 So, representative Ilhan Omar recently gave what I think is a really powerful speech. And before I even tell you what this speech was about, who she was talking to, where she gave this speech, you already are probably assuming that there was a lot of backlash to whatever she said. And if you assume that, you would be correct, because anytime Ilhan Omar says anything, whatever words come out of her mouth, right-wingers are automatically outraged. It's almost like they're looking for reasons to be triggered. With that being said, take a look at what she recently tweeted out, a portion of her speech, and try to see if you can spot the controversy. When America gets a cold, black Americans get pneumonia. Our communities are the ones that are bearing the burden of the coronavirus more than any other. People of color make up this proportionate share of low wage essential workers who have had to keep working in food production plants grocery stores and other workplaces, despite the risk to their lives. We've also faced higher rates of joblessness to the rate to to the coronavirus crisis, while also suffering racialized police brutality and militarization. The mortality rate for black Minnesotans to COVID is twice as high as it is with other races. And for me, this is very personal because I lost my own father to the coronavirus. I see the pain and the havoc it's wrecking on black communities in Minneapolis. We must recognize that these systems of oppression are linked as long as our economy and political systems prioritize profit without considering who is profiting, who is being shut out. We will perpetuate this inequality so we cannot stop at criminal justice system. We must begin the work of dismantling the whole system of oppression wherever we find it. I mean, that was a deeply passionate and powerful speech. She spoke about how COVID-19, which is affecting all of us, but disproportionately affects people of color, just took her father's life. So she is speaking from personal experience about the necessity to dismantle institutional racism. I can't figure out why anyone would disagree with what she said unless they're explicitly racist. But nonetheless, right wingers took issue with what she said. The first that I want to talk about is Tucker Carlson's response. Now, I don't have to play the segment for you. I think that if you just see this image, the still image from his show and look at the Chiron, it tells you everything you need to know about his reaction. We have to fight to preserve our nation and heritage. So she says we have to dismantle institutional racism and the systems that oppress people of color and in response, conservatives take that as, oh, she wants to destroy America. And as a result, we have to fight to preserve our nation and heritage. I mean, at this point, Tucker Carlson might as well just yell white power and show up to record with the white hood because his white supremacy is so overt and explicit at this point that, you know, it's amazing to me that Fox News allows this to happen. And he's going to, you know, complain every time there's backlash when he says explicitly racist things and, you know, denounce cancel culture. But this is someone who should not be on the air, who is explicitly white supremacist. Like this is dangerous. People who are watching Fox News are getting basically what the KKK wants you to hear in things like this. But Tucker Carlson is it alone because other Republican Party lawmakers were extremely offended by, you know, Ilhan Omar's perfectly reasonable speech. As John Nichols of the nation explains, House minority leader Kevin McCarthy pushed the hyperbole button and tweeted, the Democratic Party has given up on America. All they want to do is tear it down. Trump Jr. demanded to know whether presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden agreed with Omar's argument and warned if Joe Biden wins in November, these are the people who will be the thought leaders in the Democratic Party. These will be the policies that the Democrats push. Wake up America. Fox News host Tucker Carlson played Omar's statement about dismantling systems of oppression, labeled her a vandal and grumbled that she hates us. Senator Marsha Blackburn took things even further. Ilhan Omar took an oath to defend and protect the Constitution, not shredded, roar the Tennessee Republican. Omar and her Marxist comrades are a threat to our democracy. Omar should resign. So let's just pause for a moment and back up. In response to her sharing her personal experience about how institutional racism affected her and led to her father dying, their response is to scream bloody murder. Call on her to resign, accuse her of wanting to destroy America. There are no words to really capture how disgusting this party is. This is a white supremacist party, and this party should not exist. Cancel the Republican Party. They need to not exist. We already have a different right wing party who could take their place. The Democrats, this is just this is unacceptable. And as John Nichols put it, they're telling on themselves here with their outrage to her calling for the dismantling of institutional racism. They're telling on themselves. They're saying they don't want to dismantle institutional racism. They like that there is a racial hierarchy in America and they want to keep it that way. Anyone who doesn't want to keep it that way. They want to destroy America because America is supposed to be white. That's basically what they're saying. It's morally reprehensible. But these are the people who claim to have the moral high ground, right? They're religious. If you're Marshall Blackburn and Tucker Carlson claims to care about America. I mean, this is just disgusting. Now, rather than going on about the response, Ilhan Omar, she defended herself rightfully. So I think that the left needs to learn from people like Ilhan Omar, who don't run away from their original statements, especially if they're correct. And John Nichols explains Omar then turned the discussion toward those who refuse to embrace systematic change in a time when that is precisely what is needed. She suggested that instead of asking why Democrats will not compromise in order to achieve piecemeal progress, reporters might ask members of the Senate's Republican majority as well as cautious Democrats. How come you are not negotiating with them? How come you are not listening to the voices that have been marginalized for decades and centuries in this country? How come you are not listening to the cries of the mothers and the fathers in our communities? How come you are not listening to the people who are telling you that we don't feel like our lives matter equally in this country? Because when you have legislators who are living every single day in the midst of communities that are constantly feeling pain, being told by legislators who have no idea, not a single idea, not because they've lived through it or because they represent people living through it, constantly telling them what should be and what can be acceptable treatment for themselves and for the communities that they represent. And I just think that is really the most emblematic part of this conversation, and it's truly why we continue to have a system that isn't equal for us. Yeah, beautifully put, it's honestly deeply depressing and soul-crushing that that speech, which is completely just not controversial at all. It should be common sense was the point of outrage for a lot of Senate Republicans. And they weren't just like behind the scenes, griping about Ilhan Omar's speech. They're very openly saying this call to dismantle institutional racism. That just means you want to destroy America. I mean, they have no shame. It's it's disturbing, quite frankly. So I don't know what else to say. I feel really bad for people like Ilhan Omar, who, in spite of all of the vitriol directed at her, still continues to fight not just for her community, but everyone else. I mean, she is doing more and deals with more than anyone else in Congress and truly I don't envy her position, but I deeply respect her for everything that she's doing. I mean, her speech is common sense and it's sad that saying we should get rid of institutional racism is that controversial in 2020, but you have to understand that we haven't made as much progress as we wanted to believe that we've made. Right. We made strides. Sure, when it comes to social and racial justice, but race, racism has the tendency to adapt to new political settings. It transforms. It evolves. Right. So, you know, these people in Congress, like Marsha Blackburn and Kevin McCarthy, we have to end their careers. They have to be kicked out of Congress because it's not acceptable to have backlash, to feel outraged at the call to end institutional racism. That is the definition of white supremacy.