It’s important to differentiate between figures in authority and people who just like to hear themselves talk. Often those two intertwine. A living consequence of this intersection is former president Donald Trump, who is prideful over the infamous Jan. 6 rally at the capitol. When the wrong person sits on the wrong throne, this country moves backwards.
When discussing a controversial political figure, there is no good place to start. The certified American pundit Candace Owens worked as a political commentator for her far-right views on the conservative news source, The Daily Wire. However, in March of this year, she was fired for making anti-semitic comments. This caused controversy because Owens had previously made anti-black comments, yet she was only fired when she upset a certain demographic.
The translucent issue behind all this is why she wasn’t fired earlier. A majority of Owens’ philosophy surrounds the idea that Black people in The U.S. should stop living under a victim mentality and instead empower themselves. She denies facts about systemic racism as she has verbally stated her opposition with Affirmative Action, tweeting, “This is a MAJOR WIN in the strive for racial equality, removing the bigotry of low expectations against Black students, while permitting Asian and white Americans an EQUAL chance to be rewarded for their hard work. RACE should never be a factor in deciding whether or not you are qualified for anything.”
“Owens has no real authority to be leading over anything or anyone.”
Additionally, Owens disapproves of “diversity hires,” when she was the textbook diversity hire for The Daily Wire as she holds no collegiate degrees, certifications, or any tangible reason why her opinions should be considered. Owens has no real authority to be leading over anything or anyone.
Executives of The Daily Wire realized that they needed to reach a larger demographic of people, and so they hired Owens to show that Trump-supporting Black conservatives exist. Owens is often deemed the “the new face of Black conservatism” and has expressed skepticism and doubt about the extent of white supremacy’s impact on society. Owens co-founded the BLEXIT (Black Exit) movement, which seeks to encourage and empower Black Americans to escape the “mental plague on Black America” associated with progressive politics and the Democratic Party, and instead embrace conservative values and principles.
So, why should we consider Owens’ words? I agree with some of what Owens says, but when she puts down other panelists as a mechanism to take over debates and uses the fact that she’s a Black woman as a weapon is what turns me away. She is an outstanding public speaker, and this comes to her advantage when getting points across, which is unfortunate as she is the face of anti-Black rhetoric.
At the end of the day, Owens holds no authority, and no legitimate education in politics, therefore her opinions don’t need to be considered as her rhetoric doesn’t have the power to change things. It’s important to keep this in mind as the internet develops more and more into a forum for the public to definitively express their political options. With the election approaching, I urge voters to not be influenced by uneducated political bloggers who attempt to sway your vote.
