They say the worst thing you can call a racist is racist.
Chaos erupted among GOP House members yesterday when newly-elected Rep. Mondaire Jones of New York called them out for being “racist trash” during a speech about Washington, D.C. statehood.
In his remarks, Jones took aim at Rep. Jody Hice’s ridiculous claim that D.C. has no landfills, as well as Sen. Tom Cotton’s racially-charged contrast between D.C. and a “well-rounded, working class state” like Wyoming.
“I had no idea there were so many syllables in the word ‘white,’” Jones said of Cotton’s argument. Then he accused Republicans of making “racist insinuations that somehow the people of Washington, D.C. are incapable or even unworthy of our democracy.”
“My goodness. With all the racist trash my colleagues have brought to this debate, I can see why my colleagues are worried about a place to put it,” the openly gay lawmaker said. “The truth is there is no good faith argument for disenfranchising 700,000 people, most of whom are people of color.”
D.C. carries three electoral votes in presidential elections but it’s not represented in the Senate and its House delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton, is not allowed vote on legislation. Almost 50% of the city’s population is Black.
One of my Republican colleagues objected to #DCStatehood because DC doesn't have its own landfill.
With all the racist trash they've been espousing in this debate, it's no wonder they're worried about where to put it. https://t.co/8cYQlx4Bq1
— Mondaire Jones (@MondaireJones) April 22, 2021
I had no idea there were so many syllables in the word “white.” https://t.co/4KK1keCwrs
— Mondaire Jones (@MondaireJones) April 23, 2021
Jones’ comments triggered Republicans, particularly Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, who jumped up and demanded the remarks be stricken from the congressional record.
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In a statement to Forbes, Harris said Jones’ “inappropriate” words were “unbecoming of a Representative and violates the rules of the House,” particularly at a “time of growing discord.”
Jones eventually did agree to withdraw his comments, but not before noting that the GOP’s “desperate objections are about fear.”
“Fear that in D.C. their white supremacist politics will no longer play,” he said. “Fear that soon enough, white supremacist politics won’t work anywhere in America. Fear that if they don’t rig our democracy, they won’t win.”
The House voted along party lines to approve legislation that would make D.C. the 51st state. The the bill now moves on to the Senate, where it is expected to be an uphill climb.
The Biden White House formally declared its support for the legislation on Tuesday, saying it would give D.C. residents “long overdue full representation in Congress.”
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
Cam
The only way Republicans have now to keep media and other groups openly calling them racist is to scream and tantrum and pretend to be offended when somebody accurately labels them.
That isn’t going to work for much longer.
Also DC has 0.2% of the U.S. population, which is larger than the population of both Vermont and Wyoming.
DC has 0.7% of the nation’s GDP, which is larger than the GDP of 16 states and is equal to the combined GDPs of Vermont, Wyoming, and Montana
DC contributes more to the U.S. economy than 16 states.
Hermes in DC
Your Headline Is Misleading
Your headline is misleading and unprofessional. Rep. Jones did not call his GOP colleagues “racist trash;” he called their arguments “racist trash.” There is a substantive difference between calling someone’s argument “racist trash” and calling the person “racist trash.” And while I have no way of knowing this, I bet the Congressman’s choice of words was very deliberate.
This matters because both chambers of Congress have both rules and longstanding practices of not directly attacking or inveighing against other members, only their arguments or actions.
I have no doubt that many Republican members of Congress are racist and therefore trash too. But while Democrats continue to enjoy the luxury of holding sole ownership of the moral high ground, and channeling Michelle Obama about “when they go low we go high,” Democrats should not be the ones who undermine the rules or traditions governing debate in the Congress.
BerlinQueen
Yes! Totally! Jones is completely justified. Why must we be “civil” when it comes to clearly racist ideas, statements, policies, etc. Racism is a word that needs to be used when it fits. More importantly, nativism needs to be used more. Thank you Lieu for calling out nativists! All minorities have been far too patient with quasi kkk republicans. This trash has no place in a country founded by immigrants. Trash is actually too soft a word, lol. Good show Jones! Like Waters said, we need to be more confrontational! That is not the same as violent. Republicans need to buy a good dictionary and thesaurus!
justus2
nice use of the word inveigh. thanks
Fahd
He tweeted (sarcastically) that he understands the Republicans’ worry about landfills because of all of their racist trash (talk). Get it? landfill is where one puts trash. The headline writer and writer should read the content of the stories before publishing (Journalism 101).
Also, he didn’t lie. If the population of DC were less people of color, it would have had two voting senators and a representative in the House seventy years ago.
How much longer can this taxation without representation rooted in structural racism continue?
Kangol2
As others have said, Rep. Jones (so fierce!) didn’t call the Congresspeople “racist trash,” he called their arguments that, which they are. Many nations give federal districts state-light status, with full voting rights, and the same should be true of the District of Columbia. What was that about “no taxation without representation”? Oh right, only for some and not for others.
ShiningSex
the truth hurts. It’s time to call out all racist trash
Karrnal
Rep Jones words were taken out of context. The meaning “racist trash” is that racists need to throw in the trash their racist comments. Not that they are racist trash. Although the are. Seems to be a touchy issue with them.
sillyme
Then in short order we all need to stand up and FIRE!! all the old timers and put a stop to the CRAP in not only DC but in ALL OF THE POLITICS IN general, I agree with his original statement that DC has no real landfill for all the crap that needs to be cleaned out and dealt with sooner than later.
MISTERJETT
good for him!!! i couldn’t have said it any better myself.