Posted on 11/22/2016 10:15:00 AM PST by TigerClaws
During an interview with CNN Tuesday, Southern Poverty Law Center senior editor Ryan Lenz claimed that president-elect Donald Trump‘s use of the term and hashtag “Drain the Swamp” was a dogwhistle intended as a subtle wink to white supremacists.
“Yesterday, Donald Trump released his 100-day plan on YouTube, and he announced some very thorough, specific things he was doing by executive action. And he referenced a phrase… he said he’s going to ‘drain the swamp,’” Lenz noted.
“#DrainTheSwamp’ was a meme, a Twitter hashtag that grew– exploded, really– after Donald Trump came forward with allegations it was a rigged election. And it was spread specifically– among the people spreading the #DrainTheSwamp hashtag were avowed racists, white supremacists who exist on Twitter to harass and demean various ethnic groups,” continued Lenz.
“So we have a little bit of a two-sided message here,” he concluded. “Yeah, he’s saying stop [committing hate crimes], but he’s also, you know, giving a wink-wink, nod-nod to the very people he’s asking to step away from their violence.”
CNN host Jon Berman pushed back a little against that narrative. “We should note, different phrases can mean different things to different people,” he said.
“There are plenty of people who are in favor of ‘draining the swamp’– not having lobbyists involved and taking some of the money and donations out of politics– that I’m sure have no notion at all that it is anyway connected or supported by groups like this,” Berman argued.
Watch above, via CNN.
[Image via screengrab]
for later
I had no idea that “lobbyist” is now a RACE! The lobbyist swamp really needs to be drained. I guess I am more racist than I thought, even though I am NOT racist, and get tired of saying I am not racist, but it seems to be a requirement to keep saying, I’m not racist. This is very TIRING!
Well, we found out today “Drain the Swamp” is all bullcrap, so at this point what difference does it make?
Liberals, please, just go to Home Depot and buy rope
End your misery now
you will do us all a favor
They blew it on the women and most people agree with Trump regarding Muslims, so this is all they’ve got.
Do these clowns only see the world through a prisim of racism?
The southern poverty law center is nothing but a left wing group of bigots, that sets it self up as judge and jury of all things racisssss, and finds all conservatives to be racisssss. F'em.
Ryan Len is batshite crazy.
You never know if some Twitter profile is male or female, or whatever their race may be
They didn’t seem to mind when Nancy Pelosi used it after the 2008 election.
What feeble thinkijg
Are you a butt-hurt little snowflake that is disappointed about what is being said about Hillary?
Why don't you wait and see until after the inauguration and see what truly happens?
We don't know if this is a ploy to not have Obama pardon her.
We don't know if Trump knows that the investigations already under way are enough to do her in.
Friggin' relax, sheesh... Freepers get their panties in a wad so easily.
Most of the swamp sludge are old white men.
The “swamp” is full of racists! Drain it!!
The ‘racist’ card is so worn out, I’m surprised it’s still legible. The over-use of that card is one of the primary reasons the Democrats have been losing since 2010.
Let us hope they keep swiping it at every opportunity.
I personally react to being labeled A racist the same way I would take to being labeled a vegan(which I am not). I shrug, make a mental note of the source, and simply continue on with whatever I was doing.
The SPLC cries racism when the sun goes behind a cloud.
They are utterly without credibility.
Donald Trump is not a racist, his cabinet picks are not racist, nor are his supporters.
Those suffering under the delusion of “dog whistles” and see racists on every corner, are those that are losing the debate, and the race card is the only play they’ve got left.
Those arguing with them should stop, and get up and leave the room, as soon as these accusations are brought up. No meetings, no agreements, and no compromises with race card shufflers.
The swamp is the corruption in government, mostly Congressmen who have been there for years making deals out the back door. There is obviously at this point a network of corruption that involves other than Congress but that is the swamp. How is that racist when nearly all of them are white?
Many of those in Congress do not care at all about the country or we the people. They only care about power and money.
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