Outgoing Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., released a lengthy speech Tuesday aimed at “white people” following the acquittal of Daniel Penny in the death of Jordan Neely.
On May 1, 2023, Penny confronted Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man with schizophrenia who had an active arrest warrant at the time and a history of violence, while shouting death threats on the subway. With the help of other passengers, Penny placed Neely in a chokehold, but Neely later died.
Outraged that a jury found Penny not guilty of criminally negligent homicide, Bowman turned to X in his final days in office to write a thread that began, “Dear White People.”
“I don't know why I feel the need to keep talking to you,” the “Squad” member continued. “I don't know why a part of me still has hope for you and for us. Some of you are too far away. But maybe many of you are not and will join us in the fight to end white supremacy” .
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U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) speaks during a rally in St. Mary's Park on June 22, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City, three days before the New York primary election. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
He continued, “I just want to call out the hypocrisy and evil of it all and continue to have hope. I won't trust you completely because I know the most important thing is to work with my community and other like-minded allies in the fight.” for justice.”
After listing high-profile deaths and violence against black people such as Rodney King, Eric Garner and George Floyd, which he had seen on video, the lawmaker added Neely, stating: “He was not a threat. He was subdued. He is still not a threat”. Daniel Penny strangled him for 6 minutes and killed him. “We all saw it on camera and he was still acquitted.”
“I have put aside probably a hundred other cases of this trauma in my life,” Bowman wrote. “For comparison, I ask white people: how many times have you seen a white man murdered in cold blood on camera on your news? How many times have you heard about this?”
“The answer is never. You never have,” he said, although some X users pointed out the irony of the statement with the video of the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson dominating the news.
“And every time you feel uncomfortable about your whiteness, black people are hurt or killed. And there is never accountability or justice. This is the evil of white supremacy. It spreads across geography and political parties and makes us sick everyone,” he continued.
“I wish I didn't have to live with all this trauma deep in my bones. I wish I could be free to be myself. I marvel at the beauty and greatness of my people despite white supremacy. It's extraordinary. I will continue to do that.” supporting me.”
“RIP Jordan Neely. The justice system failed you. Kyle Ritenhouse and Daniel Penny are free. You are gone. We still have to fight,” he concluded. The Rittenhouse shooting only involved white men.
WITNESS TO JORDAN NEELY'S SAVING DEATH CALLS DANIEL PENNY A 'HERO'
Jordan Neely, left, died after a subway confrontation with Daniel Penny, center, that ended with him being strangled.
Social media users expressed surprise that a congressman would direct any kind of message only to white people.
Freelance journalist Brad Polumbo reacted: “I can't believe this person, a member of Congress, has simply suggested that he doesn't know why he needs to keep talking to an entire racial group. Tf?”
Author Katherine Brodsky wrote: “Any post that begins with 'dear white people' is indicative of a malignant narcissist and racist. It would never occur to me to address people by the color of their skin as if there were some kind of unified being.”
“Can we please stop making everything about race?” Sequoia Capital partner Shaun Maguire asked, to which Elon Musk responded: “Yes, please. This has gone on too long. Enough is enough.”
“The shameful thing is that this kind of stupid, resentful, manipulative rhetoric once worked. Now they're giving it a ratio, but a few years ago, there were people in the comments apologizing for their privilege. Never forget, and never repeat, that madness. “said Christopher Rufo of the Manhattan Institute.
Novelist Kat Rosenfield wrote that she was “grateful to be over the time when we all had to pretend that this wasn't crazy for an elected official to say in public; there was a lot of social pressure not to say it, but the truth is, I don't think “No one has ever liked it.”
Fox News contributor Guy Benson said Bowman's post was “downright racist.”
“Thank you racist guy who lost his seat because he's crazy,” RedState's Bonchie posted.
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Rep. Bowman pulled the fire alarm on September 30, 2023, when Republicans began voting on a stopgap bill to prevent a government shutdown. (US Capitol Police)
Jeremy Hunt of the Hudson Institute and Veterans on Duty said, “Dear people of NY16: Thank you for voting to remove this delusional, racist, terrorism-sympathizing, fire-alarm ringing congressman from office.”
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Bowman became the first member of “The Squad” to lose his primary over the summer after a series of scandals and controversies, including censure for setting off a fire alarm in a House office building last year during a vote on government funding and a blasphemy. rant against AIPAC.
