Republican Rep. Boebert slammed for controversial MLK Day statements
“I think at this point it is a slap in the face,” said Ameshia Cross, a Democratic strategist, tells theGrio.
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., faced backlash over controversial statements she made while commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
On Monday, the conservative lawmaker took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and wrote, “This Martin Luther King Jr. Day we celebrate the life of a man who led a movement for freedom and prosperity for all.”
She added, “The fight was for equality, not equity. His dream is the American Dream.”
“Lauren Boebert is not able to tell anyone what Martin Luther King was about because I, quite frankly, don’t think she either understands or it doesn’t have any resonating power with her,” said Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross.
She told theGrio, “Boebert is someone who has stood against anything that looks like civil rights since she got elected. This is someone who does not believe that white supremacist systems exist.”
“This is someone who does not believe that it matters to have equity at the forefront. This is someone who supports systems that keep Black people down,” she continued.
Svante Myrick, president of People For the American Way, said of Boebert, “I fear this member of Congress would not pass an 8th-grade reading comprehension test.” He added, “But she is able to use her platform to twist the words of civil rights legends in a way that is damaging to the health of our country.”
Myrick, the former mayor of Ithaca, New York, told the Grio that he didn’t believe Boebert could “define the difference between equity or equality.”
“Given the current crisis of division in our country, her remarks can be dangerous. She’s showing a fundamental lack of understanding of what Dr. King fought for and died for,” he continued.
Boebert doubled down on her remarks and took to the social media platform for a second time on Monday to write, “Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream that we would all be equal in America.”
“Equity had no part of that dream. It was about equality,” she continued. “Let’s end the woke movement in America in honor of MLK Jr.”
Cross said, “The attack on ‘woke’ that Republicans have waged is disingenuous at best.”
“It’s disappointing, especially considering all of the work that Martin Luther King committed himself to, which is a lot more than the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech,” she shared.
“They like to forget all of the things that he talked about, from housing equity to education equity to workforce equity and inclusion,” Cross explained.
“What they are doing is trying to undo the gains of the Civil Rights Movement. They’re trying to take America back,” she continued. “I think, at this point, it is a slap in the face.”
Boebert is no stranger to controversy since taking office in January 2021 to represent Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District.
In September, the Colorado lawmaker made headlines for being removed from a “Beetlejuice” musical in Denver for engaging in sexual misconduct and vaping during the performance.
In March 2022, Boebert and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., became the center of attention when they heckled President Joe Biden during his State of the Union address. The pair also attempted to get other lawmakers to join in on a “build the wall” rallying cry.
In 2021, Boebert faced criticism after she made offensive comments that suggested that Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., the nation’s first Black Muslim elected to Congress, was a terrorist.
In a statement at the time, Omar slammed Republican leadership for doing “nothing to condemn and hold their own members accountable for repeated instances of anti-Muslim hate and harassment.”
“This is not about one hateful statement or one politician; it is about a party that has mainstreamed bigotry and hatred,” she said.
Myrick said he doesn’t think Boebert “means” or “understands” what she says.
“I think she’s stringing together a series of conservative buzz words in order to be provocative, to stay relevant, and to raise money,” he said.
Cross said the congresswoman “loves to have the spotlight on her for any and all reasons.”
The political strategist said Boebert’s voting record shows that she is anti-Black and anti-equity.
She added, “[She] carries a narrative that sadly people who want to uphold white supremacy, and a large portion of Republican voters, actually respond to and respond well.”
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