Sex education classes are like in-home sales parties for abortions.” 1997.
• “People think that child-support enforcement benefits children, but it doesn’t.” “Federal Incentives Make Children Fatherless.” 2005.
• “By getting married, the woman has consented to sex, and I don’t think you can call it rape.” 2007.
• “When marriages are broken by false allegations of domestic violence, U.S. taxpayers fork up an estimated $20 billion a year to support the resulting single-parent, welfare-dependent families.” 2011.