Evangelicals & The Bigotry of Low Expectations: Gavin Newsom and Political Paternalism

The Statement That Sparked the Debate

California Governor Gavin Newsom speaking publicly during a policy event.

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently referenced his academic struggles — including difficulty reading and a reported 960 SAT score — while attempting to relate to African Americans. He did so purposely with the help of a fellow Liberal politician, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.

I do not know whom I find more repulsive, Newsom or Dickens, but what I do know is that no self-respecting Person of Color would find a Caucasian attempting to use medicorce academic performance as a touch point of relatability with People of Color to be a laughing matter. One of my favorite expressions is, "Don't piss down my leg and tell me it is raining."

I know when I am being insulted, and Newsom, feeling supremely confident and totally smug, believing he was expressing solidarity with People of Color, because he could not read, is an insult of the highest order. Just like Biden did when he said the mere fact that People of Color were expected to present an ID was akin to Jim Crow 2.0.

The issue is not whether he struggled academically, but the mere fact that he knew, or at least firmly believed, his approach would curry favor with People of Color. He did so with the supreme confidence that this pandering approach has worked and catapulted politicians like William Jefferson Clinton and Joseph Robinette Biden into a four-year all-expense-paid residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave

The issue is why academic struggle has become the point of racial identification.

When a political leader attempts to communicate relatability by saying, in effect, “I struggled in school — I’m just like you,” an important question must be asked: what assumption makes that comparison meaningful?

Is this genuine solidarity?

Or does it unintentionally or intentionally reinforce diminished expectations?

I write to you this day while in Tokyo, Japan, for the 2026 Tokyo Marathon, because I am planting my flag upon the premise that Newsom intentionally reinforced diminished expectations. Let there be no miscalculation. Politicians like Gavin Newsom are very calculating. So, Newsom did what he did with full volition and forethought of mental cognition.

Understanding the Bigotry of Low Expectations in Gavin Newsom’s Remarks

The phrase “Bigotry of Low Expectations” describes a subtle but powerful form of discrimination — lowering standards under the appearance of compassion.

It occurs when society assumes that certain groups (especially People of Color) need lower expectations to succeed.

Such thinking may appear as empathy, but its implications are damaging. Lowered expectations communicate lowered belief in capability.

Personally, I ain't having any of it. Gavin Newsom puts on his pants one leg at a time, so he is no better than me, so I do not need any artificial help going toe-to-toe with Newsom in any intellectual debate.

I know any fellow self-respecting male of any hue feels precisely the same way. God wired us that way. All we want is to get to the starting line with no unauthorized assistance, and then may the best man win. In a word, we demand meritocracy, all day, errday and twice on Sundays.

Man-Centered Compassion that removes standards does not elevate dignity; it quietly undermines it.

True equality requires equal expectations.

Dignity Versus Political Paternalism

Professional excellence reflects capability when equal expectations are applied.

There is an important distinction between dignity and paternalism.

Dignity affirms moral agency. Paternalism manages outcomes.

Dignity says individuals are capable of meeting shared standards. Paternalism assumes those standards must be adjusted.

When political rhetoric shifts from encouragement to assumption, it risks treating adults not as equals but as dependents who require accommodation.

Respect does not lower the bar.

Respect believes others can rise to meet it.

The Historical Record Before 1964

Historical data reveal measurable social and economic progress among African Americans prior to the expansion of Great Society programs in the mid-1960s.

Critics arguing from the Bigotry of Low Expectations Gavin Newsom debate point to historical evidence showing progress occurring under conditions of equal expectations.

Between 1940 and 1960, poverty rates declined substantially. Educational attainment rose steadily, labor participation remained strong, and two-parent household rates were significantly higher than in later decades.

Negro economic and educational advancement during the mid-20th century.

Acknowledging these trends does not deny the existence of discrimination or injustice. As analysts and discussants of America's record, we have to call Balls and Strikes as they appear in the historical record, not just acknowledge what we perceive as favorable to our narrative.

However, it does demonstrate resilience, advancement, and agency under conditions of equal expectations.

The historical record challenges narratives that portray incapacity as the defining feature of African American experience.

Why Political Language Matters

Political leaders frequently attempt to build connections through shared struggle, and we understand that and why it is so important if they are to gain electability.

Thus, relatability can be and often is a powerful political tool.

But when academic difficulty becomes the primary bridge to racial identification, the implication deserves scrutiny, analysis, critical thinking, and rebuke when necessary.

If the comparison resonates because struggle or underperformance is presumed, then rhetoric intended to express empathy may instead reinforce stereotypes.

Intent and impact are not always the same.

Words shape expectations, and expectations shape outcomes.

A Biblical Framework for Human Equality

Scripture establishes equal dignity rooted in creation.

Scripture grounds human dignity in the doctrine of the Imago Dei.

Genesis 1:27 teaches that all people are created in the image of God. Romans 2:11 affirms that God shows no partiality.

Evangelical Biblical Christianity rejects the notion that standards should vary according to race or background.

Equal worth and equal accountability exist together.

If God does not assign moral expectations based on identity, neither should society.

Equal Standards Are a Form of Respect

People of Color do not need lowered expectations to succeed.

We do not need narratives that equate struggle with identity.

We do not need political figures suggesting academic difficulty as a racial common ground.

All we should need, want, expect, and demand is equal opportunity, equal accountability, and equal standards.

Expecting excellence is not cruelty; it is wholly biblical and what every Christ-follower should promote and communicate in front of a waiting and watching world, even as they witness that world decaying morally right before their very eyes. The world should go to Hell in spite of us and our dire warning, and never because we fail to man our stations and sound the alarm.

It is respect to argue for equal standards. My grandson, Malachi, needs to be able to sense his achievement as a result of his hard work and dedication, and never because some other male thought he was not up to the task and thus needed a helping hand.

Anything less risks turning compassion into condescension.

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As always, keep your hands to the plow and seek to serve for an Audience of One.

With fear & trembling,

Ricky V Kyles Sr. DEd.Min