Tomi Lahren’s entire shtick is that she serves the ugliness of white male patriarchy with packaging that mirrors Malibu Barbie.
That line of work includes continuously distorting the merits of Black people’s right to protest; stripping Black people of their humanity even when met with the deadliest forms of racism; either turning a blind eye to various streams of prejudice, or worse, try to argue its merits with a faux sense of righteousness; lie like hell.
So, when it was reported that she was suspended at The Blaze for being pro-choice, the only thing that should come to mind is the glorious Negro Proverb “the game is the game.”
During a recent appearance on The View, Lahren offered this statement in support of reproductive rights for women:
“I can’t sit here and be a hypocrite and say I’m for limited government, but I think that the government should decide what women do with their bodies; stay out of my guns, and you can stay out of my body as well.”
Of course these remarks resulted in her suspension. For all the chatter about Glenn Beck’s purported rebirth, Beck rose to fame after swimming through the pools of racism, sexism, and xenophobia. It’s how he became a star on talk radio and FOX News and ultimately launched The Blaze. Modern conservatism is less about the virtues of small government and more about the preservation of white male power and their false sense of moral authority.
Lahren, whose recently uncovered footage of her pre-Blaze work shows she used to maintain much more liberal views, made a conscious choice to swim in these same pools for careerist goals. Lahren may not be the brightest bulb in the room, but she knew she could reach many more rooms being a pretty white face for views largely held by crotchety old white men. The minute she stepped out of the line of their thinking, she was reminded of who she was and what arena she sits in.
Oh well.
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Even if done in cheeky fashion, The Daily Show host Trevor Noah wasted time once again giving this racist more attention on his show than she deserves. Some have hailed his response as perfect, but many of us are far less generous. Oddly enough, I’m inclined to agree with The Blaze’s Matt Walsh, who points out that it’s actually Lahren who is just as hypocritical as others are claiming the site to be.
Walsh writes: “Tomi, who has repeatedly blasted liberals for believing that the unborn have no rights, has now decided that actually the unborn really don’t have any rights, and anyone who believes otherwise (anyone who believes as she professed to believe about 14 seconds ago) is a hypocrite and a hater. Again, I can’t explain this dramatic and troubling change of heart.”
That’s actually quite easy to make out. Lahren doesn’t come across as an ideological purist, but an opportunist willing to do and say anything to get on television and build a platform. That’s not an anomaly in the world of punditry and in Lahren’s case, while pursing applause on a mainstream daytime talk show, she forgot where she presently works.
She’s no martyr and I loathe how she will become one.
Lahren is much like Megyn Kelly. Kelly, another blonde woman who dabbles in racism to the delight of racist old white men who obsess over conservative media outlets for thrills, became some sort of hero after then GOP-presidential candidate Habanero Hitler unleashing a sexist tirade against her. He was wrong, but ultimately, Kelly is someone who frequently perpetuates racism — to the extent in which she vilified a Black teen girl tackled by a policeman. People rallied behind her, though Kelly has yet to ever truly answer for her own sin of dehumanization and bigotry.
Sadly, Lahren, who is basically Megyn Kelly if Megyn Kelly were younger and incredibly dumber, will likely receive similar treatment. Tomi Lahren is a con artist who will help old racists jerk off to prejudice who will soon develop amnesia after she finally achieves her goal of a well-paying TV contract on a mainstream network. It’s a sick, twisted industry but it is the reality we still contend with.
Don’t feel bad for Tomi Lahren. She will be more than fine. Feel bad for all of the Black and Brown people whose lives she tramples over on her way to the top.