As our nation continues its swirl around the
porcelain receptacle, we must demand accountability where none is even considered,
if we are to avoid the sewer.
Congressman Steven
King has long been a decadent thorn is the side of Iowa. He has now become an irrefutable and severe
embarrassment. "White nationalist,
white supremacist,… — how did that language become offensive?" Yet his most
disgusting proclamation has strong roots and ties to the oval office.
Since 2015,
President Trump has refused to denounce white supremacy whenever he has had the
opportunity to do so. His responses have
always been open-ended and best characterized, as non-denial-denials, which he
later denied denying by claiming ignorance to white supremacy.
Example: Bloomberg
Television anchor John Heilemann asked if Trump would repudiate David Duke’s
endorsement. Trump’s response; “…if that would make you feel better, I would certainly
repudiate.” Not because white
supremacy is evil or because Trump distains it, but only to silence the
questioner on the topic.
Non-denial-denial.
Months later Duke
offered his strongest support for Trump telling radio listeners that a vote for
one of Trump's rivals would be "treason
to your heritage.” When asked again
if Trump was comfortable with this endorsement Trump proclaimed; "David Duke endorsed me? O.K., alright, I disavow. O.K.?" The tone and expression clearly indicated,
beyond his choice of words, that he was just placating the interviewer. Again, he refused to disavow or express
disgust over the racist mental illness.
Another non-denial-denial.
Many months later on
February 28, 2016 Jake Tapper pressed Trump on David Duke and the support he
was receiving from white supremacists. Tapper tried three times to get a rebuke
of the depravity and each time Trump declined. "So, I don't
know. I don't know—did he endorse me, or what's going on? Because I know
nothing about David Duke; I know nothing about white supremacists."
Months later, after Trump
was badgered on multiple occasions over support from white supremacists, he
still hadn’t educated himself on white supremacy??? All he could offer was a response in the fine
time-honored tradition of Sargent Schultz from “Hogan’s Heroes”; “I Know
NOTHING.” When President Trump was asked to address
Steven Kings racism his response was typical and predictable. Answer – You guessed it – I know nothing – NOTHHHHHHING.
Mitch McConnell and other Republicans
condemned Steven King’s racist remarks.
Yet they refuse to condemn President Trumps racist posture. No Republican outrage has been expressed
over yet another inane Trump response or his refusal to denounce racism.
Republican politicians are
not the only voice that is silent regarding President Trump’s many non-denial-denials
of racism. One of the parties most vocal
demographics and ardent supporters, the religious right, has also had nothing to
say on the subject.
The closest to any
religious utterances on the subject come from Trump’s press secretary, Sarah
Huckabee Sanders. She is the daughter of
Mike Huckabee, a southern Baptist minister and a Republican politician. He has won elective offices, by
primarily campaigning as a zealous religious right advocate. It’s not known if his daughter has adopted and
claims adherence to her fathers’ religious persuasion. What is know is that she was obviously raised
to embrace such beliefs. By her
continued silence and refusal to denounce the racism that swirls around her
boss, she too, is lending support to it. Silence is consent.
These events are
NOT just alarming but extremely dangerous. If we are on the road to once again
embracing white supremacy then we, as a people, are on our merry way to losing our
very souls.
No comments:
Post a Comment