Whether at home, in the frozen food aisle at the grocery store, or the toy section, many of us have dealt with a child throwing a tantrum. Unfortunately, the GOP has subjected the country to a temper tantrum par excellence—John McEnroe would be jealous. Former President Trump committed the cardinal sin of admitting he was fully vaccinated and had the booster. His reveal elicited boos from the crowd attending his failing tour with Bill O’Reilly. Conservative pundits, hucksters, and politicians confused explosion was predictable. Mr. Trump told Candace Owens, “The vaccine is one of the greatest achievements of mankind,” continuing, “And if you take the vaccine, you’re protected. The results of the vaccine are good.”
The firestorm of tantrum behavior that followed came from the usual suspects: Pillow magnate Mike Lindell, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and podcast conspiracists Alex Jones. Jones’ reaction was the most volatile, saying Trump’s statement was “nothing but a raft of dirty lies” and warned, “You are either completely ignorant ... or you are one of the most evil men who ever lived.” Ms. Owens’ response was also predictable, [she had] “no issue with any person who wants to get the vaccine,” she did not trust it and would “never, ever” let it into her body. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, whose messiah-like devotion to the former president has no bounds, said, “I have President Trump’s permission to tell you all that he is 100% AGAINST the mandates, but he still encourages everyone to get the vaccine and booster,” Greene said, purporting this was per a phone conversation with Trump.
Video of Greene following then-eighteen-year-old David Hogg (Parkland High shooting survivor) along a Washington, DC street calling the teen a coward, tossing in the name George Soros for a little anti-Semitic flavor and warning him she had a concealed carry license, is now infamous. Short of spinning around on the floor and holding her breath until she turns red, white, and blue, Rep. Greene seeks the spotlight whenever and wherever possible. Ms. Greene has been suspended twice from Twitter for disseminating false and misleading information over Covid-19 vaccines. Recently, she kicked the truth in the shins with her objections to the afro-centric holiday, Kwanzaa.
Greene’s inability to see beyond her racism and imagined Christian superiority rule her thinking. In the eyes of Greene, the College Republicans National Committee had the temerity to show a modicum of respect to the celebration started by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966. In what should have been an innocuous acknowledgment, much like Mr. Trump sent in 2019, the CRNC tweeted out their recognition of the week-long Kwanzaa celebration. Greene accused the group of pandering to a “fake” religion, tweeting, “Stop. It’s a fake religion created by a psychopath. You aren’t bringing in new voters, you are turning them away. People are tired of pandering and BS.”
I am not sure if Rep. Greene is upset that her party acknowledged a celebration of African American culture; her misinterpretation of Kwanzaa as a religious holiday threatens Christianity, or someone took away her rattle and teething ring. In any event, expect more tantrums, and if the Republicans take control of Congress, nursery school will be open.
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