Ocasio-Cortez Lectures White Americans After New Zealand Attacks: Just Admit You’re Racists

“The whole point is learning + improving.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has outdone herself in response to deadly shootings Friday at two New Zealand mosques.

After bizarrely criticizing offers of “thoughts and prayers,” the New York Democrat sought to link the terrorist attack to President Donald Trump, saying that he had defunded federal programs “to fight the spread of white supremacist hate groups.”

Thusly began a Twitter lecture to white Americans on their potential culpability in white supremacist violence.

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“We have a responsibility to understand how white supremacy + online radicalization works, because it is impacting our entire society,” Ocasio- Cortez said.

All of these are terrorist incidents.

We have a responsibility to understand how white supremacy + online radicalization works, because it is impacting our entire society.

President Trump defunded Federal programs designed to fight the spread of white supremacist hate groups. https://t.co/7WgC65f5Fp

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 15, 2019

The congresswoman explained how frustrated young men fall into a “digital rabbit hole” and come out with a “formed hateful ideology.”

“That’s the way radicalization works,” she stated authoritatively.

She then instructed her 3.54 million followers on how to recognize “white supremacist violence” in their culture, warning that it could be “hard to spot for those who aren’t aware.”

Why? “Because it’s everywhere,” she explained, referring to the left-wing bogeyman of systemic racism.

If we truly want to address the problem of white supremacist violence, we have to learn how to recognize it + how it shows up in our culture.

Surprisingly to some, signs of white supremacist culture are NOT easy to spot early for those aren’t aware.

Because it’s everywhere.

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 15, 2019

At that point, Ocasio-Cortez addressed white people directly, saying she understands that “it can be emotionally hard to realize one may have participated in something racist in the past (& still may slip up!).”

“That’s okay,” she offered, encouragingly. “The whole point is learning + improving.”

At first, learning about white supremacy can be confusing or challenging.

There’s a lot there, + it can be emotionally hard to realize one may have done or participated in something racist in the past (& still may slip up!).

That’s okay. The whole point is learning + improving.

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 15, 2019

This was not the first time Ocasio-Cortez has sought to “educate” white men on Twitter.

Earlier this month, in defense of anti-Israel comments by fellow freshman Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ocasio-Cortez explained how she “calls in” – as opposed to calls out – “white or male allies” for bigotry, including “antisemitism, anti-blackness, homophobia, racism.”

I often think about how I work with white or male allies when they say something insensitive.

The 1st thing I do is pull them aside + say “hey, you may not be aware of X thing regarding Latinx people, but here is the history and it’s hurtful. If you want to learn more, read Y.”

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 5, 2019

She has also previously offered offered social-media courses on cooking and self-care.

Later Friday, Ocasio-Cortez drew Twitter’s attention to Trump’s travel ban, which she said proved his “hostility to Muslim people.”

Daily reminder that we have a **Muslim Ban** in this country made out of the President’s hostility to Muslim people w/ little-to-no supporting evidence, and a Republican Party that tolerates it.

There is so much work to do. Repealing the Ban is square 1.https://t.co/dqrCsedMrt

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 15, 2019

The liberal superstar was not alone among Democrats in her interpretation of the New Zealand attack. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut appeared on CNN shortly after news broke of the shootings, and partially blamed Trump and his supporters.

“Words do have consequences, and we know that at the very pinnacle of power in our own country, people are talking about ‘good people on both sides,’” Blumenthal told anchor Alyson Camerota.

Blumenthal made clear that he was referring to Trump’s 2017 comments that “both sides” shared responsibility for a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that included white supremacist groups.

The senator, a frequent Trump critic and target, also apportioned some of the blame to “the people who enable” Trump.

“I think it’s more than the president, it’s the people who enable him, and who fail to stand up to him and speak out,” Blumenthal said.

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The New Zealand shootings took place during Friday prayers in Christchurch. At least 49 people were killed, and dozens were reported injured, including children.

New Zealand police said that four people – three men and one woman – had been taken into custody over the shootings. Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia said that one of them was Australian.

Before the shooting, someone appearing to be the gunman posted links to a white-nationalist manifesto on Twitter and 8chan, an online forum known for far-right-wing discussions. In the 87-page document, which is steeped in sarcasm and irony, he said he had chosen to carry out the attack with firearms to further divide Americans over guns.

According to New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush, a man in his late 20s had been charged with murder and would appear in Christchurch court on Saturday morning.

Trump responded to the shooting by offering his condolences and pledging U.S. support for New Zealand as it recovers.

My warmest sympathy and best wishes goes out to the people of New Zealand after the horrible massacre in the Mosques. 49 innocent people have so senselessly died, with so many more seriously injured. The U.S. stands by New Zealand for anything we can do. God bless all!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 15, 2019

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Andrew Tobin is Pluralist’s Editor-in-chief.

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