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It will be overshadowed by other moments but I thought Qs about systemic racism & white privilege produced the most revealing exchanges from tonight& #39;s #IASen debate. The section starts around 41:30 of this video: 1/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDEJuhmMdg4">https://www.youtube.com/watch...
Senator @joniernst repeated her lie about how @GreenfieldIowa supposedly called all Iowa law enforcement officers racist, b/c she has said systemic racism exists in criminal justice.
Then bragged about sitting down to talk w/African-American leaders in Des Moines this summer. 2/
Then bragged about sitting down to talk w/African-American leaders in Des Moines this summer. 2/
In response to follow-up Q, Ernst clarified that she doesn& #39;t believe systemic racism exists. She said "you will find racist individuals in those systems" but she doesn& #39;t believe "entire systems of people" are racist.
(Of course that& #39;s not what systemic racism means.) 3/
(Of course that& #39;s not what systemic racism means.) 3/
. @GreenfieldIowa refuted Ernst& #39;s "misleading" comments, adding,
"Discussing systemic racism does not mean that any one individual is a racist, but rather that we have to take a look at the discrimination across our systems: housing, health care, education, finance" 4/
"Discussing systemic racism does not mean that any one individual is a racist, but rather that we have to take a look at the discrimination across our systems: housing, health care, education, finance" 4/
. @GreenfieldIowa stated clearly that Black and Brown communities have faced systemic racism for generations, and we need to work on ending that, including in policing. She praised the bill #ialegis passed in June: 5/ https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2020/06/12/six-inspiring-speeches-on-iowas-first-step-to-address-police-violence/">https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2020/06/1...
The next Q from @MattBreenKTIV4 followed up on quotes about systemic racism from the candidates& #39; first #IASen debate on @IowaPress. This part started around 45:20:
@GreenfieldIowa talked about disparate outcomes in health care as well as policing. 6/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDEJuhmMdg4">https://www.youtube.com/watch...
@GreenfieldIowa talked about disparate outcomes in health care as well as policing. 6/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDEJuhmMdg4">https://www.youtube.com/watch...
. @joniernst took credit for supporting criminal justice reform, including working with @CoryBooker on bipartisan "ban the box" legislation and Pell grants for people who are incarcerated. 7/
The next question was about this summer& #39;s protests, and @joniernst repeated tropes about defunding the police. @GreenfieldIowa has said repeatedly that she doesn& #39;t support defunding police. She said in response that she backs reforms to address racism in all of our systems. 8/
Then @brianneDMR asked, "Do you believe that you& #39;ve ever benefited from white privilege?" Starting around 55:00, @joniernst said it& #39;s hard to say--she grew up in a mostly white community--but she was in a racially diverse environment in the military. 9/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDEJuhmMdg4">https://www.youtube.com/watch...
. @joniernst said she does believe some kinds of training are important. (Trump has banned certain types of racial sensitivity training.)
In contrast, when asked whether she& #39;s benefited from white privilege, @GreenfieldIowa said, "Absolutely, I have" and gave 2 examples. 10/
In contrast, when asked whether she& #39;s benefited from white privilege, @GreenfieldIowa said, "Absolutely, I have" and gave 2 examples. 10/
First, @GreenfieldIowa noted how Social Security helped her get back on her feet as a young widow with a toddler and a baby on the way. "I& #39;m not convinced that that system would have worked for a young, widowed Black woman with a 13-month-old and another one on the way." 11/
Then, @GreenfieldIowa again brought up racially disparate maternal mortality rates. She didn& #39;t have those issues but too many Black women do. So we have to look at why that& #39;s happening, what the discrimination is, where is the racial bias, & adjust training in health care. 12/
To sum up: @joniernst denied the existence of systemic racism and continued to distort the meaning of the term to stir up animus in her mostly-white audience, even as she bragged about listening to and working with Black people. Disappointing but not surprising. 13/13 #IASen
