Everyone needs to hear this leaked video. It reveals several things about America, all at once. It highlights our polarized and racialized politics…
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) April 13, 2023
NEW LEAKED AUDIO: TN House Republicans infighting over #TennesseeThree votes.
CEPICKY: “You gotta do what’s right even when you think it might be wrong.”
Leadership says Barrett made them look racist, Cepicky says they're at "war", etc. must-listen. pic.twitter.com/mUkzwWXvav
It could have been recorded in any statehouse in the old Confederacy, as a conversation White men have when they think nobody is listening. There is no question that it reconfirms every fear that POC, women, and the LGBTQ community have about White men.
Finally, it serves as a classic, painful example of this: When White people are so far inside their own un-seen White Supremacy, they have no conception of how they sound.
And, no doubt, anybody who is still in that place, will even hear that last sentence as an unfair accusation.
Because, to them, this is simply about “following the rules of the legislature,” or “protecting the institution.” This is how they will choose to frame the issues, and IMHO, there is almost nothing that can be done to change that view in the moment when they feel thusly “cornered.”
But, friends, this is how White people sound when they feel cornered.
When they feel their justified and rightful control of the levers of power are being threatened.
What is under attack is White control, and the final vestiges of White Supremacy in the halls of power. But they do not frame the issues this way. As such, they will always deny, always refused to believe any counter-narrative (a narrative that suggests White Supremacist control is the issue…).
They cannot believe it is so, because many of them live in siloed all-White communities, or represent highly gerrymandered conservative districts, listening to conservative news sources, that allow them to continue to live inside their pre-existing beliefs without ever having them challenged by anyone else.
And…they have a lot of guns.
As you hear here, they do feel “under attack.”
They do believe political rivals are “enemies.”
They do believe the future of the “Republic” is at state.
To be clear: It is not at stake.
What is “at stake,” threatened, are halls of power controlled solely by White people and those they believe under their “control.” That is the instructive part of this tape, actually…how much time they spend angry of the fact that they were not “unified.”
What is at stake is NOT the “Republic.”
What is at stake is “control of the Republic by White people as the dominant power.”
(Hint: That’s a pretty good definition of “White Supremacy” within government)
In fact, a loss of their control would signify a birth of the multi-cultural democracy that American always should have —but never has— been.
There will still be a place for White people in that Republic, of course. But they do not believe this, because history shows them how their own ancestors only came to power through the oppression of others, and therefore the only path to retaining power is continued White control, albeit in “softer” forms.
But there IS a vision of a different way. America has a bright future, but ONLY if we can finally become the multi-cultural, multi-coalitional democracy.
Will we get there?
I have no idea.
But I know White people have a lot more work to do….and this tape shows that.