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7 tweets,
3 min read
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[thread] Of course, @realDonaldTrump telling @AOC, @RashidaTlaib, @IlhanMN & @AyannaPressley to “go home” to their “country of origin” is racist. I’m disgusted & appalled by the callousness of these remarks, aimed at these amazingly strong women. #Solidarity to them. (1/7)
But crucially, Trump’s consistent racism gives confidence to others with racist attitudes & builds a terrifying atmosphere for targets of that racism. These are the real, painful, consequences when political or community leaders foster racism & play on xenophobic attitudes. (2/7)
People who are doing or saying racist things often feel like they speak on behalf of their community (ridiculous concept, I know). Therefore, it’s immensely powerful for a member of that same perceived community to say ‘not in my name’ in order to marginalise the racism. (3/7)
This comes down to questions of entitlement. What makes some people feel a country is “their own”? Why do some feel more entitled? In my view it’s mainly down to (a) skin colour & (b) a belief that you & your relatives have contributed more to that nation than the ‘other’. (4/7)
In reality, all this ownership of a nation is a construct & each of those women are as entitled to be in America as @realDonaldTrump. They’re trying to build a decent, unified society, instead of setting one group of people against another for the preservation of power. (5/7)
The same attitudes of entitlement to the nation exist in the UK. And just like the US, a Prime Minister @BorisJohnson will nurture them for political ends. These attitudes have racist consequences for millions in this country, making them feel like this is not their home. (6/7)
We must question these attitudes, call them out & assert, in the street, in the pub, in Parliament, in our political parties & our homes, that racism is not done in our name. We must marginalise & defeat those views. We’re one community against those who wish to exploit us! (7/7)
