I’m not going to claim to know much about British politics, but I know a humiliating gaff when I see one. Yesterday, British politician Dominic Raab — a member of the Conservative Party serving as First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs — was giving a talkRADIO interview when he was asked about the protests against police violence following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month. It’s a very serious topic that’s already inspiring governments to change they way they do policing, so naturally Raab thought it was a good time to lighten the mood with some Game of Thrones comparisons.
Specifically, Raab took issue with protesters taking a knee at demonstrations, a symbol of resistance that got a lot of exposure a few years back when former San Francisco 49ers Colin Kaepernick protested police violence against Black people by kneeling during the national anthem.
“I’ve got to say on this ‘taking the knee’ thing, which I don’t know, maybe it’s got a broader history but it seems to be taken from the Game of Thrones,” Raab said, bringing his foot to his mouth and savoring the appetizing scent. “It feels to me like a symbol of subjugation and subordination rather than one of liberation and emancipation. But I understand people feel differently about it so it’s a matter of personal choice.”
On Game of Thrones, “bending the knee” was something you do when swearing fealty to a lord of lady. In the context of the Black Lives Matter movement, “taking a knee” is something you do at a demonstration to show respect for people like George Floyd, Brianna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and others who have lost their lives as a result of police violence. The reporter gave Raab one last chance to course correct by asking if he would take a knee with protesters, but Raab opted to just swallow his whole foot: “I take the knee for two people, the queen and the missus when I asked her to marry me.”
So essentially, the reporter asked Raab if he stood in solidarity with people around the world protesting a system of institutionalized racism that’s been terrorizing people of color for centuries, and he said, “Jokey-joke-joke-joke-joke, rimshot.”
Maybe we can give Raab the benefit of the doubt and chock this up to a cultural misunderstanding, but it’s not a good look. Raab did clarify his statements later:
To be clear: I have full respect for the Black Lives Matter movement, and the issues driving them. If people wish to take a knee, that’s their choice and I respect it. We all need to come together to tackle any discrimination and social injustice.
— Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) June 18, 2020
I hope the foot doesn’t leave too bad an aftertaste.
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