On an episode of the talk show “The View,” Senator and 2024 presidential hopeful Tim Scott (R-SC) responded to comments from the hosts suggesting that he lacked a comprehensive understanding of the black experience in America. Scott, who is black, particularly objected to the assertion that his own successful life story was an “exception” rather than the norm for black individuals in the country, calling such a notion “dangerous, offensive, and disgusting.”
Host Joy Behar, who did not appear in this particular episode, had previously accused Scott and other black Republicans of failing to adequately recognize and confront systemic racism. She also implied that the idea of self-empowerment or “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” was an unrealistic perspective, and that most black people do not have the ability to be successful.
Scott strongly objected to this notion, stating “The fact of the matter is we’ve had an African-American president, African-American vice president, we’ve had two African-American secretaries of the State, in my home city the police chief is an African-American who’s now running for mayor. The head of the highway patrol for South Carolina is African-American,” Scott listed. “In 1975, there is about 15% employment in the African-American community. For the first time in the history of the country it’s under 5%.”
Scott drew from his grandfather’s faith in America’s potential for offering opportunities. He highlighted the presence of African-American and Hispanic hosts on major news networks, emphasizing the country’s ongoing journey toward a more perfect union. Though he admitted that America was not perfect, he highlighted how far the country has come in the past century.
