Last week, a group of boys engaged with a Native American man beating a tribal drum. The exchange was caught on video. And watching that video, each of us saw what we wanted to see. Because the divisions in this country are so deep they’re fossilized.
Still, some things in that video cannot be disputed–no matter what angle or how extended the cut is. These boys, who attend a religious school, were there on a school trip protesting against a woman’s right to reproductive freedom. Several of these boys were wearing red MAGA hats, a hat that has become synonymous with white nationalism and racism. Several were doing a “tomahawk chop.” Several were laughing.
When I saw that video, I saw boys flaunting their entitlement and displaying toxic masculinity. It seemed to me like they were reflecting the white nationalism and racism that the hats on their heads have come to represent.
Also Read: Alyssa Milano Calls for Accountability, Rehabilitation 'Protocol' Amid John Lasseter Backlash
I sent out a tweet that read, “The red MAGA hat is the new white hood.” Right-wing pundits and anonymous trolls alike screamed for my head–literally and figuratively. My husband received death threats on his cell phone. Many demanded an apology.
Here’s the thing: I was right.
So, I won’t apologize to these boys. Or anyone who wears that hat. But I will thank them. I will thank them for lighting a fire underneath the conversation about systemic racism and misogyny in this country and the role President Donald Trump has had in cultivating it and making it acceptable.
Trump comes by his white nationalism honestly. Maybe even genetically. In 1927 his father Fred Trump was arrested along with six other men after a Klan parade in Jamaica, New York, aimed at keeping Catholic immigrants out of America. While the younger Trump denies his father was ever there, arrest records are clear, and a news report of the time reported that all seven men arrested were “berobed.” It appears irrefutable that the father of the President of the United States was in the Ku Klux Klan.
Fred Trump’s racist practices in his residential real estate holdings caused iconic American songwriter Woody Guthrie to write about the “color line” that “Old Man Trump” brought into the neighborhood. And by the time the President took over management of the business, multiple lawsuits were filed against it for racial bias in housing.
Also Read: Woody Guthrie Wrote a Poem Calling Donald Trump's Dad a Racist - Here It Is
And by the time he ran for President, Trump bleated themes that would have appealed to those same Klan marchers who were arrested with his father in 1927: Build a wall to keep immigrants out. Ban Muslim immigrants. America first.
Make America Great Again.
David Duke endorsed him (which Trump initially refused to disavow). Racists flocked to his rallies. And they proudly put on the red hats.
Let me be clear: I’m not saying everyone who voted for Trump is a racist. I’m saying that everyone who proudly wears the red hat identifies with an ideology of white supremacy and misogyny. Everyone who proudly wears those hats gives a tacit endorsement for the hatred and the violence we’ve seen these past few years.
When the Unite the Right chanted “Jews will not replace us,” the Red Hats were there.
When young children were being torn from their families at the border and forced to represent themselves in immigration court, the Red Hats were there.
When Muslims were banned from coming to live in this country, the Red Hats were there.
When there was a white lives matter rally, the Red Hats were there.
When black protestors were assaulted at a Trump rally, the Red Hats were there.
When the Proud Boys teamed up with Neo Nazis, the Red Hats were there.
When a terrorist mailed pipe bombs to prominent political leaders and activists, many of whom were Jewish, the Red Hats were there.
And when a boys school sent a group of students to protest against a women’s right to bodily autonomy, the Red Hats were there.
This isn’t like wearing the hat of a sports team you love. These hats symbolize hate. They signal to others an embrace of policies of discrimination, oppression and exclusion.
The Red Hats are demanding an apology from me for a tweet that compares red hats to white hoods. And maybe it isn’t the same. After all, years ago, racists like Fred Trump put on the hood to hide. There is no hiding with the Red Hats. Only pride.
Still, you know what? I am sorry. I’m sorry for the decades and decades of oppression and abuses people of color have faced in this country. I’m sorry that as part of a privileged white majority we did not stop this Administration from happening. I’m sorry to those who have suffered at the hands of the Red Hats and the policies their leadership implements. See, I’m not apologizing to the Red Hats. I’m apologizing for them.
Part of making amends with our history is making sure it doesn’t repeat itself. I will not be silent. I will not be intimidated. Everywhere these hateful acts occur, everywhere I see a Red Hat stop a person of color from thriving, everywhere I see a Red Hat get between a woman and her body, a person needing asylum and the safety we can offer, a child and her parents–I’ll be there. I’ll be loud. And I know I’m not alone.
Sorry not sorry.
17 Music Stars Who Slammed Trump for Using Their Songs at Campaign Rallies (Photos)
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
Over the years, many musicians have publicly objected to having Donald Trump use their songs during his rallies and campaign events.
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
Axl Rose
After Guns N' Roses frontman learned that "Sweet Child O' Mine" was being played at the president's rallies, Rose fired off a series of tweets accusing Trump of using licensing loopholes to ignore his request to stop playing the band's music. "Unfortunately the Trump campaign is using loopholes in the various venues’ blanket performance licenses which were not intended for such craven political purposes, without the songwriters’ consent," Rose tweeted on Nov. 4, 2018.
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
Pharrell
On Oct. 27, 2018, the day after the synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh that left 11 dead, Trump played Pharrell's 2013 summer hit "Happy" at a rally in Indiana, according to reports. Pharell's attorney Howard King sent a cease and desist to Trump with a statement regarding the usage. "There was nothing 'happy' about the tragedy inflicted upon our country on Saturday and no permission was granted for your use of this song for this purpose," the letter read.
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
Neil Young
If you go way back to when Trump first announced he would be running for president at the Trump Tower in 2015, you may remember that Neil Young took issue with Trump's use of "Rockin' in the Free World." "Donald Trump was not authorized to use 'Rockin' in the Free World’ in his presidential candidacy announcement," a spokesperson for the musician's Lookout Management said in a statement in 2015. Young reiterated his feelings on his official Facebook page: "Legally, he has the right to, however it goes against my wishes." In July 2020, he tweeted that he "was not OK" with Trump playing "Rockin' in the Free World" and "Like a Hurricane" at an event South Dakota's Mount Rushmore
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
Prince's estate
According to Rolling Stone, Prince's estate had to issue a statement after various Trump rallies played "Purple Rain." "The Prince Estate has never given permission to President Trump or The White House to use Prince's songs and have requested that they cease all use immediately," Prince's half-brother Omarr Baker wrote on Twitter Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018.
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
Adele
Trump didn't stop at the rock genre when choosing his campaign playlists. After it got around that his rallies included songs like "Rolling in the Deep" and "Skyfall," a spokesperson for singer Adele made clear she wanted no part of it. "Adele has not given permission for her music to be used for any political campaigning," her spokesman told The Guardian at the time.
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones have tried to stop Trump from playing the band's music on several occasions, including after Trump accepted the bid to be the Republican Party's nominee in 2016 to the tune of "Start Me Up." "The Rolling Stones have never given permission to the Trump campaign to use their songs and have requested that they cease all use immediately," a Stones spokesperson said in a statement to The Daily Beast.
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
R.E.M.
At a Trump rally in Washington D.C. Sept. 2015, R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World" played while Trump walked up the podium. Word of the band's song playing at the rally prompted the band's official Facebook page to release a statement: "While we do not authorize or condone the use of our music at this political event, and do ask that these candidates cease and desist from doing so, let us remember that there are things of greater importance at stake here. The media and the American voter should focus on the bigger picture, and not allow grandstanding politicians to distract us from the pressing issues of the day and of the current Presidential campaign."
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
Elton John
According to CNN, Elton John was among the major names the Trump administration reached out to to perform at his inauguration. John's team declined. But even before then, John's team publicly denounced any use of his songs for Trump's benefit. "Elton's music has not been requested for use in any official capacity by Donald Trump. Any use of his music should not be seen as an endorsement of Donald Trump by Elton," John's publicist said, according to the British newspaper The Telegraph.
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
Steven Tyler
In 2015, Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler's reps sent a demand to Trump's team to stop playing "Dream On" at his rallies, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Unlike other similar demands, Trump publicly announced he would stop. "Even though I have the legal right to use Steven Tyler's song, he asked me not to," Trump tweeted. "Have better one to take its place!"
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
Queen
The anthemic "We Are the Champions" played while Trump walked up to the stage during the Republican National Convention in July 2016. Queen member Brian May released a personal statement regarding the usage: "Regardless of our views on Mr. Trump's platform, it has always been against our policy to allow Queen music to be used as a political campaigning tool. Our music embodies our own dreams and beliefs, but it is for all who care to listen and enjoy."
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
The O'Jays
O'Jays lead vocalist Eddie Levert spoke out in 2016 about the use of "Love Train" during Trump's presidential rallies. "I wish him the best, but I don't think he's the man to run our country. So when he started using 'Love Train,' I called him up and told them, 'Listen, man, I don't believe in what you're doing. I'm not with you. I don't want you to use my voice. I'm not condoning what you're doing," Levert told Billboard.
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
Rihanna
Over the weekend of Nov. 3, 2018, Washington Post bureau chief Philip Rucker tweeted that Rihanna's 2007 hit "Don't Stop the Music" was playing during one of Trump's Tennessee rallies. Rihanna herself responded to the tweet, saying: "Not for much longer... me nor my people would ever be at or around one of those tragic rallies, so thanks for the heads up philip!"
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
Village People
After Donald Trump had authorities clear peaceful protesters from across the White House in June 2020, Village People co-founder Bruce Willis asked that the president stop playing the disco group's hits like "Macho Man" and "Y.M.C.A." at campaign events. "Sorry, but I can no longer look the other way," he wrote.
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
Tom Petty
The family of the late rocker objected to the Trump campaign playing "I Won't Back Down" during a June 20, 2020 rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "Tom Petty would never want a song of his used for a campaign of hate. He liked to bring people together," the family wrote, adding that it had sent the campaign a cease and desist request.
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
Linkin Park
Linkin Park issued a cease and desist against President Trump after a two-minute campaign video was posted that included their song "In the End." “Linkin Park did not and does not endorse Trump, nor authorize his organization to use any of our music,” the band tweeted July 18, 2020. The tweet with the embedded video was subsequently taken down and in its place now states, “This media has been disabled in response to a report by the copyright owner.”
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
John Fogerty
The Creedence Clearwater Revival founder issued a "cease and desist" order on Oct. 16 condemning the Trump campaign's use of his song "Fortunate Son." "He is using my words and my voice to portray a message that I do not endorse," Fogerty wrote in a tweet.
From Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose to pop star Rihanna
Phil Collins
The British rocker sent the Trump campaign a cease-and-desist letter over use of his song "In the Air Tonight" during rallies, according to documents obtained by TMZ. Collins' lawyers followed up after it was used again during an October event: "That use was not only wholly unauthorized but, as various press articles have commented, particularly inappropriate since it was apparently intended as a satirical reference to Covid-19."
