It’s The Racism, Stupid

Y’all wanna hear the TRUE story of Nikki Haley?

A thread pic.twitter.com/MZHER5uaYI

— Michael Harriot (@michaelharriot) June 17, 2023

It is estimated that 1 in 7 white men were cars carrying members of the Klan during this movement. This is when Donald Trump’s father was arrested at a Klan rally.

One of the hallmark pieces of legislation during this white nationalist trend was the “National Origins Formula”

— Michael Harriot (@michaelharriot) June 17, 2023

In 1923, Bhagat Singh Thind, from Amrit Sar Punjab, India filed a Supreme Court case arguing that the immigration. quotas shouldn’t apply Asian Indians bc they were literally Caucasian

The SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES said: “yeah, you’re Caucasians…

But you ain’t “white” pic.twitter.com/AOQw7g9PHL

— Michael Harriot (@michaelharriot) June 17, 2023

One of these laws fiercest opponents was the Daughters of the confederacy. This is when they began putting up confederate monuments. In 1961, SC affixed a confederate flag to its courthouse.

One of the interesting results of this white supremacist backlash was…

— Michael Harriot (@michaelharriot) June 17, 2023

Now, I don’t want y’all to think that the civil
Rights struggle was over. For instance, an incident considered the bloodiest event of the civil rights era happened in Feb 1968 when cops opened fire on Black student at SC State. Most were shot in the backhttps://t.co/bZyJa5BFuJ

— Michael Harriot (@michaelharriot) June 17, 2023

Nimrata’s father taught at at Voorhees, an HBCU in Denmark SC and lived in neighboring Bamberg. Her mom taught in the public schools

At one time, my family owned the only restaurant in Denmark, so I’ve spent a LOT of time there and at Voorhees, the local
HBCU

They are Black AF pic.twitter.com/pXZHY9BeWo

— Michael Harriot (@michaelharriot) June 17, 2023

Now here’s where it gets crazy:

When Nimrata became governor of SC, she refused to take down the Confederate Flag. She said the white supremacist banner was a symbol of heritage and history.

It is possible that Nimrata believed this

— Michael Harriot (@michaelharriot) June 17, 2023

But when she became a state legislator, Black people TOLD HER that it stood for white supremacy.

She wouldn’t take it down.

They boycotted.

She wouldn’t take it down

When she became governor, she was told that it represented a failed attempt at a white supremacist nation

— Michael Harriot (@michaelharriot) June 17, 2023

By the literal blood sweat and labor of Black people acquiesced

But here is the thing.

Nimrata knew.

Remember that school where Nimrata’s dad worked when he came to the US?

Well, the longtime president of that school was Cleveland Sellers

— Michael Harriot (@michaelharriot) June 17, 2023

When Nimrata was a SC legislator, Cleveland Sellers’ son, @Bakari_Sellers was one of the people who TOLD HER what that flag means

But Nimrata is not like Obama. Her daddy and her mommy pulled themselves up by their bootstraps. Her parents didn’t raise her to be a “victim”

— Michael Harriot (@michaelharriot) June 17, 2023

To be clear, Nikki didn’t change her name. She chooses to go by her middle name instead of her first. And maybe it’s not fair to point out her actual name.

Im sure people in SC wouldn’t care.

Ask Barack HUSSEIN Obama pic.twitter.com/RhLNVmrec4

— Michael Harriot (@michaelharriot) June 17, 2023

Well, that adds context:

Obama accuses Tim Scott and Nikki Haley of being part of a 'long history' of POC Republicans who downplay racismhttps://t.co/Pf0ERGoaOQ

— Raw Story (@RawStory) June 16, 2023