Two liberals have temporarily broken ranks with their party to condemn actions and statements that have been getting lots of support.
On Monday, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was asked by Yahoo’s Katie Couric about the recent controversy surrounding San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick and his refusal to stand during the national anthem. Kaepernick, who has been sitting on the bench or kneeling when the anthem is played before games, has said he is doing this because of racism.
Ginsburg called Kaepernick’s actions “dumb and disrespectful.”
“Would I arrest them for doing it? No,” Ginsburg said. “I think it’s dumb and disrespectful. I would have the same answer if you asked me about flag burning. I think it’s a terrible thing to do, but I wouldn’t lock a person up for doing it. I would point out how ridiculous it seems to me to do such an act.”
Couric followed up by asking if the players that have joined Kaepernick are “within their rights” to refuse to stand, even if the actions are offensive.
“Yes,” Ginsburg replied. “If they want to be stupid, there’s no law that should be preventive. If they want to be arrogant, there’s no law that prevents them from that. What I would do is strongly take issue with the point of view that they are expressing when they do that.”
This is a far cry different than the support — and imitating — that many on the Left have given Kaepernick’s protest.
Also on Monday, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., called Hillary Clinton’s “basket of deplorables” comment out of line.
Clinton had said in a speech that “half” of Donald Trump’s supporters were a “basket of deplorables.” She later apologized for saying “half.”
Holmes Norton took issue with the line, saying candidates shouldn’t attack voters.
“That line, about half of somebody’s supporters being deplorables, was maybe the worst line I’ve ever heard in politics,” Holmes Norton said. “You never — even when you’re running against a bunch of racists, you never take off against the voters. It was a politics 101 foible.”
Let me just point out that Holmes Norton claimed the “deplorables” line was bad, but immediately implied that some of Trump’s supporters are “a bunch of racists.”
Still, that’s two lefties in one day who have balked at the party narrative.
Ashe Schow is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
