You don’t have to like all of Tulsi Gabbard’s politics. I certainly disagree with her on a myriad of issues. She is a Democrat after all, at least to the extent that the term has any singular meaning anymore.

But she’s also a politician who is not afraid to break from the often gross orthodoxy of her party. She did it during the Democrat primary numerous times, especially on foreign policy issues, where she’s been a rebel for a long time. Gabbard, of course, also ended Kamala Harris’ campaign during one of the debates, which will always leave me somewhat grateful to her.

That independent streak showed itself again today with Gabbard’s denunciation of the disgusting “Cuties” movie on Netflix. If you need background on the controversy, see here and here.

.@netflix child porn "Cuties" will certainly whet the appetite of pedophiles & help fuel the child sex trafficking trade. 1 in 4 victims of trafficking are children. It happened to my friend's 13 year old daughter. Netflix, you are now complicit. #CancelNetflix pic.twitter.com/GI8KFH7LFq

— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) September 12, 2020

I enjoy the fact that she doesn’t mince words here. Little girls touching themselves provocatively per reports (I haven’t actually seen it myself, and I’m not going to watch it) in skimpy clothing is child pornography. It’s gross, vile material that should never see the light of day. It’s the kind of trash you’d expect to come out of France’s “art” scene, but that makes it no more acceptable there or in the United States.

This kind of trash feeds the child sex trafficking issues the world already has, and to be clear, those issues are widespread and heartbreaking. Normalizing the sexualization of children is harmful to children. Unbelievably, California recently passed a law allowing it not to be a felony for an adult to have sex with a 14-year-old. That’s the kind of evil we are having to fight against as a society right now.

Of course, Gabbard was immediately labeled a kook for straying off the Democrat line on this issue.

Tulsi going QAnon is the least surprising thing to happen in 2020. https://t.co/9ZriBWrYJH

— Melissa Ryan (@MelissaRyan) September 12, 2020

You see, child sex trafficking and sexualizing children is really just a QAnon conspiracy theory. Don’t believe your lying eyes or something.

It’s all just so stupid, but the left have always been rabid conspiracy theorists. The Trump era just made them even more insane. Everything is the Russians or QAnon, or both, these days. These people have no ability to think independently and call something that’s clearly wrong, wrong.

I’ll also note that I’m seeing an odd silence, or at least a lack of focus, from a lot of the supposed moral arbiters on the conservative side. People who can’t get enough of writing on Trump’s “lack of character” don’t want to spend much time on young girls being exploited by a multi-billion dollar organization. Weird, right?

Good on Gabbard for speaking out. It’s why I don’t have to like many of her views, but I do respect her as a person and voice. She’s not afraid to go against her own side when it’s clearly the right thing to do.

(Please follow me on Twitter! @bonchieredstate)