SECONDNEXUS
percolately
georgetakei
comicsands
George's Reads
President Donald Trump and his administration frequently misrepresent their personal enemies as enemies to the entire United States. From questioning former President Barack Obama's citizenship to calling the press 'the enemy of the people,' Trump and his administration have signaled that dissent is tantamount to betrayal.
So when Obama-era Attorney General Eric Holder went on MSNBC to criticize the administration's infamous "Make America Great Again" slogan, he was already playing with fire.
“When I hear these things about let’s ‘Make America Great Again,’ I think to myself, exactly when did you think America was great? It certainly wasn’t when people were enslaved," Holder said. "It certainly wasn’t when women didn’t have the right to vote. It certainly wasn’t when the LGBT community was denied the rights to which it was entitled. You know, America has done superb things, has done great things, and it has been a leader in a whole range of things, but we’re always a work in process."
He continued:
“Looking back, ‘Make America Great Again’ is inconsistent with who we are as Americans at our best where we look at the uncertain future, embrace it, and make it our own.”
Vice President Mike Pence pounced on one sentence in Holder's words.
.@EricHolder: “Exactly when do you think America was great?” https://t.co/pFE5z5D756— Vice President Mike Pence (@Vice President Mike Pence) 1553803121.0
And Holder had the perfect response.
America IS great. And can-and must-be greater still. “Make America great again” means YOU think America is not grea… https://t.co/WNvtxcM0we— Eric Holder (@Eric Holder) 1553809147.0
Twitter agreed.
@EricHolder America is great. We must work together to keep the country moving forward in healthcare, education, and immigration.— Mindy (@Mindy) 1553830146.0
@EricHolder Mike Pence citing the example set by Dr. MLK as instance of American Greatness is like Hitler citing th… https://t.co/eYqq9aWZ6d— Sankofa Asante (@Sankofa Asante) 1553865843.0
@EricHolder #Truth— LBWellery (@LBWellery) 1553809683.0
@EricHolder Mr Holder owns Sponge Bob Pence on Twitter. Love it! 😍— Char Annen (@Char Annen) 1553866997.0
And put Mike Pence through the wringer.
@VP @EricHolder Divider-in-Chief, Jr. @VP this post is hardly fair. U sold your soul to be VP to the most vile man… https://t.co/hSQZhKt1HU— Lori Hannah (@Lori Hannah) 1553850944.0
@EricHolder America has and always will be great...but how about this Mike Pence @VP Make America HONEST Again. Cle… https://t.co/I9F077OkAg— Sandy Rivers (@Sandy Rivers) 1553809607.0
@VP @EricHolder Don’t forget this one. It’s my favorite. https://t.co/11QktpO7bx— Ho_Oh (@Ho_Oh) 1553804352.0
Holder's words reminded many of a harsh reality.
For many people, America hasn't always been great—for some, it still it isn't.
@EricHolder Does holding asylum seekers - women and children in cages under a bridge make America great again… https://t.co/0PRgLv7jRd— Robert Coulter (@Robert Coulter) 1553837776.0
@EricHolder @Queensrain226 America has potential to be great. She isn't great. Stop telling that white supremacist… https://t.co/dk339uBiZi— Mike Green (@Mike Green) 1553844206.0
Others displayed a hatred that only proved Holder's point.
@EricHolder Obama thought he was a king and tryed to destroy the American way of life. Most people don't live like Chicago thugs.— Sarah Beach (@Sarah Beach) 1553816699.0
@EricHolder Why don’t you pack your shit then and go back to the fucked up muslim country who have only promoted ha… https://t.co/a20XExnLCm— Northern Pulse (@Northern Pulse) 1553823389.0
There's a lot of work to do.