The Texas Republican’s racism problem may finally be getting some much needed attention.
Thanks to a X post by Bo French, the Republican nominee for Texas Railroad Commissioner, the Texas GOP is grappling with the xenophobes and white supremacists in their tent. The controversy started Saturday after a dramatic come-from-behind victory by the University of Texas over Ohio State.
French became triggered by a photo of students in the stadium celebrating because many in the photo appeared to be of South Asian or Hispanic descent.
“I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn’t believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined,” French wrote.
French, a UT graduate, later added, “I cheered the win for the team. It was a great game. But I weep for the families in Texas who can’t get into UT because they prioritize foreigners over Texans. Shame on you for ignoring that fact.”
As a community note helpfully pointed out, UT freshmen are at least 90% Texas residents by law. Of the remaining 10%, international students must compete for those spots with out-of-state applicants. Of recent freshmen, they make up only about 4%. But more importantly, we don’t know if they’re international students from a photo. French assumes they’re not Texan, and don’t belong here, because they have brown skin.
This event has become a Rorschach test for Republicans and right-wingers, especially here in Texas. Thankfully, many Republican politicians have flatly condemned it. Others, however, have dodged the question, remained silent, or even worse, defended it.
“Are other Republican elected officials going to condemn the intolerance and racism, or look the other way while it becomes normalized. This is how great political parties self-destruct. Sad,” U.S. Sen. John Cornyn responded.
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows said, “You can oppose immigration policy without demeaning people because of their race or ethnicity — this post has crossed the line.”
Jeff Leach and Jared Patterson, two Republican members of the Texas House, also condemned French’s post. Leach called it “racist” while Patterson said it’s not “Christian or conservative.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott delivered a more toned-down rebuke: “That is not my message.”
Republican strategist Karl Rove wrote an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal (gift link) explaining why he would vote for French’s opponent, Jon Rosenthal, which will be only the second time in his life voting for a Democrat.
Rove also warned,
“The GOP has a growing number of Bo Frenches—and not only in Texas. Conservatism and the party it dominates have an increasing number of bigoted advocates of a ‘heritage America’ composed of white descendants of the original European settlers. There are ‘just asking questions’ Jew-haters, misogynists who worship hypermasculinity, conspiracy nuts seeking clicks for profit, and religious bigots who won’t differentiate between Muslim terrorists and Muslim American patriots.”
The UT chapter of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) also condemned French’s remarks, stating in part, “we cannot criticize racial identity politics when it comes from the left while embracing the same framework when it is convenient to do so from the right.”
Other TPUSA figures defended French, however. Chief of Staff Mikey McCoy accused Cornyn and Rove of being closet Democrats. TPUSA podcasters Jack Posobiec and Benny Johnson also defended French. (I wrote about Johnson’s racism just last month.)
The extremist infiltration of the TX GOP has been going on for many years now. Two years ago I wrote about it for this newsletter.
Political Extremism Reaches New Heights in TX GOP
Here in Texas where AVC is based, the state Republican Party is being overrun by political extremists.
Writing for Texas Monthly, Robert Downen points out that French has been saying things even more racist than that for a long time.
“If you have paid any attention to French, the wave of critical responses may be surprising. For years, he has used social media as a fire hose for blatant racism and xenophobia. He frequently calls his critics ‘gay’ or ‘retarded.’ He wants America to be more like Rhodesia, the former African pseudostate whose white government violently oppressed Black people. French has called for the deportation of 100 million people—roughly a third of the American population—and for several nonwhite elected officials to be stripped of their citizenship. He has argued that McCarthyism and the Christian Crusades didn’t go far enough. He once asked his social media followers whether Jews or Muslims posed a bigger threat to America. And in just the past few months, he has called for the rounding up of all Muslims and Chinese people, cited an obscure white supremacist novel, and routinely flirted with fascist rhetoric and conspiracy theories. As he has done so, his party has largely remained silent, focusing instead on unity ahead of the midterm elections.”
So why are Republicans just now deciding to speak out? Downen wonders if it’s because “they are facing a potential blue wave in November, and so it would be best not to further anger Texas’s massive nonwhite voting population.” NYT columnist David French (no relation, as far as I know), suggested it was because Bo French was caught “desecrating America’s high church — college football.”
Regardless of the reason, it’s better late than never. While I wish they had spoken out sooner, I will applaud and amplify key Republicans who denounce racists among them. Your average Republican voter will be more likely to hear it from them than a Democrat.
In Other News
NBC News: “DHS watchdog finds immigrants were held at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ in outdoor cages the size of phone booths”
Some immigrants detained at Florida’s now-shuttered “Alligator Alcatraz” were confined in outdoor cages only slightly larger than telephone booths for more than an hour at a time, according to a new report by the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general.
The watchdog report marks the first time a government agency has confirmed the existence of the cramped cages at the South Florida Detention Facility. Amnesty International found in a report published in December, based on interviews with detainees and a tour of the facility, that the cages were used to punish detainees and amounted to torture, sparking a congressional probe.
ProPublica: “Donald Trump Jr.’s Bahamas Wedding Was Secretly Bankrolled by Russian Oligarch Close to Putin”
On May 24, Donald Trump Jr. was celebrating in the Bahamas, as scantily clad dancers in stilettos and sailor caps performed for him and his guests. It was the last night of his wedding, a lavish, three-day party held across a pair of ultra-exclusive private islands. A five-tier funfetti cake had been airlifted in from Florida, and helicopters and seaplanes descended on the islands before guests settled into their oceanfront villas. That night on the beach, Trump Jr. lifted his bride into the air while fireworks launched from a barge over the sea.
“It was everything we dreamed of and more,” his wife later wrote on Instagram.
That dream was heavily funded by a secret benefactor: Umar Kremlev, a Russian oligarch close to President Vladimir Putin.
