Rep. Morgan Tweet Draws National Condemnation—Including From Star Trek Star
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
On Tuesday, former Rhode Island Republican candidate for Governor and now State Representative Patricia Morgan set Twitter ablaze when she tweeted about her “former Black friend.”
Morgan Tweeted, “I had a black friend. I liked her and I think she liked me, too. But now she is hostile and unpleasant. I am sure I didn't do anything to her, except be white. Is that what teachers and our political leaders really want for our society? Divide us because of our skin color? #CRT”
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Morgan even drew the attention of former Star Trek star George Takei, who has 3.2 million followers on Twitter.
Takei posted in response to Morgan's Tweet, "I had a white friend. I liked him and I think he liked me, too. But then Pearl Harbor happened and whites became hostile and unpleasant. I am sure we didn’t do anything but they sent us to camps anyway. And now they don’t want to teach about this because it makes kids feel bad."
Speaker of the House Joe Shekarchi told GoLocal, “There is no place for divisive remarks by any House member. I condemn any such comments.”
Shekarchi however did not address demands from RI BLM PAC to remove Morgan from her committee assignments.
“BLM RI PAC is calling for Representative Patricia Morgan’s immediate removal by Speaker of the House Joseph Shekarchi from the following committees–House Environment and Natural Resources Committee, House Health and Human Services Committee, House Labor Committee and the House Municipal Government and Housing Committee. Anything less than these substantive actions is another tacit acceptance of racism from the General Assembly that can no longer be tolerated,” said the group.
And, House Minority Leader Blake Filippi refused to respond to requests for comment about Morgan’s statement and controversy.
A fellow State Representative Brandon Potter, a Democrat, Tweeted to Morgan, “Rep, I think you know I like you, and I think you like me. I remember when you presented your CRT bill, @JoshuaJGiraldo offered to sit w/ you & discuss why it was so offensive and misinformed. I hope you take him up on the offer. I refuse to believe you can’t be better than this.”
Morgan replied to Potter's Tweet, “Like you, as well. I did speak with him. I disagree with judging others by their skin color and don't want our children being compelled to judge society and themselves by race.”
Morgan did not respond to request for comment on Tuesday from GoLocal, but she returned to Twitter and retweeted a number of stories including one Fox News Report and a Rasmussen Report, "Should schools and teachers be allowed to counsel students on their sexual and gender identities without parental knowledge or consent?"
Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story misspelled Filippi's name.
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