Black college faces threats after Crockett commencement speech slams Trump
A historically black college in Jackson, Mississippi, has received threats of violence following a commencement address delivered there on Sunday. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, an outspoken Democratic critic of Donald Trump and his policies, gave the impassioned speech at Tougaloo College.
In a letter addressed to the “Tougaloo Family,” President Donzell Lee said the school received “concerning calls” in reference to Crockett’s speech, and that they were not being taken lightly.
“Appropriate actions have been taken,” Lee wrote, adding, “Contact has been made with law enforcement authorities to ensure that safety protocols are in place, if needed.”
In her speech, Crockett addressed racism, a cornerstone of Trump’s rhetoric since he entered the political arena in 2015 that he has embraced as a candidate and as president.
“Instead of publicly calling us the N-word they use racist epithets and suggest that we’re ghetto, or unqualified, or diversity hires,” Crockett said.
Trump has repeatedly invoked “DEI”—or diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts—as a bogeyman and used his opposition as an excuse to pursue racist policies during his presidency. Trump has purged history celebrating Black achievement, fired Black military and government leaders, and signed orders attempting to undo the gains of the Civil Rights Movement.
“No low is too low for MAGA,” Crockett wrote on Wednesday in light of the threats received by Tougaloo. “…now explain to me why an institution would be receiving threats because of the commencement speech that I GAVE.”
She said this type of action is why she has to “constantly” have protection and that truth-telling is “dangerous business.”
Related | Why is the right obsessed with attacking Rep. Jasmine Crockett?
The threats against Tougaloo also follow Trump singling out Crockett on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
“Look at the Democrats, they have a new person named Crockett,” Trump complained. “I watched her speak the other day and she’s definitely a low IQ person.”
Trump, who has said Canada has a “faucet” denying water to California and argued that climate change is a Chinese “hoax,” loves to claim that his political rivals—especially women of color like Crockett—have low IQs.
An accomplished civil rights attorney, Crockett has repeatedly come under fire from the right. The former public defender and Texas state representative has faced attacks from members of the Trump administration, thirsty House Republicans, and right-wing media like Fox News.
Why? Because she refuses to bow before Trump, as so many others have.