Back in February when Republican tech entrepreneur/author Vivek Ramaswamy announced his presidential candidacy, the criticism started almost immediately that he was a “Soros plant” and part of the World Economic Forum global conspiracy cabal.
As it turned out, those attacks were unfounded, and since that time Ramaswamy has held his own in the public arena, brandishing his socially conservative creds on issues like so-called transgender rights and abortion. He’s also called for the FBI and the Dept. of Education to be abolished, and released a 25-point plan for the country.
But it was the interview he did two last Wednesday with now-ex-CNN host Don Lemon that really propelled Ramaswamy into the national spotlight thanks in large part to how Lemon completely made a donkey’s patootie out of himself by declaring in so many words during a heated black history/gun rights debate that Ramaswamy had no right to talk about black history because he wasn’t black.
For those who missed that eye-opening exchange, watch:
“When you have black skin and you live in this country, then you can disagree with me.” @DonLemon, we should be able to have open debate no matter our skin color. It’s time to start talking openly again. All of us.
pic.twitter.com/7EE4YNHgBi— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) April 19, 2023
The New York Times reported Monday it was that embarrassing back and forth that was the straw that broke the camel’s back for CNN higher-ups, which ultimately led to Lemon being unceremoniously canned effective immediately.
Though Lemon, believe it or not, has had very few defenders on the left in the aftermath, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) was one who stepped to the plate Tuesday to proclaim that it was Lemon, not Ramaswamy who was right in what he said, proclaiming that, “as an Indian American, I was profoundly embarrassed by Vivek lecturing” Lemon on black history. He rather conveniently did not bother to tag Ramaswamy:
“Don Lemon was right. As an Indian American, I was profoundly embarrassed by Vivek lecturing a Black man about Black history. The truth is that the Black civil rights movement paved the way for the 1965 immigration act so that Vivek’s family or mine could come to America. We owe a huge debt.”
Ramaswamy was having none of it, and responded accordingly:
“I reject the toxic idea that you can’t engage in a debate with a black man about American history if you’re not black. @RoKhanna I don’t think you actually believe this nonsense either and you’re just saying what you’re “supposed to.” But the tides are shifting fast. Wake up man.”
When Khanna pushed back, Ramaswamy politely informed him that his argument was, shall we say a bit on the inconsistent side:
Don Lemon’s exact words were: “When you have black skin & you live in this country, then you can disagree with me.”
You say: “Don Lemon was right.” You also say: “of course, you can debate.”
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Which is it @RoKhanna? It’s also a hard fact that the 2A was critical for civil rights
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) April 25, 2023
In another tweet, the GOP presidential candidate further explained his viewpoint:
“In the same breath @RoKhanna says he agrees with @DonLemon that I can’t talk to a black man about civil rights history because I’m not black, he then proceeds to say Indian Americans must express gratitude about the black civil rights movement. Which is it?
The reality: they can’t cope with the fact that black Americans secured rights & guaranteed their freedoms through the Second Amendment. It just doesn’t fit their narrative.”
The issue has been the subject of much debate since the segment aired, and since it was turned into more of focal point and bone of contention between warring sides in light of what happened to Lemon Monday.
But while the historical aspect of what Ramaswamy was trying to explain to his critics is very important, perhaps more important is his larger point about how we’ve simply got to stop declaring that certain subjects are off-limits to certain people if they don’t fit the mold.
It’s absolute hogwash, and if politicians from days gone by worked off that philosophy decades ago, many important strides would not have been made for black people, women, and others who were treated like second-class citizens who should not be afforded the same rights, respect, and opportunities to succeed as society’s upper crust.
The very fact that we’re even having this debate about black history and gun rights is is a good, healthy thing for America. Good, robust debate free of the typical “you’re not female/black/trans, so stay in your lane” shutuppery tactic is exactly what we need at a time when the current presidential administration openly advocates for censorship of opposing viewpoints.
Unfortunately, the Don Lemons and Ro Khannas of America do not see things that way, which likely is one reason why Lemon is now looking for work and Khanna has absolutely shamed himself and proven to people that his previous defense of free speech and open dialogue in the midst of the Twitter Files revelations was simply something where he happened to accidentally be right for once.
What a shame.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of RedState.com.
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