Marco Rubio sparks backlash after posting childish, offensive 4th of July message
On the Fourth of July, this great nation celebrates our independence day and all the noble ideals we stand for. But with the current political polarization dividing our country, every Fourth of July is now inevitably accompanied by Trumpian expressions of the most childish and churlish us-vs-them pretensions of patriotism by the most vicious sycophants in politics, pushing a fascistic notion that the essence of being “American” is one of unquestioning love and mindless obedience for the patriarchal authority figures, institutions, and symbols that the right-wing has codified into representing “America.”
Any criticism or displeasure with the current state of affairs in the United States is denounced as heretical, any and all legitimate grievances drowned out and whitewashed with that pernicious phrase, “the greatest country in the world,” which is usually accompanied by “and if you don’t like it you can get out.” It goes without saying that this line of argument goes against everything that our nation stands for and constitutes a rejection of the very “freedoms” that those types love to champion — a further example of how American conservatism is at its heart a malicious ouroboros of hypocrisy.
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Florida Senator Marco Rubio, a man with an exceptionally smooth brain, decided that this was the approach that he was going to take for his social media post celebrating our independence day. Perhaps he felt obligated to do so, the obedient lickspittle that he is, since it is the governing narrative that the Trumpian right-wing has adopted in response to efforts by African-American activists to start a national conversation about race and the history of slavery in America.
In any case, the following tweet is from a United States Senator.
HAPPY #IndependenceDay
America isn’t perfect…..but it’s better than anywhere else, ever.
And if you believe our country is such a horrible & inherently evil place there are 192 other countries you can move to.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) July 4, 2021
Instead of working together to try to fix the serious problems and horrifying inequality that the United States faces today — issues that every country in the world struggles with — Marco Rubio would have you go into exile while he jams his thumbs in his ears and chants “best country in the world,” which is an utterly meaningless phrase in and of itself.
It is a telling glimpse into how Republicans like Rubio approach both politics and governance: empty words, the most debased and cheap nationalism, implicit xenophobia, and a complete rejection of everything that they ostensibly stand for.
Social media users were not pleased:
So inspiring. What a hopeful and supportive message. I’m sure Thomas Jefferson would be proud.
God you’re pathetic.
— Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) July 4, 2021
Saying “it’s better than anywhere else, ever” is toddler shit Marco
— Mankrik’s Wife (@Marty_Shannon) July 4, 2021
https://twitter.com/DavidTaylorNYC/status/1411711715306131462?s=20
I resent not ever learning about the Tulsa massacre or of Juneteenth til THIS year. I read lots of Black literature, and even took a Protest Black history class in H.S. I resent our history being "whitewashed" pun intended
— ziti (@ziti80864977) July 4, 2021
He isn’t very fond of the majority of Americans.
— Lauren Down South (@LaurenDownSouth) July 4, 2021
Opinion columnist and former editor-in-chief of Occupy Democrats. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice and equality in America.