Outgoing Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., posted a lengthy screed Tuesday targeting “white people” in the wake of Acquittal of Daniel Penny in the death of Jordan Neely.
On May 1, 2023, Penny confronted Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man with schizophrenia who had an active arrest warrant at the time and a history of violence, while shouting death threats on the subway. With the help of other passengers, Penny restrained Neely with a chokehold, but Neely later died.
Outraged that a jury had not found Penny guilty of negligent homicide, Bowman went to X in his final days as president to write a thread that began “Dear White People.”
“I don’t know why I feel the need to keep talking to you,” the “Squad” member continued. “I don’t know why part of me still has hope for you and for us.” Some of you are too far gone. But maybe enough of you aren’t and will join us in the fight to end white supremacy.”
U.S. Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) speaks during a rally in St. Mary’s Park on June 22, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City, three days before the New York primary elections. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
He continued, “I just want to expose the hypocrisy and evil of it all and just keep hoping. I will not rely entirely on you, because I know that the most important thing is to work together with my community and other like-minded allies in the fight. for justice.”
After listing high-profile deaths and violence against Black people like Rodney King, Eric Garner and George Floyd, which he watched on video, the lawmaker added Neely while claiming, “He was not a threat. He was submissive. Still no threat. Daniel Penny strangled and killed him for six minutes. We saw it all on camera and he was still acquitted.”
“I probably left out another hundred examples of this trauma in my life,” Bowman wrote. “For context, I ask white people, how many times have you seen a white man murdered in cold blood on camera on your news feed? How many times have you even heard of this?”
“The answer is never. You never did,” he said, although some X users highlighted the irony of the statement video of the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson dominates the news.
“And when your whiteness makes you uncomfortable, Black people are harmed or killed. And there is never any accountability or justice. This is the evil of white supremacy. It extends across geographies and political parties and is making us all sick,” he continued.
“I wish I didn’t have to live with all this trauma deep in my bones. I wish I could just be free to be myself. I marvel at the beauty and greatness of my people, despite white supremacy. It’s extraordinary. That’s what I’ll continue to lean on.”
“RIP Jordan Neely. The justice system failed you. Kyle Ritenhouse and Daniel Penny are free. You’re gone. We still have to fight,” he concluded. The The Rittenhouse shooting only involved white men.
WITNESS TO JORDAN NEELY CHOKEHOLD DEATH CALLS DANIEL PENNY A ‘HERO’
Jordan Neely, left, died after a subway confrontation with Daniel Penny, center, that ended with him in a chokehold.
Social media users were shocked that a congressman would direct any message only to white people.
Independent journalist Brad Polumbo responded: “I can’t believe this person, a congressman, just suggested he doesn’t know why he has to keep talking to an entire racial group. Tf?”
Author Katherine Brodsky wrote, “Any post that starts with ‘dear white people’ indicates a malignant narcissist and racist. I would never dream of addressing people based on the color of their skin as if there were some kind of unified being.”
“Can we please stop making everything about race?” Sequoia Capital partner Shaun Maguire asked, to which Elon Musk replied: “Yes, please. This has gone on too long. Enough.”
“The shameful thing is that this kind of stupid, spiteful and manipulative rhetoric ever worked. Now he gets a ratio, but a few years ago there were people in the comments apologizing for their privilege. Never forget – and never repeat – that madness,” said Christopher Rufo of the Manhattan Institute.
Novelist Kat Rosenfield wrote that she was “grateful that we got past the moment where we all had to pretend this wasn’t completely insane for an elected official to say in public; There was a lot of social pressure not to say that, but honestly I don’t think anyone ever really liked it.”
Fox News contributor Guy Benson said Bowman’s post was “downright racist.”
“Thanks racist dude who lost his seat because he’s insane,” RedState’s Bonchie posted.
HOUSE DEMOCRAT BECOMES FIRST ‘SQUAD’ MEMBER EVER DEFEATED IN A PRIMARY BATTLE
Rep. Bowman pulled the fire alarm on September 30, 2023, as Republicans began voting on an emergency bill to prevent a government shutdown. (US Capitol Police)
Jeremy Hunt, of the Hudson Institute and Veterans on Duty, said: “Dear people of NY16, thank you for voting this delusional, racist, terrorist-sympathizing, fire alarm-pulling congressman out of office.”
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Bowman became the first member of “The Squad” to lose his primary this summer after a series of scandals and controversies, including a conviction for setting off a fire alarm in a House office building last year during a vote on government funding and a profanity-laced rant against AIPAC.
