Source: Justin Sullivan / Getty
Trump and company took their racist carnival show on the road, this time stopping in Minden, Nevada. Despite not running for re-election, Trump, joined by Republican elected officials like Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, riled up the base with misinformation and fear-mongering.
The junior senator from Alabama decided he needed to go all in on racist stereotypes of Black people as criminals but decided to use the moment to take a dig at calls for reparations. Distorting calls for “reparations,” Tuberville insisted Democrats were “pro-crime” and wanted to give away money to people —read Black people—who commit crimes.
This is straight up racism. https://t.co/gW7GLbdPV4
— Dan Rather (@DanRather) October 9, 2022
Also, more pundits need to be like Dan Rather. Call it what it is without couching it in weak euphemisms. It’s racist, plain and simple.
It doesn’t even matter that the comment doesn’t make sense and isn’t based on anything remotely factual. Tuberville strung together a bunch of words meant to illicit a particular image in the minds of both in-person and virtual rally attendees.
As some noted on social media, the former college football coach made his living at the expense of predominantly Black athletes who weren’t compensated for their labor. While Republicans doubling down on tough-on-crime rhetoric is not new, mainstreaming this racist rhetoric harkens back to a time many believed long gone.
Tuberville’s racist comment is in lockstep with MAGA fascism
The statement from the Trump acolyte isn’t surprising. But it’s a glaring part of a larger dynamic in contemporary American politics.
Tuberville’s comments ventured into white nationalist rhetoric by appealing to the predominately white crowd’s fear of “being replaced.” Before making the pro-crime/reparations comment, he told the crowd, “they want what you got,” in a seeming nod to the so-called white replacement theory.
Trump’s band of merry fascists drive a narrative of scarcity and fear to keep their supporters in line. When people say Democracy is on the line, it is not just about the functionality and fairness of American elections.
The authoritarian approach embraced by Tuberville, Trump and others is grounded in a white supremacist lens that positions Black and other people of color as an opposition to be eliminated.
Of course, they will make space for those attachés of color who choose to be among the token few welcomed in these spaces. But these people are exceptions to the rule and do not seem to care if they are the only ones standing once the dust settles.
Tuberville’s anti-Black, fascist tirade is an opportunity for Democrats to stand firm against the manipulation led by Trump and company. But sadly, instead of leading conversations of crime and public safety, many Democrats fall into the trap set by Republicans and never address the real issues impacting communities.
SEE ALSO:
North Carolina’s Cheri Beasley Stands Firm In Her Principles At Senate Debate
In Ron Johnson Debate, Mandela Barnes Destroys GOP’s Fearmongering Narrative On Crime
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