Faces, Leopards, Etc.

[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: [email protected].]First of all, if you’re not online all the time and don’t understand the reference in the title, I’d like to congratulate you on your excellent mental health hygiene.Nearly a decade ago, Twitter user Cavalorn put out a simple and clever joke that has become one of the all-time great memes, generally used in reference to people who vote against their own interests out of pettiness or bigotry or the belief that they’re special and exempt from consequences and then whine about those consequences when they find out they’re not so special after all. Honestly, it might be the greatest micro-commentary on the Trump era, perfectly encapsulating the offense and incredulity of folks who support him when things don’t go their way.Over the past several days, a vicious debate that had been brewing among Trump supporters regarding the visa program for highly skilled immigrant workers escalated when Vivek Ramaswamy—who is co-leading the adorably named Deparment of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with Elon Musk—inexplicably dropped a long rant on Twitter defending immigrant workers.Mr. Ramaswamy was born in America to immigrant parents, and Mr. Musk is a first-generation immigrant.As much as I can’t stand Vivek Ramaswamy because of his relentless pandering to the Trump base through the most cynical and opportunistic lens—practically speaking, he sounds like a desperate, watered down version of a Trump impersonation spat out by a beta version of ChatGPT—I don’t disagree with his larger points here.He’s not wrong. There is a pervasive laziness and entitlement among many (white) American families who have been here for many generations that is thoroughly outshined and outpaced by immigrant families who arrive in this country ready to work hard to get what they want.I don’t think that’s controversial to say. I think it’s previous obvious. I grew up in Central Texas around immigrant families from all over the world, and on balance, my peers from those families did work harder, were more ambitious, tended to get better grades, etc.Now, are there generally critical nuances around ambition and belonging and mental health regarding children who are raised in immigrant communities that are important to note? Sure, but I’m definitely not the person to speak on that. Check out this primer from psychotherapist Imi Lo for a good place to start.Anyway, Mr. Ramaswamy’s commentary is expressed in a way that’s cringey and distracting—the pop culture references are certainly ham-handed—but he’s not wrong on the overall points.His thesis isn’t the problem. It’s his audience. Mr. Ramaswamy, who has gone all-in on a full MAGA true believer schtick—apparently forgot that Trump’s base have zero interest in hearing hard truths. None. Sir, where do you think you are in the political landscape? Do you need a map and compass? This is the speech you give if you’re the main character in an Aaron Sorkin vehicle, not when you’re working for someone who was just elected on the most xenophobic and racist platform in modern history.Let me ask you, Sir: don’t you think it’s a little strange that J.D. Vance, who made literally the same damn argument in the book that catapulted him to fame, the husband of an Indian American woman born to immigrant parents, hasn’t said anything about all this?Why do you think that is? Do you think it’s possible that he understands your boss’s core supporters are pretty damn xenophobic and hypersensitive when presented with truths about the enduring mediocrity of many white Americans?Listen, Mr. Ramaswamy: we aren’t gonna hear a peep about Hillbilly Elegy for the next four years. Mr. Vance would be thrilled if no one ever mentions it again. There are reasons for that, Mr. Ramaswamy, and you know those reasons if you’re being completely honest with yourself.Rarely have we seen a public figure so completely misread the room. It would be like Hank Hill setting up a vendor booth for Strickland Propane at a PETA convention, which he would never do because Hank Hill is a Republican with common sense and sure as hell knows vegans aren’t his target demo for propane and propane accessories. Hell, I’m a progressive trans woman, and I could have told Mr. Ramaswamy this attempted “come to Jesus” pitch to Trump supporters about American laziness and immigrant excellence was never gonna fly.Predictably, the MAGA backlash has been swift and severe. Rightwing influencers across social media have been raking Mr. Ramaswamy and Mr. Musk across the coals for the past few days over the visa program and their support for immigrants in high skilled professions.The notoriously unhinged Laura Loomer has been using her influence over the far-right to viciously blast Mr. Musk online. More troublingly, the sheer racism against Indian Americans and immigrants that’s currently permeating rightwing spaces is disturbing, spurred by the obvious and entirely misplaced resentment of white Americans who are furious that people who don’t look like them and work harder are getting better jobs.The open bigotry on display by the MAGA base has understandably unsettled many first- and second-generation immigrants who voted for Trump, like this gentleman who was apparently shocked to discover the backbone of the GOP is powered by racism.Sir, you’re absolutely right about all this, but where the hell have you been?We told y’all this would happen. Repeatedly. Incessantly. We could not have been more clear that this was inevitable.I have no idea if Trump has specifically spoken out against the visa program for skilled immigrants—he probably has but I’m too lazy to look it up—but even if he hasn’t, his long record of racist and xenophobic pandering to his fans was always leading to this place.Trump has made hundreds of statements over the years that were clearly racist, and the spiritual distance between those statements and this current mayhem is definitely shorter than the eighteen inches between the head and the heart.It’s as though all these folks, including the gentleman above, intentionally voted for a proud arsonist and are now shocked to find kindling and matches being staged on their front doors. Honestly, what did y’all think was gonna happen? Did you think the tech industry would get a pass? Did you think excellence would be enough to avoid the wrath of xenophobes?Hell no. Their whole thing is being xenophobic and racist, or did you miss when the leader of your party spent years accusing our first Black president, who was born in this country and raised by a white mother and white grandparents in a working class family, of being ineligible for the presidency because of the absurd, b******t, racist claim that he was born in Kenya?We’re surprised that you’re surprised.Maybe this will finally be enough for you to stay away from leopards because final piece of advice: their stomachs will never be full.Charlotte's Web Thoughts is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe