During an appearance on CNN with Don Lemon, Representative Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) said that Senator Ron Johnson is a racist. He was reacting to Johnson telling a conservative radio host that he was not frightened by the Trump-supporting Jan. 6 insurrectionists because they “love this country” and “truly respect law enforcement [and] would never do anything to break a law.”
Of course, those are the same people who stormed the U.S. Capitol, breaking many laws in the process. Some have been charged with multiple federal offenses tied to the insurrection, including assaulting police officers. Six people, including a Capitol police officer, died that day. I’m not sure about Johnson, but to me that doesn’t sound like a good example of people who love this country and respect law enforcement.
Johnson also said that if the terrorists who stormed the U.S. Capitol had been members of Black Lives Matter and Antifa, well, in that case he would have been “concerned.” Wow! I’m pretty sure there are plenty of senators who agree with Johnson, but it’s shocking that he felt comfortable enough to say it out loud. Basically, if the rioters were Black, he would have feared for his life. However, because the rioters were White, he felt safe. Forget the fact that these terrorists were outfitted with weapons and had plans to either kill or abduct members of Congress.
Since its conception, BLM has never attempted to carry out a plot to kill members of Congress, or anyone for that matter. Statistics show that white people—particularly white men—are more of a threat in the United States than any other demographic. In spite of these facts, Johnson believes Black people are scarier than the White terrorists who tried to kill democracy.
Since making these racist comments, Johnson claims his statements regarding the insurrection had nothing to do with race. He then wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal titled, I Won’t Be Silenced by the Left. The piece stated democrats were trying to manipulate what he was really trying to say. Rep. Clyburn, however, told Lemon, “I heard it the way he meant it. You know, the moment he said or prefaced his last statement, ‘I know I’m going to get in trouble for this,’ then went on to say it, said to me he knew exactly what he was saying. He knew why he was saying it, he knew exactly how the reactions would be. He just didn’t care.”
Clyburn is right. No one feels sorry for Johnson and no one is trying to silence him. We are just calling him out as the racist that he clearly is. It’s 2021. No one is safe. Johnson would’ve kept his insensitive thoughts to himself if didn’t want to cause a fuss. Then again, the U.S. is the land of white supremacy and Johnson likely felt empowered to say whatever he wanted to say.
Many are calling for Johnson to resign, and I couldn’t agree more. It’s time for this country to remove blatant racists who are resting comfortably in their positions of power. Don’t get too comfortable, Sen. Johnson.