For hours, the derogatory phrase “Uncle Tim” trended on Twitter — a term that bubbled to the surface in the wake of Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-S.C.) response last Wednesday to President Joe Biden’s first speech before a joint session of Congress.
Twitter eventually blocked the racial slur, but not before Scott took notice of the social media trend, which he immediately condemned.
Speaking to Fox News on Thursday, the Republican senator said he found the slur “upsetting” and “so disappointing.”
“It has been an amazing morning with so many good people calling, but the left has doubled down,” said Scott. “[Y]ou cannot step down out of your lane, according to the liberal elite left.”
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Over the weekend, MSNBC host Tiffany Cross accused Scott of having “Stockholm syndrome,” condemned him from making “asinine points,” called him “a token,” referred to him as “a clown,” and rebuked him for “appeas[ing] the oppressors.”
However, in the wake of Scott’s speech, Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) voiced their agreement with the conservative lawmaker’s assertion that the U.S. “is not a racist country.”
They did not face similar condemnation.
Scott appeared on CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday, when he told host John Dickerson that the government shouldn’t be “fighting bigotry with bigotry,” arguing doing so “is hypocrisy.”
The lawmaker specifically condemned the Biden administration over a Department of Agriculture policy offering loan forgiveness only to “socially disadvantaged producers,” referring to those who are “black/African American, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American, or Pacific Islander.”
Scott also praised Biden, Harris, and Clyburn for admitting the U.S. isn’t “a racist country,” noting he’s being saying so “for a long time.”
“The question is: is there a lingering effect after a couple of centuries of racism and discrimination in this nation?” Scott asked. “The answer is absolutely.”
“The question we should be debating and fighting over is: how do we resolve those issues going forward?” he continued. “One side says, ‘I’m going to take from some to give to others.’ Our side, what I’ve suggested, is: Let’s expand opportunity and make sure that we are fully equipped for the challenges of the future.”
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Scott explained to Dickerson earlier in the interview that he has been leading the GOP charge for police reform because he has first-hand experience with the issue. He told the CBS anchor he has been pulled over by police for no other reason than the color of his skin — even as a senator.
He also said he has “seen the beauty of when officers go door-to-door with me on Christmas morning delivering presents to kids in the most underserved communities.”
“So, I think I bring an equilibrium to the conversation,” Scott argued. “One of the reasons why I’m hopeful is because, in a way, this time my friends on the left aren’t looking for the issue. They’re looking for a solution.”
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