Incredibly, but long overdue, much of the world has recently turned its eyes to a global Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality, systemic racism, and patriarchy. For weeks, and despite a deadly pandemic, millions of people have been marching in the streets, toppling racist monuments, and pressuring corporations to stand with social justice — and the movement seems to finally be gaining traction in a way that previous movements had not.
Someone who is not on board is local asshat Ted Nugent, however, who, as usual, doesn’t seem to have a clue.
Instead of self-reflecting on his own use of Confederate flag imagery or his own possible racist attitudes, the Motor City Madman is engaging in some deeply misguided whataboutism, writing in a Facebook post that he thinks a statue of Barack Obama and his daughter Malia should be removed.
“This offends me and I’m sure I speak for millions,” he wrote on Thursday. “Can we tear this shit down?”
We think the Nuge should think about why the sight of a successful Black man offends him so much. And anyway, the tearing down of racist and problematic monuments isn’t about people being offended — it’s about rethinking what it says about our culture that we continue to glorify these things.
Plus, if merely being perceived as “offensive” was enough of a reason to tear shit down, the Motor City Madman would have no career — that’s his whole thing.
Stay on top of Detroit news and views. Sign up for our weekly issue newsletter delivered each Wednesday.
This article appears in Jun 17-23, 2020.
