Thread by @SeanCasten

So we just voted to oppose hate. I of course voted in favor (because duh.) But I am really concerned about the message we send by passing this bill. Thread: casten.house.gov/media/press-re…

1. We have a huge problem with racism, Anti-semitism and misogyny in Washington. And my great fear is that in voting on this bill we might actually delude ourselves into thinking we've solved something. We haven't solved anything.

2. And we might have made things worse. People of good character voted for this bill (and we learned nothing about them by their vote). People of bad character also voted for this bill... and they got cover they don't deserve.

3. Let's be honest: there was nobody in this Congress talking about the racist, misogynistic and Anti-Semitic language coming out of the WH for the last two years. Ask yourself what changed that made them vote against hate today. And ask what it cost them to vote yes today.

4. There is an elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about. And by passing this bill today we might avoid talking about it. But here's the thing: spend too long ignoring the elephant and pretty soon you're up to your knees in elephant dung.

5. So let's acknowledge the elephant. There is tremendous diversity on one side of the aisle in Congress and virtually none on the other. The President of the United States campaigned on hate and racism and now runs a party that depends on those who share the President's views.

6. The American people as a whole do not share those views. The proof was not just the results of the last election but the overwhelming turnout. It was truly beautiful to see all those good people standing up, bending that arc of history towards justice.

7. And so now we have one party that campaigned on love and won. And another party that at worst is racist and at best is too cowardly to stand up in opposition to hatred.

8. But here's the thing: to acknowledge that standing up for love has become partisan is to risk being accused of stoking the partisan flames. So instead of acknowledging and fighting the elephant, we ignore it. We vote on non-binding things and try to move on.

9. This is not to say that there are no flawed human beings on the left side of the aisle. We are all flawed human beings in our own way. But there is only one side of the aisle that is confronting those flaws and at least trying to be a little better.

10. So don't waste any energy celebrating today's vote. Don't waste any energy chastising those who opposed today's vote. Focus on how much more we still have to do.

11. People, people we are the same
(No we're not the same 'Cause we don't know the game)
What we need is awareness, we can't get careless
Fight the power. /fin
casten.house.gov/media/press-re…