In an editorial published by the Washington Post on Monday entitled, “Trump should be impeached. But that alone won’t remove white supremacy from America,” failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton described last Wednesday’s “attack on the Capitol” as a function of “white-supremacist grievances fueled by Donald Trump.”
Clinton repeated the false claim that President Donald Trump praised neo-Nazis as “very fine people” following the 2017 riots in Charlottesville VA. She framed “whiteness” — a term she did not define — as the president’s political priority. Clinton wrote:
Trump ran for president on a vision of America where whiteness is valued at the expense of everything else. In the White House, he gave white supremacists, members of the extreme right and conspiracy theorists their most powerful platforms yet, even claiming that there were “very fine people” among the torch-wielding militia members who converged on Charlottesville in 2017.
Clinton predicted that last week’s political unrest in Washington, D.C. — which she described as an “insurrection” — is a prelude to a “an even greater tragedy” if digital censorship is not amplified to combat “conspiracy theories” subscribed to by supporters of President Donald Trump.”
America is plagued by a group of citizens who value “whiteness” more than “democracy,” Clinton alleged. She cited a book praised by Oprah Winfrey framing the U.S. as built upon a racial “caste” system:
In Isabel Wilkerson’s new book “Caste,” she cites a question from historian Taylor Branch: “If people were given the choice between democracy and whiteness, how many would choose whiteness?” Wednesday reminded us of an ugly truth: There are some Americans, more than many want to admit, who would choose whiteness.
It’s sobering that many people were unsurprised by what occurred last week, particularly people of color, for whom a violent mob waving Confederate flags and hanging nooses is a familiar sight in American history. Consider what we saw last June, when Black Lives Matter protesters peacefully demonstrating in Lafayette Square were met with federal officers and tear gas. If the first step toward healing and unity is honesty, that starts with recognizing that this is indeed part of who we are.
Clinton’s characterization of America as pathologized by “white supremacy” echoed remarks made by former Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday, in which the president-elect said rioters who entered the Capitol last week would have been treated “very differently” had they been affiliated with the Black Lives Matter campaign and organization.
Clinton described last week’s rioters as “domestic terrorism,” while calling for increased political censorship across the Internet to stop “violent speech” and “conspiracy theories”:
Removing Trump from office is essential, and I believe he should be impeached. Members of Congress who joined him in subverting our democracy should resign, and those who conspired with the domestic terrorists should be expelled immediately. But that alone won’t remove white supremacy and extremism from America. There are changes elected leaders should pursue immediately, including advocating new criminal laws at the state and federal levels that hold white supremacists accountable and tracking the activities of extremists such as those who breached the Capitol. Twitter and other companies made the right decision to stop Trump from using their platforms, but they will have to do more to stop the spread of violent speech and conspiracy theories.
“Real patriotism” requires implementation of her recommendations, Clinton concluded.
On Saturday, Clinton praised Twitter’s banning of Trump.
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