,
14 tweets,
7 min read
Read on Twitter
Gobsmacked that it is a surprise to anyone, much less scholars, that Reagan was a racist. I mean, hello, what do you think the "welfare queen" was about.
You don't need to hear someone say the "n-word" or call people monkeys to know they're a racist. When you demonize poor people of color for your entire career, you're a racist. When you refuse to say the word AIDS, you're a homophobe. This is not hard.
REAGAN VETOED AN ANTI-APARTHEID BILL
REAGAN BEGAN HIS CAMPAIGN WHERE THE FREEDOM RIDERS WERE KILLED AND TALKED ABOUT "STATES RIGHTS"
See this right here is what's so wrong with politics and particularly the GOP. It's only "racism" if you're caught saying something racist. Unfairly imprisoning people, restricting their ability to vote, saying poverty is a moral feeling—don't you dare call that racist.
This is why GOP lawmakers and pundits take such false umbrage about being called racist for their deeds and dogwhistles. They only want it to count if it's certain words, publicly spoken.
Well guess what, actions speak louder than words.
Well guess what, actions speak louder than words.
And then when they DO get caught calling people monkeys or from shitholes or advocating pussy grabbing, well that's just talk.
This is a general white people problem. But the GOP has weaponized this hypocrisy.
This is a general white people problem. But the GOP has weaponized this hypocrisy.
So here's @DouthatNYT endorsing @RameshPonnuru's piece on how Trump is lowering Conservatives' bar to racism. Please note that this is all about language. About racist name calling, not racist policy
@DouthatNYT @RameshPonnuru .@RameshPonnuru says this is the bargain many conservatives made. To ignore his hateful speech because you like, idk, tax cuts and judges.
THE TAX CUTS AND JUDGES ARE ALSO RACIST.
THE TAX CUTS AND JUDGES ARE ALSO RACIST.
@DouthatNYT @RameshPonnuru These two, in particular, really position themselves as the non racist GOP stalwarts. But the policies are the racism. They'll say, I guess, that this is just liberal virtue signalling. But it's been clear since the Southern Strategy that the GOP divides and demonizes re race.
@DouthatNYT @RameshPonnuru The GOP hasn't totally cornered the market on racist public policy. But it's trying. Either you endorse racists and racists policies or you don't. Even if it means losing your high-profile columnist gigs. To hand-wring and stay is sickening.
@DouthatNYT @RameshPonnuru Here is yet another @NRO piece, trying to exonerate Reagan by examining his *words*, while completely ducking the obvious racist policies he initiated over 40 years. nationalreview.com/2019/08/ronald…
@DouthatNYT @RameshPonnuru @NRO It is very important to everyone at @NRO that their hero not be considered racist, and so they must put his racist words up against the "bigger picture" of his whole life, while ignoring the racist policies that were the cornerstone endeavors of that life.
@DouthatNYT @RameshPonnuru @NRO Cry "freedom" while denying other people basic rights, franchise, bodily autonomy. Not racism, not bigotry. After all, I didn't use the n-word.
