WTH? Rep. Steve King Asks When ‘White Supremacist’ Became An Offensive Term

There’s a huge difference between defending Western Civilization and casually embracing the idea of white supremacy. Let’s make that abundantly clear. One has nothing to do with the other. Western Civilization is awesome. White supremacy is NOT.

Rep. Steve King is under fire for asking a ridiculous question: When did “white supremacist” become an offensive term?

“White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?” King asked in an interview with The New York Times published on Thursday. “Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization?”

Um…what?

He later tried to “clarify” his remarks. He said he’s not a white supremacist and condemns those who are.

My statement on the New York Times article. pic.twitter.com/IjBHgZYgRD

— Steve King (@SteveKingIA) January 10, 2019

“I want to make one thing abundantly clear; I reject those labels and the evil ideology that they define. Further, I condemn anyone that supports this evil and bigoted ideology which saw in its ultimate expression the systematic murder of 6 million innocent Jewish lives,” he said in a statement.

“It’s true that like the Founding Fathers I am an advocate for Western Civilization’s values, and that I profoundly believe that America is the greatest tangible expression of these ideals the World has ever seen. Under any fair political definition, I am simply a Nationalist,” he added.

Champion Western Civilization. Absolutely. But why on EARTH did he casually lump it in there with white nationalism and white supremacism? That was really, really dumb.

You can read my update here. https://t.co/jLIaTDcZLH

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) January 10, 2019

These comments are abhorrent and racist and should have no place in our national discourse. Steve King asks how terms ‘white nationalist’ and ‘white supremacist’ became offensive | TheHill https://t.co/yL23avpNFB

— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) January 10, 2019

You were quoted verbatim. You should resign.

— Matthew Gottula 🏳️‍🌈 (@DLthings) January 10, 2019

so you didn’t mean that quote that they quoted you on?

— Carol (@muy_enojada) January 10, 2019

I’ve defended Steve King, most notably on DW Backstage. I’ve met him a few times, liked him each time, and have not been persuaded by past accusations against him. After this interview, it’s clear I was mistaken. It’s time for Steve King to go. https://t.co/bSwMRqkFem

— Jeremy Boreing (@JeremyDBoreing) January 10, 2019

Conservatives should be disgusted by Steve King’s remarks—but I am most furious that he lumped white supremacy and western civilization together.

It reveals a profane mental distortion. We are fighting to preserve western civilization—which has no place for white supremacy.

— Lyndsey Fifield (@lyndseyfifield) January 10, 2019

Bingo.