Donald Trump's former spokeswoman claims slavery is 'good history' in Confederate statue debate
Slavery is good history are not four words one often hears uttered in the same sentence but Donald Trump’s former campaign spokesperson appears to think it is a plausible clause.
Katrina Pierson, who was national campaign spokeswoman for President Trump during the election, made the assertion while attempting to defend the continued existence of Confederate statues in the US.
Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi has been campaigning for the removal of Confederate statues in the wake of the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville which saw Neo-Nazis, KKK members, and “alt-right” activists descend on the Virginia city to protest the removal of such a statue there.
Clashes between the far-right and anti-fascist protesters broke out and scores were left injured and one killed after a car ploughed into a crowd of anti-fascist demonstrators.
During an appearance on Fox and Friends, Ms Pierson launched into an attack on the Democrat leader's campaign to pull down the statues.
“Pelosi wants to help these anarchists and these violent protestors tear down pieces of America, American culture and American history,” she said.
Fellow guest Wendy Osefo, a Johns Hopkins University professor, interjected to say the monuments were not “a symbol of patriotism” but instead stood for “hatred and division” and should be kept in museums rather than on state grounds.
But Ms Pierson hit back, saying: “It absolutely deserves a place because bad history is still good history for this country.”
Ms Osefo then asked: “Slavery is good history?”
Ms Pierson replied: “Considering where we are today! Where we are today! Absolutely!”
Ms Pierson voted for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election and previously stated Malcolm X was her political hero and Martin Luther King was too “moderate”.
But she joined the American Tea Party movement in 2009 and has since become famed for her controversies. Branded “Hurricane Katrina” by Texas Monthly, her appearances on CNN have ended in a number of gaffes.
She incorrectly said that "tens of thousands" of troops had died in Iraq since 2004, and that Barack Obama had invaded Afghanistan when it was under George W Bush.
What’s more, she blamed Barack Obama for the 2004 death of soldier captain Humayan Khan despite the fact his death took place five years before Obama became president.
Ms Pelosi joined a group of other Democrats in demanding the removal of the statues from the Capitol last week.
“There is no room for celebrating the violent bigotry of the men of the Confederacy in the hallowed halls of the United States Capitol or in places of honour across the country,” she said in a statement.
