Commentary
-
Our commentary partners will help you reach your own conclusions on complex topics.
You know the problem with Republicans, they can’t take a woke. Who knew that as Americans we’d get to a point where it was considered a sin to be awake and a virtue to be asleep. For those on the right wing, who want to fight a culture war, or even 10 different culture wars at once, wokeness is the new boogeyman. Move over affirmative action. Excuse us, multiculturalism. Hey, immigration, we need that seat. It makes sense. For me, thick-headed conservatives, enlightenment is just another big word they can’t spell, pronounce or define. The woke, wokeism, the wokesters, whatever form it takes, the idea is that you whisper its name to frighten people, and then maybe get some of them to run to you for saving. I don’t know, if I were in the market for protection, I’m not sure I’d hide behind a puny little runt like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, no matter how mean and prickly he is.
DeSantis has plenty of mouth, but not much muscle. That’s why his tough guy act doesn’t ring true. See, DeSantis is no Dirty Harry. He’s not even a Barney Fife. Still, there is no question the Florida Governor has been fear-mongering around the “woke-arati,” hoping to raise a little hell and a whole lot of campaign contributions to run for the Republican nomination for president in 2024. He has warned supporters about the evil powers of the woke-tocracy and bragged that Florida is quote, where wokeness goes to die. Let’s take a closer look at exactly what DeSantis is trying to save people from. Now, to be honest, I have been critical of the woke mob myself for presumptuously telling people like me that we’re not Latino, but quote Latinx.
Sure, I was upset by what the woke were doing, in my name no less. Yet DeSantis is going farther. He wants to wipe the woke off the map, since he blames them for all of society’s ills.
And when DeSantis expands his attack on rigid woke thinking, and attempts to get rid of critical race theory and race efforts at universities to strive toward DEI – diversity, equity and inclusion – well, he’s gone too far. At that point, his culture tantrums are just an obvious and ugly attempt to try to pander to whites who see themselves and their children as aggrieved victims who have gone from running this country to being run over by demographics. If you feel put off or left behind or otherwise marginalized, then DeSantis is the candidate for you.
For me, DeSantis’ race-play feels a lot like someone who was born on third base going out of his way to deny others a chance to even play the game. Personally, I don’t think it’s a good look for a white male who went to Yale and Harvard Law School to complain about elitism and rail against privilege, all for the sake of some short-term political expediency.
See, DeSantis, a former member of Congress, who now serves as governor of a major state is hardly the outsider he pretends to be. Indeed, far from it. DeSantis has always been on the inside. He has little to complain about and the fact that he now has only recently started to complain about the woke, feels contrived and calculated, even phony. That’s too bad because while this particular act in the culture wars may be fake, the division and resentment that it stirs up is all too real.
-
US college protests test First Amendment limits
Protests against Israel’s alleged genocide in Gaza have spread across university campuses around the globe. While most protests initially coalesced around anti-genocide sentiments and a shared value for human life, some critics have observed slogans, rhetoric and behavior that they claim has become more alarming over time. Accusations have surfaced of “outside agitators” deliberately spoiling…
-
Arizona bill legalizing shooting migrants is part of GOP brand
In February 2024, Arizona Republicans proposed a bill that would have permitted property owners to murder anyone accused of trespassing on their property. Although the bill did not explicitly mention immigrants, Arizona State Rep. Justin Heap (R) stated in a hearing that the bill aimed to address a perceived loophole through which migrants have moved…
-
Republicans unraveling before our very eyes
In less than a year, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has filed two motions to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. Her latest motion came after she and other staunch conservative U.S. representatives expressed outrage with Johnson’s management of a $95 billion international defense bill and a $1.2 trillion federal funding bill, which were both…
-
Trump supporters want to be victims of anti-white racism
The racial anxieties of conservative white Americans are certainly nothing new to U.S. history, but in recent years observers have warned of a range of factors that may be radicalizing right-leaning Americans into political violence and extremism. Donald Trump, in particular, often receives credit for normalizing this extremism for a new generation of Americans. Straight…
-
Texas is Hispanic, and that’s not going to change
Hispanic people now make up the largest ethnic group in Texas, according to the latest U.S. census data, and almost half of all minors in the state are Hispanic or Latino. This data feeds the fears of some right-wing Americans who believe in the “great replacement” theory. The theory states that non-white populations are displacing…
Latest Opinions
-
Throwable cameras give users a 360 degree view: Weapon of the week
-
Cooperation key to solving special operations forces challenges in 2024
-
Special operations forces work to stay mission ready: Weapons and Warfare
-
30% of world’s power now comes from renewables, fossil fuels set to decline
-
Red Lobster shutters 48 stores across 27 states amid uncertain future
Popular Opinions
-
In addition to the facts, we believe it’s vital to hear perspectives from all sides of the political spectrum.