A New York Times editorial board member angrily chastised Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) after he provided context on a Frederick Douglass quote promoted by former NFL player Colin Kaepernick.
“Frederick Douglass is an American hero, and his name has no business in your mouth,” NYT politics editor Mara Gay told Cruz on Friday.
Frederick Douglass is an American hero, and his name has no business in your mouth. https://t.co/Ghoqb75gJF
— Mara Gay (@MaraGay) July 5, 2019
Gay’s tweet was soon ratio’d as a growing number of Twitter users called out her brazen attempt to police what can and can’t be said as representative of the Times’ own support of censorship.
Here are just a few examples of more than 3,000 replies criticizing Gay, including Cruz’s reply:
Let’s see. You’re on the editorial board of the NYT. You respond to any view you don’t like, not with facts or reason, but w/ ad hominem attack. And you seem dismayed that I linked to Douglass’s entire speech, so readers can judge for themselves. You represent your employer well. https://t.co/c8168yiCgY
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 5, 2019
Nice to see the NYT editorial board with such a strong stand on who is and is not allowed to speak. Very on brand.
— InExemplum (@inexemplum) July 5, 2019
NY Times editor scolds politician for which historical figures he’s allowed to admire and quote
— Razor (@hale_razor) July 5, 2019
Of course you’re on the editorial board for the NYT. A journalist, who should be a champion of a free speech, telling a politician who they can and cannot talk about.
This is why I will never ever take anything from the NYT seriously. Pure propaganda.
— It’s Bishop Ma’am (@ItsGoneAwry) July 5, 2019
He was a Republican, and @SenTedCruz is correct to educate @Kaepernick7 about the full context of the quote he was attempting to misconstrue. The @nytimes editorial board needs raise its standards.
— 🇺🇸#IAmTheNRA Rosenblum (@StevenRosenblum) July 5, 2019
Ted Cruz was right. You may want to delete your tweet, sweetheart.
— Kambree Kawahine Koa (@KamVTV) July 5, 2019
This is where identity politics gets you. @tedcruz is correct about the misrepresentation of Frederick Douglass, but she feels she has the right to prohibit a white Republican from using his words and ideas. Despicable.
— Mike Belcher (@MikeBelcher14) July 5, 2019
Frederick Douglass is an American hero and this speech belongs in the mouth of every American. We covered it in US History when I was a high school junior. Don't be a jerk.
— Kyle (@Lightmedic) July 5, 2019
It's almost like the NY Times doesn't even bother pretending to be a news organization anymore.
— AshSolesFromTheFire (@ashsoles) July 5, 2019
The @nytimes doesn’t seem to be very level headed.
— EducatëdHillbilly™ (@RobProvince) July 5, 2019
He literally (correctly) quoted Douglas and provided much-needed context in light of Kaep misconstruing him. This isn’t journalism, it’s petulance.
— Trevor Manning ن (@Kardea) July 5, 2019
The NYT's real mission is to decide what is allowed to come out of your mouth.
— Jamie White (@WhiteIsTheFury) July 5, 2019
This is what happens when you hire too many "woke", aggrieved millennials at legacy journalism institutions who don't do research & think advocacy is journalism. FYI, @tedcruz is quoting Douglass (a Republican) FULLY:https://t.co/cBDBS3S1AI
— Michael (@Michael2014abc) July 5, 2019
This is a member of The NY Times editorial board, folks.
Remember that the next time you spot #BatshitCrazy on their op-Ed page.
— #That’sTrue (@PaulWDrake) July 5, 2019
Cruz earlier in the day had commented on a Fourth of July tweet, in which Kaepernick shared a quote from abolitionist Frederick Douglass suggesting he was resentful of the Fourth of July.
“What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence? This Fourth of July is yours, not mine…There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of these United States at this very hour.”
– Frederick Douglass pic.twitter.com/IWLujGCJHn— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) July 4, 2019
You quote a mighty and historic speech by the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass, but, without context, many modern readers will misunderstand. Two critical points: https://t.co/x4oLfa9DrH
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 5, 2019
(2) Douglass was not anti-American; he was, rightly and passionately, anti-slavery. Indeed, he concluded the speech as follows:
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 5, 2019
“There are forces in operation, which must inevitably, work the downfall of slavery. ‘The arm of the Lord is not shortened,’ and the doom of slavery is certain.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 5, 2019
Cruz finished by encouraging everyone to read Douglass’ entire speech.
Let me encourage everyone, READ THE ENTIRE SPEECH; it is powerful, inspirational, and historically important in bending the arc of history towards justice: https://t.co/il9WNrmxho
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 5, 2019
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