Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is furious with College Republicans because they wished people a “happy and prosperous Kwanzaa” as the holiday began across the world.
Specifically, the College Republicans sent out this tweet on Sunday:
Wishing you a happy and prosperous Kwanza! pic.twitter.com/PaANsF7Itg
— College Republicans (@CRNC) December 26, 2021
That led to an angry response tweet from Greene:
Stop.
It’s a fake religion created by a psychopath.
You aren’t bringing in new voters, you are turning them away.
People are tired of pandering and BS. https://t.co/NrhE6O6BG5— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) December 26, 2021
Time for a fact-check, courtesy of Newsweek, which notes that Kawanzaa isn’t a religion it’s a “holiday festival created in 1966 as a celebration of African roots for Black people around the world.”
As for calling the creator of Kwanzaa a psychopath, that’s also incorrect:
Greene’s reference to a “psychopath” is seemingly about Kwanzaa’s creator, the activist Maulana Karenga. In 1971, Karenga—who currently chairs the Africana Studies Department at California State University, Long Beach—was convicted of felonious assault and false imprisonment. However, he has long claimed he was the victim of a politically motivated prosecution due to his work in Black nationalist politics.
Oddly, Greene’s political hero, former President Donald Trump, issued a statement Sunday in support of Kwanzaa:
“Today marks the first day of Kwanzaa, a weeklong celebration of African American heritage and culture. Together, let us celebrate during this joyous time the richness of the past and look with hope toward a brighter future.”
President Joe Biden also sent out Kwanzaa best wishes:
“As we begin the seven days of Kwanzaa, Jill and I send our best wishes to everyone celebrating. May this time of reflection on the rich heritage of African American culture bring peace, unity, and joy.”
Greene was shredded on social media for her fact-free tweet:
