This seems to be mainstream conservative thought. Since it's mostly the elderly and minorities that are dying from COVID-19 (presumably the "expendable" among us), why not open schools? Vance Ginn also said his tweet with the GIF was “woefully taken out of context out of bad faith." Ah yes, talking about COVID deaths and adding a funny gif is always a sign of deep seriousness of thought and purpose.
Source: Texas Tribune
Vance Ginn, the chief economist for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, is facing fierce backlash for a recent racist tweet that said schools should open since most of the people dying from the coronavirus in Texas are elderly or Hispanic.
Before Monday, the state’s racial and ethnic breakdown of deaths had large gaps, with up to 18% of deaths last month recorded as “unknown.” A revised count of the data released Monday by the Department of State Health Services, however, shows that Hispanic Texans are overrepresented in the state’s updated fatality count.
Citing the revised data, Ginn tweeted that the people most likely to perish from the deadly virus are people older than 50 and Hispanics, whose death rate increased from 24.8% on May 27 to 47.4% on July 27. Hispanics make up about 40% of the state’s population.
“Why not #openschools, end universal mandates, target vulnerable & check those from #Mexico?” Ginn wrote in a since-deleted tweet. He juxtaposed his tweet with a GIF of Prince Harry of Wales miming a mic drop.
He later apologized for tweeting the GIF. “It’s been brought to my attention that the gif may have been perceived as insensitive. I apologize as that was not my intention,” he tweeted.
...
In an interview with The Texas Tribune, Ginn said the intention of his Twitter thread was to outline the more thorough data provided by the state. He also said his tweet with the GIF was “woefully taken out of context out of bad faith.”
Here's a screenshot of the tweet.
And the gif he added.
And his lame-ass "apology".
I removed the previous tweet.
I apologize for how I poorly communicated as I believe strongly based on my deep faith that every life is precious. My intent was to highlight the positive development of more data available to make better policy decisions and help the vulnerable.— Vance Ginn (@VanceGinn) July 28, 2020
Kurt Eichenwald seems to have called him out on it first.
This cant pass unmentioned. @VanceGinn of @TPPF - a TX conservative think tank - tweeted (then deleted when I reacted with horror) that, since most of the people dying in TX are elderly or hispanic, and only a few kids die, let's throw the doors open! Welcome to my home state. pic.twitter.com/kB8AvW5lqZ
— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) July 28, 2020
