Missouri secretary of state candidate Valentina Gomez, whose GOP campaign has primarily consisted of homophobic stunts, told Black Americans ahead of Wednesday’s national Juneteenth holiday to “get the fuck out” of the U.S. if they still want reparations for slavery.
“Reparations from slavery and Black victimization is about to be shoved down our throats for the most ratchet holiday in America,” said Gomez in a viral video on Tuesday. “BLM [Black Lives Matter] raised millions. And what did they do for Black lives?”
“It is outrageous to see people ask you for reparations, even though they never went through slavery,” the 25-year-old Colombia-born Republican continued. “These ungrateful people should be celebrating because they were born in the greatest nation to ever exist.”
Gomez clearly failed to grasp that Black Lives Matter wasn’t founded for reparations, but as a protest movement against police brutality, and seemed confused in decrying reparations for people who “never went through slavery” — as that’s precisely who they’re for.
“Here’s a tip,” she nonetheless declared. “If you don’t like America, kindly, get the fuck out.”
Juneteenth was officially proclaimed a national holiday by President Joe Biden in 2021, but has been celebrated by Black families in the U.S. for decades, as it commemorates the liberation of America’s last slaves being emancipated in Galveston, Texas, in 1865.
“I agree with [Owens],” wrote Gomez in the caption of her post Tuesday.
While her social media stunts have successfully drawn attention to her campaign in the Aug. 6 primaries, they also bear all the signs of an online troll who’ll do anything to go viral. The MAGA-aligned real estate investor has previously supported that perspective herself.
Gomez not only used a flamethrower to torch books with LGBTQ themes earlier this year in an attempt to rally her reactionary base, but told them “don’t be weak and gay” in an actual campaign ad last month — and donned a shirt with the slogan in Tuesday’s video.
While many on social media commented in support, Gomez caught warranted flack as well.