| The violence and death in Charlottesville, Virginia last Saturday brought both tragedy and clarity to the growing influence of the Alt Right/White Nationalist/White Supremacist movement within our country. Any doubt about the dangerous influence of those driven by racial hatred, anti-Semitism and white nationalism was erased when President Donald Trump could not bring himself to immediately name and condemn the KKK, neo-Nazis, Skinheads and other hate groups who brought hate and death to Charlottesville. We can be proud that many Texans of all political stripes joined together to forcefully speak out against racism and bigotry. However, it also became immediately clear that the hate groups who attacked in Charlottesville have overt and covert allies here in Texas who must be called out and condemned. Empower Texans officials used social media to harass and criticize legislators speaking out against racist white nationalism Official staff members working for GOP-aligned Empower Texans launched a Twitter attack aimed at a bipartisan group of Texas legislators, led by State Rep. Helen Giddings (HD 109 – Dallas). Rep. Giddings and others asked their colleagues to reflect prayerfully on the events in Charlottesville, condemn racism and called on Texas A&M University to cancel a planned white supremacist event in College Station. Instead of commending the bi-partisan effort to denounce hate, Empower Texans called it a “cheap move” and sought to mock legislators who take a clear public stand against racial hatred and bigotry. Respected members of the Austin media, and even some Republicans called out Empower Texans for siding with white nationalists. Take a look at the Twitter exchanges with Empower Texans staff members Tony McDonald and Ross Kecseg: |
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