Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett has firmly rejected the notion that white men face oppression in the United States. Speaking during a House Oversight Committee hearing on the Dismantle DEI Act on Wednesday, November 20, the Texas Democrat dismissed the assertion as unfounded.
The GOP-sponsored bill aims to dismantle all federal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices and programs. Crockett expressed her frustration with Republican lawmakers who she said have been mislabeling themselves as “oppressed” because of DEI initiatives. She likened their misuse of the term “oppression” to the sound of “nails on a chalkboard.”
“It seems like you don’t understand the definition of oppression, and I’d ask you to just refer to Google to help you out,” Crockett remarked, further clarifying the historical and contextual meaning of oppression by referencing America’s legacy of slavery.
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“There has been no oppression for the white man in this country,” she stated. “You tell me which white men were dragged out of their homes, dragged across an ocean, and forced into labor. Which of them had their wives stolen or raped? That didn’t happen. That is oppression.”
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Crockett also criticized efforts by some Republicans to erase Black history from school curricula, arguing that such actions enable the misuse of words like “oppression.” She contrasted the experiences of Black Americans, forcibly brought to the U.S. through slavery, with voluntary immigration.
“We didn’t run away from home,” Crockett said. “We were stolen.”
Calling for a return to informed dialogue, Crockett urged lawmakers to recognize the reality of racism in America. “We need to return to listening to experts, getting out of our feelings, and recognizing that racism is real,” she said. “Pretending it’s not will prevent us from solving the problems we face and achieving the unity required for a more perfect union.”
Watch Crockett’s remarks below.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) calls out Republicans trying to redefine "oppression" to say white people are being oppressed:
— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) November 20, 2024
"It is white men on this side of the aisle telling us, people of color on this side of the aisle, that y'all are the ones being oppressed. pic.twitter.com/MGAfzz4QwV
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