“Queer Eye” star Jonathan Van Ness had to defend himself on Wednesday after he was ripped for urging his fans to be tolerant of other ideas and saying that not all Republicans were evil and racist.
Van Ness decided to get political on Twitter following the results of Tuesday’s primary results.
“Luckily a lot [of] extreme right people won yesterday, meaning that if we can come up w center left candidates we can take back the house & senate, not to mention many state legislatures. It is so important for the left to not go too left or we are done for,” he said.
“Not all republicans are racist,” he added later. “Just like not all democrars [sic] are evil, we have to stop demonizing each other,” he continued. “Unless you’re actually racist then you suck, Trump is Racist – not all his voters are necessarily we gotta remember we are all in this together.”
Luckily a lot to extreme right people won yesterday, meaning that if we can come up w center left candidates we can take back the house & senate, not to mention many state legislatures. It is so important for the left to not go too left or we are done for.
— Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn) August 15, 2018
Not all republicans are racist. Just like not all democrars are evil, we have to stop demonizing eachother. Unless you’re actually racist then you suck, Trump is Racist – not all his voters are necessarily we gotta remember we are all in this together.
— Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn) August 15, 2018
Fans of Van Ness weren’t having it, however, warning him to stay in his lane and insisted that with Trump in the White House, there could be no compromise.
This is the worst political advice ever. Progressive candidates that actually stand for something are how we win. Running towards the center with Clinton just gave us 4 years of Trump – let’s not be silly again. People want universal healthcare… period.
— ಠ_ಠ (@jizzywinks) August 15, 2018
Ah, yes… “mutual understanding” with racists…. pic.twitter.com/sFkoIZ70hS
— Backwoods Barbie (@LGBTmayo) August 15, 2018
Jonathan, electing Centrist & Conservatives Democrats is what neutered the ACA from being as effective as it could have been. With more progressives instead of DINO’s, we could have had a Public Option. This is EXTREMELY bad advice. Left-punching from you is so disappointing.
— antifa is good (@BobbyLibby) August 15, 2018
yeah totally, my jewish ass needs to stop demoniz–https://t.co/Ik71RWTvzc
— hannah moskowitz??’? (@hannahmosk) August 15, 2018
take it from a fellow white gay person; we still have a LOT of privilege here, and there are a lot of people we need to be listening to. and telling your fans, who are largely minorities, that they need to recognize the very fine people on both sides is not the way.
— hannah moskowitz??’? (@hannahmosk) August 15, 2018
And what is there to compromise over? A failing system that serves only the privileged? Gurl bai! pic.twitter.com/7zxYUMXnUB
— crazy sticks to me, like ribs (@OldGenQueer) August 15, 2018
“Also if you’re upset at a tweet I made leave gurl bai!” he said in response to the naysayers. “Being able to compromise is what’s missing from both sides of the American political situation & the sooner we all get to a place of mutual understanding the sooner we will get out of this mess.”
Also if you’re upset at a tweet I made leave gurl bai! Being able to compromise is what’s missing from both sides of the American political situation & the sooner we all get to a place of mutual understanding the sooner we will get out of this mess.
— Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn) August 15, 2018
He also made a video explaining himself.
“I decided to tweet political things today and you know that can go one of two ways,” he said in the clip posted on Twitter. “Left people are not necessarily inherently evil and right people are not necessarily inherently evil and our ability to notice gray area and to notice what compromise means and how much compromise has led us to where we are is important.”
“We have to be able to not demonize the right.”
You can watch the video below.
— Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn) August 15, 2018