Texas Republican Congressman Chip Roy said he “had no excuses” after making an apparent pro-lynching comment during a congressional hearing on combating anti-Asian American violence.
“Victims of racial violence and their families deserve justice,” Roy said in his opening statement at the House Judiciary Subcommittee’s hearing, adding that he was concerned about the “thought police” stifling freedom of expression.
“We believe in justice. There are old sayings in Texas about finding all the rope in Texas and getting a tall oak. We take justice very seriously. And we must do that. Gather the bad guys. That’s what we believe in,” he said. “My concern with this audience is that it seems to want to venture into policing rhetoric in a free society, freedom of speech and away from the rule of law and ending bandits.”
Congresswoman Grace Meng, DN.Y., testified at the hearing and was thrilled when she addressed Roy and his comments at the end of his comments, complaining that Republicans helped incite violence against Asian Americans using language like “Chinese virus” to describe the coronavirus.
“Your president, your party and your colleagues can talk about problems with any other country you want, but you don’t have to do that by placing a target on the back of Asian Americans across the country, at our grandparents, at our children. This audience was to address the pain and pain of our community, to find solutions, and we will not let you take our voice away from us, “said Meng.
Deputy Ted Lieu, D-Calif., Focused on Roy’s comments about a rope and an oak tree on Twitter.
“Chip Roy glorified lynching at an audience on violence against Asians. The biggest mass lynching in the history of the United States was against Chinese immigrants,” he said. tweeted, referring to the 1871 Chinese massacre in Los Angeles. At least 17 people were hanged.
“I served on active duty in the US armed forces to defend @chiproytxit is right to say stupid and racist things. I just wanted him to stop saying that, “added Lieu.
Others on social media noted that the phrase was not a well-known saying in Texas – but it was similar to a lyric in a 2003 song by country singers Toby Keith and Willie Nelson called “Beer for My Horses”. The song includes the verse, “Take all the rope in Texas, find a tall oak, gather all those bad boys, hang them up on the street.”
Roy said in a statement to NBC News later that he did not regret his choice of words.
“Apparently, some people are freaking out because I used an old expression about finding the whole rope in Texas and a tall oak tree about doing justice against the bad guys. I meant it. We need more justice and less thought-out policing, “said Roy.” We must restore order by punching evildoers, not by turning the United States into an authoritarian state like the Chinese communists who seek to destroy us. No excuses, ”he added.
