My post this week for Southeast Texas Impact Initiative.
I love Bo French!
Yes, I actually did write that. And it’s true. I am thankful for Bo French.
Here’s the reason why. His idiotic and infamously fetid racist rants on social media have forced the Republican Party to own up to its racism problem. Racism and race-driven strategies and attitudes have become so pervasive and common in the GOP that now, even politicians like John Cornyn, no progressive flower, feel compelled to condemn overt racism.
There are myriad examples of how it’s become increasingly accepted in Republican circles that you can make racist statements, even wildly mendacious proclamations, with no serious consequences. On the contrary, “welcome to the party” is what most Republicans seem to be saying. Maybe we’re still in the wink-wink, if-you-know-you-know phase of this absorbing trend in conservative circles. But with Bo French, it feels like we’ve finally reached a threshold where decency might actually prevail — for a change.
Here’s a social media post from Paul Ingrassia, who currently serves as a U.S. government attorney: “I do have a Nazi streak in me from time to time, I will admit it.”
Here’s a text he sent to fellow Republican operatives: “We need competent white men in positions of leadership. The founding fathers were wrong that all men are created equal… We need to reject that part of our heritage.”
Ron DeSantis fired his aide Nate Hochman after the latter posted an image of the Florida politician with a bold Nazi symbol as backdrop. Hochman is currently writing speeches for Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In January of this year, the U.S. Department of Labor posted a Nazi slogan on its social media: “One Homeland. One People. One Heritage,” an echo of the German “Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer” (“one people, one realm, one leader”). “Remember who you are, American,” wrote the government employee who shared the video that included the authoritarian motto.
(Thank you to Times opinion writer Jamelle Bouie and the Nation for the above examples of blatant racism expressed by government workers.)
And let’s not forget Elon Musk, the world’s favorite antisemite (he recently took over Mel Gibson’s role as the world’s most loved Jew hater). When a user posted that Jews advance “dialectical hatred against whites,” Musk responded by writing: “You have said the actual truth.” And that’s just one of the overtly racist posts he’s shared on X, the platform he owns and controls.
As Bouie asked plaintively, why does Musk get a pass? Why do any of them get a pass, for that matter?
It’s because of the GOP’s deep-seated racism. Remember the infamous 1981 quote from prolific Republican strategist Lee Atwater (who later repented for the racist tactics his office used to help get Ronald Reagan elected): “Y’all don’t quote me on this. You start out in 1954 by saying, ‘n—– n—–, n—–.’ By 1968, you can’t say ‘n—–’ — that hurts you. Backfires. So, you say stuff like forced busing, states’ rights and all that stuff.”
I’m not making this up. Just Google it.
Atwater was explaining how he had modified and improved Nixon’s shameful “Southern Strategy,” a race-driven approach to politics that helped to get Nixon elected.
Bo French (who are bigger threat to America, he asked on social media, Muslims or Jews?) is forcing GOP leaders to take sides in the race-baiting race to the bottom. Whether this will help them get elected is another question. But at least, even the GOP is learning to call a fig a fig.
Thanks for reading my post this week for Southeast Texas Impact Initiative (click here to read and support), a grassroots group advocating for progressive issues in one of the most conservative corners of our country. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber.
