House Republican leaders are being dragged on social media for enabling the racist rhetoric peddled by members of their own caucus, which is inciting domestic terrorism. The criticism comes in response to the horrific mass shooting in Buffalo, New York where an 18-year-old man gunned down 10 people and wounded three in a grocery store in a predominately Black neighborhood.
On Monday morning, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) condemned her own party leaders for turning a blind eye and refusing to denounce their member’s racist views. Cheney appeared to call out House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for sitting idly by.
“The House GOP leadership has enabled white nationalism, white supremacy, and anti-semitism. History has taught us that what begins with words ends in far worse,” she wrote before adding, ” @GOP leaders must renounce and reject these views and those who hold them.”
Twitter users wasted no time joining the criticism and calling out Rep Elise Stefanik (R-NY) for pushing the “great replacement theory” that was the central thesis of the shooter’s manifesto in ads on Facebook.
You can see Cheney’s tweet and some of the reactions below.
The House GOP leadership has enabled white nationalism, white supremacy, and anti-semitism. History has taught us that what begins with words ends in far worse. @GOP leaders must renounce and reject these views and those who hold them.
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) May 16, 2022
They’ve enabled it, embraced & emboldened it.
From the top down, for years.
Your caucus sees this as the key to their very existence.
Demagoguery is how they survive.
It means they don’t have to promise or deliver anything other than protection of white “birth right.”
The end.— Jo 🌻 (@JoJoFromJerz) May 16, 2022
The fact that saying something that requires just a bare modicum of decency could cost Republicans a lot of votes tells you everything you need to know about the Republican Party.
Things won't change for them or America until the GOP chooses decency over its base.
— NC Vates (@NCVates) May 16, 2022
Thank you for standing up for what’s right, and for putting our shared humanity and our country before party.
— Chewy Yorkie (@ChewyYorkie) May 16, 2022
Hate kills. Over and over again. All who traffic in it, stoke it, normalize it, use it as a basis for political power, and make money off of it should be denounced, discredited, defunded, and voted out of office. Corporate sponsors bear a special responsibility.
— Dan Rather (@DanRather) May 15, 2022
— Kris (@KristineWinger1) May 16, 2022
They have enabled, encouraged, & INVITED these attacks on Black people in America. "Good people on both sides?" "Stand down?" We know who said those words & who said NOTHING in response. They must not only RENOUCE &REJECT. They must ACT. NO MORE EMPTY WORDS.
— IndivisibleGCo (@IndivisibleGCo) May 16, 2022
Thank you! For speaking truth and getting in good trouble. You madam have integrity and courage!
— Stand with 🇺🇦 (@JoeTowe27804629) May 16, 2022
