Texas Sen. Ted Cruz on Monday ripped into Rep. Cori Bush as spreading “hateful, divisive lies” when she tweeted that the Fourth of July is only about freedom for white Americans.
“When they say that the 4th of July is about American freedom, remember this: the freedom they’re referring to is for white people, the Missouri Democrat said on social media Sunday.
Cruz (R-Texas) slammed her remarks, likening her comments to former football quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality.
“Hateful, divisive lies. The Left hates America. Believe them when they tell you this.Two years ago, Colin Kaepernick tried to spread the same lies on July 4. I responded with the wisdom of the great abolitionist Frederick Douglas,” Cruz tweeted on Monday.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), an African-American Republican congressman, said he felt Bush’s tweet was “outlandish,” adding he does not believe the majority of the black community agreed with her sentiments.
“First of all, yes, July 4, Independence Day, is to celebrate the freedom of this nation from British tyranny. That is the purpose of the celebration. We should all celebrate that. Number two, black people are free in America. That is what has happened since 1865. That is the state of play in 2021 America. So, I look at her tweet, I shake my head, I don’t agree, and to be truthful, most black people just don’t agree with that. And most people don’t agree with that,” he said during an appearance on Fox News.
“We live in the greatest country in the world. More black people have accomplished and achieved more wealth here in the United States than any other country in the world. We should actually celebrate that and celebrate, frankly, the birth of the greatest nation man has ever known Everybody knows it is outlandish. It is ridiculous. That tweet just makes no sense at all. It flies in the face of the reality that the vast majority of Americans — frankly all Americans — see every single day.”
And House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) argued that Bush doesn’t “realize how amazing American freedom really is,” in a quote tweet.
“If you think so low of America, there are plenty of other countries to live in. Maybe you’ll come to realize how amazing American freedom really is,” he said
Bush shot back at criticisms on Monday, arguing that her critics don’t understand the obstacles the black community faces in the United States, blasting Republicans for pushing back on progressives’ efforts to incorporate critical race theory in schools.
“It’s not a coincidence that the people who are saying Black people have full freedom in our country are the same ones trying to prevent teaching the truth about white supremacy in our classrooms,” she tweeted.
Bush isn’t the only Demcoratic lawmaker to take aim at the July 4 holiday, with Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) also stating that there are evident inequalities that remain in the United States.
“July 4th… & so, the Declaration of Independence says all men are created equal. Equal to what? What men? Only white men? Isn’t it something that they wrote this in 1776 when African Americans were enslaved? They weren’t thinking about us then, but we’re thinking about us now!” she tweeted.
“Further, the Dec. of Ind. says we hold these truths to be ‘self-evident’… yet:- 17 states have enacted voter suppression laws- Supreme Court gutted Sec. 5 of the Voting Rights Act – George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice. Need I say more? #July4.”