A Republican member of Congress apparently doesn't think being labeled a white supremacist should be such a bad thing.
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) asked The New York Times about the term in an interview published Thursday. "White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?," he asked. "Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization?"
King, who in October was condemned by the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee for "white supremacy and hate," has repeatedly come under fire for racist comments and for on numerous occasions retweeting white nationalists. He told the Times that he's not a racist, apparently by pointing to photos of himself with "Iowans of all races and religions."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Read the full interview with King at The New York Times. Brendan Morrow
Update 3:30 p.m. EST: King tweeted a statement in response to the Times article. "I reject those labels," he said, referring to white nationalism and white supremacy, "and the evil ideology they define." He condemned "anyone that supports" such ideas, and said he is "simply a Nationalist." King wrote that "one of my most strongly held beliefs is that we are all created in God's image."
-
5 health-conscious cartoons about anti-vaccine rhetoricCartoons Artists take on RFK Jr's militant methods, the viral lottery, and more
-
September 13 editorial cartoonsCartoons Saturday's political cartoons include court-approved racial profiling and America's moral compass
-
Giorgio Armani obituary: designer revolutionised the business of fashionIn the Spotlight ‘King Giorgio’ came from humble beginnings to become a titan of the fashion industry and redefine 20th century clothing
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
