Is Racism Over? Republicans thinks so. On Sunday, The Republican National Committee (RNC) seemed to suggest that racism was ended with Rosa Parks’ arrest when it tweeted through its official @GOP Twitter account that, “Today we remember Rosa Parks’ bold stand and her role in ending racism.” The tweet was made in remembrance of the 58th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ fight against racism. Rosa was arrested 58 years ago after she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on an Alabama bus.
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Many Americans are not bothered about celebrating the woman’s courageous fight against racism; rather, they are perturbed by the suggestion that racism is over. This news could make things worse for the Republicans especially now that the party has been struggling to gain support outside the white community.
@GOP This is a joke, right? The GOP is the definition of racists right now. You keep trying to send this country back to 1850! Idiots.
— Traci Law (@tracilaw) December 1, 2013
Hahaha, racism is over y’all “@GOP: Today we remember Rosa Parks’ bold stand and her role in ending racism. pic.twitter.com/1MeLHgYxER”
— Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) December 1, 2013
@GOP yalls minority outreach program is laughable. Ask a black friend for help ASAP — Ruth BAEder Ginsburg (@MilftasticJJC) December 1, 2013
@GOP Is the actual Republican party’s actual official position that racism has ended? — John Green (@realjohngreen) December 1, 2013
This suggestion is a sharp contrast to a 2008 poll from Gallup that showed more than half of Americans believe that racism against blacks is still widespread in America. Another recent survey from Pew Research showed that the majority of Americans believe that there is still some elements of racism against Black Americans. This is not the first time the Republican Party has come under fire for its misguided stance on racial issues. Republican members were in the forefront to reduce Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program(SNAP), a move which mostly affected minorities. A senior GOP official was forced to resign after he slated “Lazy Black People” while on The Daily Show. After the GOP tweeted, some users countered it with anti-racism hashtags.
In fairness, the GOP later recanted their previous tweet and replaced it with a more aptly worded one.
Previous tweet should have read “Today we remember Rosa Parks’ bold stand and her role in fighting to end racism.”
— RNC (@GOP) December 1, 2013