The Lubbock County Democratic Party condemned a social media post published and later deleted Saturday by the Lubbock Young Republicans that the local Democratic organization alleged used the phrase ‘Hard R’ to evoke a racial slur.
The Lubbock Young Republicans, for their part, released a statement in response on Sunday denying their social media post was intended to carry racial undertones.
“”Hard R’ was campaign shorthand for a strong Republican voter,” reads a statement the Lubbock Young Republicans shared with the A-J. “That was the meaning, and that was the intent. It was not a racial reference. When we saw the phrase was being interpreted differently, we removed the post. We’re focused on engaging voters and moving forward.”
The Lubbock County Democratic Party early Sunday afternoon released what it called a “formal statement strongly condemning a social media post published Saturday by the Lubbock Young Republicans.”
The Lubbock County Democratic Party’s statement argued the post contained offensive racial rhetoric, explicitly urging voters to “vote with the hard R,” which it argued was a “clear and deliberate reference to a deeply harmful racial slur targeting the Black community.”
“It is no secret that the Republican Party no longer exists and has been taken over by MAGA, which is made up of many racists. They prove this in their dog whistles to racism,” said Gracie Gomez, chair of the Lubbock County Democratic Party. “It is disheartening and disturbing that this has been recently proven so blatantly in Lubbock. The Lubbock County Democratic Party condemns this recent post by the Lubbock Young Republicans featuring one of the mostoffensively racist terms used towards the Black community.”
Lubbock County Democrats noted the post was only removed after significant public outcry and widespread condemnation began to mount online through the day Saturday.
“Our Party calls on all Lubbock leaders, state and local elected officials, the local media, and Lubbock residents to speak out against this abhorrent racism and to hold those responsible accountable for posting this. Shame on the Lubbock Young Republicans for publishing such hatred, and shame on all who accept or excuse this behavior.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock County Democratic Party condemns local Young Republicans social post
Reporting by Staff reports, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
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By Staff reports, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal | USA TODAY Network
