DeSantis isn't the source of the GOP's 'race problem': Columnist

While Black Republicans were upset by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s defense of a school curriculum teaching the benefits of slavery, many in the party often ignore the other racist roots, a Washington Post columnist wrote.

Republicans running the country pushed back against DeSantis's plan, but seem to forget that those in their party "extol Confederate generals, abhor affirmative action, feature neo-Nazis on social media" and even "make excuses for slavery and think White people are the real victims of discrimination," Jennifer Rubin wrote on Friday.

"Well, these days, they hardly bother to disguise their real views on race," according to the article. "In Alabama, we’re back to the massive resistance, the movement in Southern states post-Brown v. Board of Education to delay or outright defy the Supreme Court’s order to desegregate. The court, you’ll recall, in June ordered Alabama to redo its congressional districts to provide a second majority-Black congressional district. The state defied the court’s plain instruction."

Rubin added that "Republicans openly flaunt their determination to subvert Black voting power."

"And if you thought this was an isolated event, remember that Republicans across the country have passed and are still dreaming up hundreds of bills to suppress minority turnout," she added.

Further, Rubin pointed to how criticized the plan has been among Conservatives in America.

"Meanwhile, many Black Republicans are appalled at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s defense of a state history curriculum that finds a silver lining in slavery. Politico reported that, following the admonishment from African American Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and DeSantis’s nasty retort, some Black conservatives 'fear the issue will play into Democrats’ characterization of Republicans as favoring a whitewashing of American history.' Gosh this 'unforced error,' they think, came just when they imagine 'they’ve been making significant strides within the party.' Two Black GOP presidential candidates — former Texas congressman Will Hurd and Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.) — criticized DeSantis but evidenced no animosity toward a party determined to reduce Black voting strength," Rubin added.

"Hurd, Scott and other GOP apologists are in denial: Editing racial history, minimizing the impact of slavery, exaggerating White victimhood, venerating the Confederacy and minimizing Black voting power are central to the current GOP’s identity. DeSantis is not the problem; he’s an example of a party deformed and debased by white nationalism. Perhaps this incident (or the Alabama Republicans’ resistance) will open their eyes to the party’s true character. But don’t count on it," the article then continues.

Read it right here.