The conservative attacks on Ocasio-Cortez are expected--and even comical in how easily they're turned into campaign ads for her. What's less amusing is the liberal condescension towards her, abetted by a thinly-disguised sexism.
I've even seen it come from people I otherwise respect: Ocasio-Cortez being held to a pernicious double standard. I never thought I'd see some of these people subject a woman of colour to the "work twice as hard to be seen as half as good" metric.
Some of these same people clamoured for party unity in 2016 in the name of facing a greater threat. Well, Ocasio-Cortez deserves the same courtesy. She won her primary; she's bearing the standard.
But the rank, pitying condescension that regards her as little better than a child is just gag-inducing. She has a long way to go, yes, but she already outclasses so many of our elected officials--the white men we've always graded on a curve.
Ask yourself, honestly and critically, are you subjecting Ocasio-Cortez to an unfair standard? Are you asking her to work twice as hard to be seen as half as good? Would you say the same things about a centrist or conservative white guy?
It's particularly infuriating watching some of the same people who went to the mat for Hillary turn around and deploy the same condescending sexism at Ocasio-Cortez without noticing the irony. Who preached pragmatism then and are splitters now.
Ocasio-Cortez is a genuine newcomer to politics. Unlike so many self-styled "outsiders" she, like many young people who ran these last two years, is from outside the political elite. She needs our support; if you snipe her down, what message does that send to young WOC?
The radicalism of her message is what we need to energise the movement to stop not just Trump but Trump*ism*. A socialist, feminist message from someone who actually *is* from outside the political machine, not supported by generations of privilege and connections. One of us.
I expect conservabros to talk about Ocasio-Cortez like she's stupid. I'm Latina, I know how it goes, I been hearing it since I was 12. But if you claim to be liberal or progressive and you're peddling that shit? Expect to hear from me.
