This Monday, U.S. Congressmen Steve King asked a shocked panel on MSNBC to name a “subgroup” that contributed more to civilization than white Christians.
King’s comments came on the heels of Esquire writer Charles Pierce declaring the 2016 Republican National Convention will be the last time “old white people” will command the attention of the Republican Party.
“This whole business does get a little tired, Charlie,” King said. “I would ask you to go back through history and figure out where are these contributions that have been made by these other categories of people that you are talking about, where did any other subgroup of people contribute more to civilization?”
“Than white people?” host Chris Hayes interjected.
“Than—than western civilization itself that’s rooted in western Europe, eastern Europe and the United States of America, and every place where Christianity settled the world,” King said. “That’s all of western civilization.”
“But what about Africa, what about Asia?” reporter April Ryan asked.
Everyone on the panel then began furiously speaking over each other.
“We are not going to argue the history of civilization,” Hayes said, trying to get the segment back on track.
“Let’s argue the history of this country, okay?” Ryan said.
Not surprisingly, Twitter erupted in the wake of King’s comments:
@monteiro @GOP rhymes w “Shitler”?
— Karl Lind (@karllindfilms) July 19, 2016
GOP’s Steve King says whites do more for civilization than others. Textbook racism. People of conscience, leave this shameful party. #GOPCon
— Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) July 19, 2016
.@chrislhayes‘ stunned reaction to Steve King’s incredibly racist statement about “sub groups”… https://t.co/QET1NAV8Cp
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) July 18, 2016
I think Steve King is a direct contradiction to this theory https://t.co/FQXahpYqLK
— Michael Cohen (@speechboy71) July 18, 2016
The same way I always have – as a human
RT @7im as a white person, i feel obligated to denounce and apologize for @SteveKingIA
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) July 18, 2016
Steve King: whites contributed more to civilization than any “sub-group.” @AprilDRyan is having none of it https://t.co/H6iFiUcvym
— The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) July 19, 2016
Watch the video below:
