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Tennis Legend Martina Navratilova Shreds GOP Senator Tom Cotton

February 9, 2019 by Samuel Warde No Comments

Martina Navratilova

GOP Senator Tom Cotton’s claim about Democrats’ New Green Deal was so absurd it was immediately met with scorn from notables such as tennis legend Martina Navratilova. 

Editor’s Note: Samuel Warde is the editor-in-chief of Liberals Unite (recently re-branded as The Art of Living) as well as a contributor to Mindy Fischer, Writer. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. You can view a list of his articles here.

Freshman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has been a frequent target of the GOP since winning election to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2018. As Snopes reported earlier this year, Ocasio-Cortez “was subjected to a number of false rumors, most of which focused on her inexperience (at age 29 she was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress), her financial status (she was a bartender before running for election), or, inexplicably, her dance moves.”

Ocasio-Cortez unveiled her Green New Deal, co-sponsored by Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, on Friday sparking an immediate backlash from Republicans.

Tom Cotton steps into a hornets’ nest

Ultra-conservative Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) took to Twitter where he compared their plan to socialism and the Gestapo.

“The Democrats’ ‘Green New Deal’ brings to mind an insight from Churchill: Socialism may begin with the best of intentions, but it always ends with the Gestapo,” he tweeted.

As one might expect, Twitter was swift to respond. CNN anchor Bill Weir was one of the first to weigh in, providing some background on the origins of the quote.

“Missing context, Senator: Churchill gave the infamous ‘Gestapo Speech’ while running against Labor in ’45. He got crushed and despite his warnings, the left gave Britain the National Health Service but Prince Harry did dress up as a Nazi for Halloween that one time,” he tweeted.

Martina Navratilova weighs in

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova weighed in with a couple of tweets.

“Funny how you are so quick to compare socialism with Hitler when in fact Hitler and the Gestapo have a lot more in common with you and trump than it ever did with Sweden, Denmark, Holland etc….get a clue!!! Not seeing any Gestapo like situation anywhere in Europe,” she began.

Continuing, she added: “And since I lived in a Socialist country I kind of know what I am talking about so save all the mansplaining by you or your supporters…thank you.”

Nazi weren’t socialists

Several Twitter users weight in on Cotton’s assumption that Nazis were socialists. For instance, SuperT posted a great quote and link from fact-checking website Snopes on the matter.

“the assumption that because the word ‘socialist’ appeared in the party’s name and socialist words and ideas popped up in the writings and speeches of top Nazis then the Nazis must have been actual socialists is naive and ahistorical” SNOPES … It’s a deliberate lie.

Ted Mason tweeted: “Green environment is the protection of our children’s future. Gestapo was a conservative organization under the Nazis that murdered millions of Jews, Liberals, Communists, Socialists, Gypsies and people that were NOT racially pure. Mr. Cotton, you are gaslighting.”

The irony of using Churchill to argue against addressing climate change

Think Progress published an article regarding reaction to Cotton’s tweet. They also discussed the irony of using former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to dispute the importance of fighting climate change.

“Normally Churchill is quoted against the kind of delay and appeasement to fossil fuel interest that American conservatives like Cotton have made a cornerstone of their national policies,” Think Progress reported.

In a famous speech, Churchill warned the House of Commons on November 12, 1936 of the fatal dangers of ignoring the growing threat from Europe. Churchill noted that the British leaders “go on in strange paradox, decided only to be undecided, resolved to be irresolute, adamant for drift, solid for fluidity, all-powerful to be impotent.”

Continuing, Think Progress reported that Churchill “then continued in words that are far too relevant today about the climate crisis:”

“Owing to past neglect, in the face of the plainest warnings, we have entered upon a period of danger… The era of procrastination, of half measures, of soothing and baffling expedience of delays, is coming to its close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences. We cannot avoid this period, we are in it now.”

If you enjoyed reading this article you might want to check out: “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Unleashes On The GOP With A Fury.”

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