CNN host Don Lemon launched a nine-minute monologue Monday night on President Trump’s alleged racism, a rant that came in response to the president’s tweet about Lemon’s interview with Lebron James.
“Lebron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon. He made Lebron look smart, which isn’t easy to do. I like Mike!” Trump tweeted Friday night.
In his monologue, Lemon argued that the president attacked him and James because, ya know, they're black.
“But I would just like to note that referring to African-Americans as dumb … is one of the oldest canards of America's racist past and present – that black people are of inferior intelligence,” Lemon said.
He didn’t stop there. Apparently criticizing Maxine Waters for inciting violence is racist too.
“This president constantly denigrates people of color – and women too. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, his new favorite target. But then again, this is the same man, who for years, tried to deny the legitimacy of America's first black president by questioning over and over and over whether Barack Obama was born in this country. And black athletes who kneel during the national anthem as a form of protest against racism and police brutality? Well, they get this disrespect.”
Lemon claimed it's not just Trump’s rhetoric that shows he's racist -- it's his actions as president, too.
“But what about the impact his policies have on those without a platform? Through sports like LeBron? Or through media like me? What about those who don't have a voice? What is his presidency doing to them?
The kids separated from their parents at the border or the kids who don't have the chance to attend LeBron's school or any half-way decent school? The parents who can't honestly tell their children to be proud of the President of the United States? The people of color who are attacked by their fellow citizens who feel emboldened to be publicly racist? Because the president is.
Will the country stand up for them? We, the decent and truly patriotic people who really love America and believe in its greatness, have to because clearly Donald Trump won't.”
While Trump’s rhetoric is often careless and even at times racially insensitive, to suggest that simply criticizing a person of color -- or continuing to enforce the policy of the previous president (who was black) -- equates to being a racist is beyond absurd.
President Trump has risen to fame with his harsh rhetoric against his critics. If a celebrity targets Trump, the odds are they’re given a hilarious nickname by the end of the night. It doesn’t matter what your race is -- if you get on Trump’s bad side, he’s going to come at you on Twitter.
Lemon may be sour about Trump’s tweet from Friday, but the president’s history shows that this name calling is nothing special.