Don Lemon Calls Out ‘White-Mansplaining’ by WH Officials Denying Systemic Racism in US: ‘We Do Not Need Their Permission or Sign Off’

CNN’s Don Lemon played a supercut of White House officials, including President Donald Trump, brushing off questions about the existence of systemic racism in the country, calling out their denials as equivalent to “white-mansplaining.”

During his Wednesday night show, a clearly agitated Lemon bore into what he saw as rank dismissals of the nationwide protests over police brutality and racial injustice that have been roiled the nation for nearly two weeks.

“And when this president and his administration, as thousands and thousands of Americans peacefully protest racism and police brutality, when they won’t even admit, admit, that systemic racism exists in society and police department,” Lemon noted. “Don’t take my word for it. Just listen.”

Lemon then showed a series of clips of White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow, National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien, Attorney General Bill Barr, and Trump himself pushing back on the idea of systemic racism within the nation’s law enforcement community or society in general.

“Hmmmm,” Lemon said after the supercut, pursing his lips and tilting his head back in mock consideration before chuckling. “Listen, I’m going to say it. I’ll say this stuff from now on. And I’m not going to, people say ‘black folks, white folks’ whatever. Whisper. We don’t have to whisper anymore. White men denying systemic racism: that is the essence of white entitlement. We do not need their permission or sign off on what we know to be true. And what we have lived. That is white-mansplaining.”

“How can you solve this problem, this systemic racism that is killing people of color if you won’t even admit there’s a problem?” Lemon asked. “First step, is admitting there’s a problem. America knows which way the wind is blowing. Even NASCAR is banning Confederate flags right now because people, including one of their own drivers, spoke up loud and clear.”

Watch the video above, via CNN.

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