A Republican in the House of Representatives will be forming a new caucus to take on ‘wokeness’ across the country, which presents the ‘greatest domestic threat to America today,’ he said.
Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., announced Friday that he will be creating the ‘first-ever Anti-Woke Caucus’ to take on political correctness groups, which he said have formed a ‘tyranny’ that is vastly changing America through ‘indoctrination.’
He added: ‘The most toxic part of this tyranny is its doctrine — ’wokeness.’’
So, he’s taking action: ‘This Congress, I will create the first-ever Anti-Woke Caucus.’
‘Wokeness is especially prevalent and dangerous at universities and in primary schools because the Left recognized students as the most vulnerable and useful targets for indoctrination,’ Banks wrote in an op-ed for American Mind titled’Fighting the Woke Agenda in Congress.’
In the op-ed, he detailed what he believes America and Congress must do to reclaim its standards and practices from those who seek to erase them.
‘This utterly un-American doctrine would be comical were it not so powerful. And it is powerful because it is enforced not only by every major national institution. It is promoted and funded by the federal government itself,’ he said.
‘The Biden administration imposes these beliefs in schools, in the military, in government agencies and in the private sector. It not only wants us to hate each other. It is funding this hatred and fanning its flames. What do you think will be left of our nation once more and more people accept wokeness and act on its principles?’ the Republicans pondered.
Banks speculated in the op-ed that America has not yet seen how far the ‘public humiliation’ will go and what other facets of society could become their next targets. He also said this movement is not impeded by facts ‘but must be believed.’
‘The nation’s most powerful forces—our intelligence agencies, corporations, the press, our universities, and even our military—are all pressing further and further into uncharted territory from which it’s not clear America can return,’ he said.
‘Everyone has by now heard this word, but it means something very specific. It means that all the so-called oppressor groups must be punished for their past and present alleged sins. There are many steps to punishing them: inducing self-hatred through indoctrination, stripping away their rights by not enforcing the laws on their behalf, public humiliation, hatred, expropriation, and ultimately violence,’ the Indiana Republican wrote.
‘That’s what the Left has done so far. It’s not exactly clear yet how far this can go,’ he added.
Banks wrote, ‘And what does wokeness mean for the so-called oppressed? It means privileged status, exemption from certain laws and norms, and the public recognition that their views are unimpeachable—they cannot be contradicted by reason, they cannot be doubted, but must be believed.’
In the op-ed, Banks suggested a movement to limit free speech, change America’s traditions, and rewrite her history — which the lawmaker called an ‘utterly un-American doctrine’ — would be ‘comical’ if it were not ‘so powerful.’
Republican governors, including Ron DeSantis of Florida and Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, have announced they intend to push back on indoctrination in their respective states.
The Republican also compiled a list of actions Congress should take to oppose further ‘wokeness’ from permeating society.
‘The new House Republican majority can and will fight institutionalized wokeness. The path forward is clear so long as we act confidently, as our voters demand,’ he wrote.
‘First, House Republicans should pass legislation to rescind Executive Order 13985, Biden’s equity Executive Order that directed every single federal agency to produce an ‘Equity Action Plan,’’ the essay continued. ‘Chuck Schumer would certainly strike it down, but it’s important for Republicans to make a unified statement in opposition to the Left’s abandonment of equality under the law.’
Banks then plainly said: ‘Second, Congress must stop funding wokeness.’
The Republican admitted his party was also at fault in approving funds geared towards empowering ‘woke institutions and activities.’
He said Congress approved more money to these groups in 2017 and 2018, when Republicans controlled Congress, than when Democrats retook the majority in 2019 and 2020.
‘This Congress, we should aim to eliminate all such funding,’ he said.
Banks continued: ‘Third, we should use our oversight power to question woke federal officials and woke companies.’
And, ‘Finally, anti-woke House Republicans should organize.’
The Republican said his new caucus will ‘regularly host meetings with anti-woke legislators and subject-matter experts’ to understand better ‘the long tentacles of the wokeness regime, the laws, regulations, and funding sources which support it.’
Concluding the op-ed, Banks called the ‘woke’ movement the ‘greatest domestic threat to America today.’