They let the mask slip

It’s no secret that the Republican party doesn’t always say what they mean (or mean what they say). For example, they insist that they’re “pro-life” but regularly refuse to do anything for the living people of this country because, of course, their interest in banning abortion and reproductive care is really motivated by a need to control people’s bodies. 

They do this on a lot of issues. With everything from tax policy to climate change to immigration, Republicans usually can’t be trusted to come out and tell us what they actually believe. 

But sometimes, they let the mask slip. 

A couple weeks ago, high profile Republicans like Ted Cruz, Jim Jordan, and VP nominee JD Vance showed us exactly what they think of immigrants when they started pushing baseless and downright racist claims of Haitian immigrants eating dogs and cats. All of this came to a head when Donald Trump blurted it out during one of his meandering debate answers and brought the town of Springfield, Ohio to national attention. 

In the ensuing days, life for all Springfield residents became chaotic to say the least. Municipal offices and schools had to be evacuated and eventually closed because of bomb threats from right-wing extremists riled up by the rhetoric Trump and Vance push. Haitian members of the community in Springfield say they no longer feel safe walking the streets of their town. 

A lot has been written about this, but I think it’s time we look at this for what it is: a rare moment of Republican honesty. They’re showing us exactly what they believe by engaging in racist tropes and narratives not seen since the 1800s. No excuses, no obfuscation, just pure racism. 

When someone shows you who they are, you should believe them. This is who the GOP is now. We have a duty to ourselves, to our neighbors, and to our democracy to repudiate their corrosive and hateful politics at the ballot box this November.

Yours in the fight, 

Jim