Joy Reid, a well-known host for MSNBC, has once again taken Twitter with a hot take about Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL). This time she claimed he was “extra sick” for making black kids hold signs that stated opposition to Critical Race Theory, which is a theory that claims to advocate for all issues to be viewed through the viewpoint of race and its crossover with other parts of society.
Reid issued the claim that DeSantis was outright “anti-black” and also suggested that the one and only reason any black kid would be taking part in such an event for the Republican Governor of Florida was if they were lied to about why they were at the event.
A tweet sent out by Florida State Senator Shevrin Jones (D) on Friday was seemingly what set Reid on her warpath. “The fact that @GovRonDeSantis had these Black young men, who are not clear on this message, holding up a sign about something they know nothing about is the real indoctrination,” read the tweet.
Jones issued no explanation to try and back up his claims that the kids were forced to hold the signs or that they were “not clear on this message.”
The fact that @GovRonDeSantis had these Black young men, who are not clear on this message, holding up a sign about something they know nothing about is the real indoctrination. pic.twitter.com/YE8Y4Yv3Yt
— Shevrin “Shev” Jones (@ShevrinJones) April 22, 2022
This lack of evidence did not seem to bother Reid as she responded to the post by stating the exact same thing, making the argument that there must have been critical background information missing in order to allow her to wrap her head around the idea that black kids were holding signs and standing against Critical Race Theory.
“This mis-use of Black boys is tantamount to child abuse,” she stated via tweet. “I would really like to hear the back-story on who these kids were and how they wound up at a DeSantis event. Given how anti-Black DeSantis is, using Black children this way is extra sick.”
This mis-use of Black boys is tantamount to child abuse. I would really like to hear the back-story on who these kids were and how they wound up at a DeSantis event. Given how anti-Black DeSantis is, using Black children this way is extra sick. https://t.co/FUyS5GDNMw
— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid 😷 (@JoyAnnReid) April 23, 2022
“That sure looks like T. Willard Fair in the background. But I’ve been told by a trusted source that these were not Miami Urban League kids, standing there looking like they were at the dentist. Any Florida journalists have insight into this?” asked Reid.
Chad Felix Greene, an author, fired back at Reid, tweeting, “Notice she automatically assumes the young men were being exploited before knowing any details of the event.”
“What is sick is denying these young men agency to make decisions for themselves,” he went on. “You do this alot. Argue that POC are being exploited against their will when they share a message you disagree with, or believe they shouldn’t have because of their skin color.”
In truth, despite the claims from people such as Reid and Jones, the most vocal opposition to CRT, and all the attempts to force it into lessons being taught even as young as elemntary school, has been from groups of black parents that refuse ot have their children be taught that they are just victims.
“Telling my child, or any child, that they are in a permanently oppressed status because they are black is racist,” exclaimed Keisha Kings, a Floridian mother, towards the states Board of Education.
Fla. mom, Keisha King, to the State Board of Education: Critical Race Theory "does not teach the truth, unless you believe that whites are better than blacks … Telling my child, or any child, that they are in a permanently oppressed status because they are black is racist" pic.twitter.com/DHJFONDXxx
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) June 11, 2021