In a series of tweets, Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin dared go where no Republican has gone before: an admission that the GOP has a racism problem.
“When 92% of black voters don’t support the Republican nominee, but the KKK does, there’s a problem. Let’s deal with it and move forward.
“A number of Republicans see the problem (racism). They try to lead the party in a new direction, but too many disagree & thus the problem.
“I don’t believe racism is anyone’s true core, but we have a problem & need leaders to call it out & eradicate it. Our future depends on it.
“Racism like @CarlPaladino’s and that of others in the GOP won’t just go away on its own. It’s a problem that requires better leadership.”
Deny it as they will, racism is a real problem in GOP ranks, as Carl Paladino proved when asked Friday what he would like to see in 2017, answering,
“I’d like her to return to being a male and let loose in the outback of Zimbabwe where she lives comfortable in a cave with Maxie, the gorilla.”
Paladino apologized but insisted he is “certainly not a racist.” Which is what they all say when cornered for their racism.
This isn’t going to sit well with Republicans, who like to claim we lived in a post-racist world until Barack Obama came along. Of course, Obama was immediately the victim of vicious attacks by racists in the Republican Party.
As if on cue, former KKK leader David Duke tweeted,
#AntiWhite traitors like McMullin "won't just go away on their own." https://t.co/a976xmIWr7
— David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) December 28, 2016
McMullin gave him the only answer that matters in the United States of America:
.@DrDavidDuke "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator…"
— Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) December 28, 2016
Lindsey Graham identified the GOP’s problem a few years ago when he made a pointed comment about how “We’re not generating enough angry white guys to stay in business for the long term.” This hasn’t stopped the GOP from on one hand insisting racism doesn’t exist and on the other, blaming Democrats, and reliably losing the black vote year after year.
As McMullin said, it is a problem the GOP has to first own before it can be dealt with. You shouldn’t hold your breath waiting for Republicans to fall in line.
Hrafnkell Haraldsson, a social liberal with leanings toward centrist politics has degrees in history and philosophy. His interests include, besides history and philosophy, human rights issues, freedom of choice, religion, and the precarious dichotomy of freedom of speech and intolerance. He brings a slightly different perspective to his writing, being that he is neither a follower of an Abrahamic faith nor an atheist but a polytheist, a modern-day Heathen who follows the customs and traditions of his Norse ancestors. He maintains his own blog, A Heathen’s Day, which deals with Heathen and Pagan matters, and Mos Maiorum Foundation www.mosmaiorum.org, dedicated to ethnic religion. He has also contributed to NewsJunkiePost, GodsOwnParty and Pagan+Politics.