Wahoo To Warren

Elizabeth Warren’s PR stunt of releasing the results of a DNA test proving she has “some” Native American in her ancestry isn’t going to help anyone. It’s not going to help Democrats in the midterm elections. It’s not going to help Warren in her 2020 presidential bid or her re-election to the Senate (though it probably won’t hurt much in Massachusetts). It won’t hurt Donald Trump because nothing ever does. Most of all, it doesn’t help actual Native Americans.

Does Warren actually have Native American in her ancestry? Yeah, sure. Does she have Native American heritage? Hell no. If you’re a white guy who grew up on 5th Avenue who suddenly discovers there’s a slight trace of African in your family history, that doesn’t make you one of the boys in the hood. There is no heritage there any more than my DNA results showing three percent from the Iberian Peninsula makes me Antonio Banderas.

There is stupid and ridiculous on both sides of this issue. Warren listed herself as Native American 30 years ago. Though there is no evidence that it helped her career as a Harvard professor, Republicans have made the accusation anyway.

Warren released a test that indicated she is anywhere between 1/64th and 1/1,024th Native American, which was followed by a campaign video of her visiting her family in Oklahoma to show she has red state roots. Designed to quell criticism over her Native American claim, this maneuver has exposed her for more criticism. If nothing else, it won’t shut up Donald Trump who called a porn star he slept with “horse face” yesterday.

Warren’s claims of being Native American is the type of thing where you say “shut up already” and “let it go.” Trump’s taunts of it should receive heavier criticism and condemnation. Just like his birther campaign against Obama, Trump’s attacks on Warren are racist, and we get to add sexist on top of it. For over two years, he’s referred to her as “Pocahontas,” ignoring Native Americans who have told him that’s racist and offensive. But, this is Donald Trump. I redirect you back to the “horse face” comment.

Trump has called her DNA test “bogus,” as though he’s a scientist who administered it himself. In fact, he apparently does want to test her himself.

Trump made a promise to donate $1 million to the charity of Warren’s choice if she could prove she has Native American ancestry. Now that she does, he claims he never said it, proving his memory is another thing that’s “tiny.” To be fair, he did say he’d pay it if she took the test at a debate, and he administered it himself. That would be a really long debate as most tests take at least four weeks to produce the results. Trump doesn’t like standing in elevators. Even holding an umbrella over Melania in the rain is exhausting.

But, it wouldn’t matter if the test results proved Warren was actually a direct descendant of the real Pocahontas. Trump would keep attacking her. He would keep lying. He’d continue to be a racist, sexist asshole. It also doesn’t deliver heritage to Warren.

Cherokee Nation, which is based in Oklahoma, released a statement criticizing Warren, stating she was “undermining tribal interests” by claiming to be Native American. I agree. I think at this point, she and Trump have both made Native Americans political props.

Trump said he would pay the $1 million to Warren’s charity of choice. But, he would have to administer the test himself, which he said, “That will not be something that I enjoy doing,” Which is also a statement once made by “horse face.”

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