QOTD: Republicans And The "Woke" Term

 

Oliver Willis provides a valuable insight into what the MAGA movement means when they use the term "woke":

"The term comes from the Black community and is tied to the long fight for racial justice and equality. It has been traced all the way back to “Scottsboro Boys,” a protest song recorded by Lead Belly in the 1930s advising Black people to “stay woke” and be aware of racist policies in the deeply segregated South. [snip]

Trump, who rose to political prominence for promoting the racist 'birther' conspiracy theory about President Barack Obama and racist stereotypes about Mexican immigrants, hates the Black Lives Matter movement. So opposing Trump and bigotry from other Republicans was seen as “woke,” of which the right quickly took notice.

Being against “woke” has become the right’s new definition for opposing social justice, as it has always done—opposing women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and racial justice.

It’s no mistake that the war on 'woke' has manifested itself in the form of Trump administration policy, rules, and executive orders meant to roll back civil rights and erase the achievements of people who aren’t straight, cisgender, white men." (our emphasis)

The MAGAt terminology has seeped into the mouths of some (e.g., Bill Maher) who also twist the term to equate to "cancel culture" or pursuing LGBTQ+ rights.  Willis' explanation sets them straight, not that they'll care.