Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) made a stunning defense of white nationalists Monday, saying he opposes racism but many of them “just have different beliefs.”
Tuberville, who has blocked hundreds of military promotions to protest the Pentagon’s abortion policy, was asked by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins about the comments he made in May when asked about white nationalists.
“I call them Americans‘ he said at the time.
He stood his ground and said he opposed racism, but believes white nationalists are only Americans and that the term “is now just a code word for the Democrats where they can try to use it to infuriate people across the country, identity politics.” .” I am absolutely against it.”
Collins reminded him what the term actually means.
“A white nationalist is someone who believes that the white race is superior to other races,” she said.
“Well, that’s some people’s opinion,” Tuberville replied, again defining a white nationalist as “American.”
It’s not an opinion; White nationalists are literally defined as “a group of militant white people who advocate white supremacy and advocate enforced segregation”. according to Merriam-Webster.
But Tuberville said they were Americans who “had different beliefs,” and reiterated that he was “completely opposed to racism.”
“A white nationalist is a racist, Senator,” Collins reminded him.
“Well, that’s your opinion,” Tuberville said, as he had done before. “That is your opinion.”
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Tuberville has a history of racist rhetoric — so much so that his own brother took him to task over it.
“Due to his recent comments propagating racial stereotypes, white nationalism and other controversial issues, I feel compelled to distance myself from his ignorant, hateful abuse,” musician Charles Tuberville wrote on Facebook in May. “I do NOT agree with the vile rhetoric coming out of his mouth.”
Last year, the NAACP criticized him for “completely racist, ignorant and utterly hateful” comments comparing black people to criminals.
Critics on Twitter called out his recent comments: