Republican Rep. Bradley Byrne of Alabama, who is campaigning for Alabama’s U.S. Senate seat, released a new television ad that honors his deceased brother before launching into attacks on the four Democratic Congresswomen known as ‘the Squad’ and former NFL star Colin Kaepernick. The YouTube video description mentions that Byrne is motivated to fight the “radical Democrat agenda.” Sound only vaguely coherent? It is. More importantly, it also reeks of racism.
The ad first introduces Byrne’s late brother, Dale, who passed in 2013. According to AL.com, Dale passed after facing a respiratory illness the campaign says he caught while serving in the military in Iraq. Byrne references 9/11 in the video, and suggests he knew then that his brother would be sent off to war.
“When the towers fell, I knew my brother would be going to war. Dale was a true patriot. I can't bring him back. I miss him every day,” the video starts off.
Somehow, this story of loss and family does an about-face and transitions to Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, along with other members of the Squad. An image includes Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Omar.
"It hurts me to hear Ilhan Omar cheapening 9/11, entitled athletes dishonoring our flag. The Squad is attacking America," Byrne states in the video, as a montage of pictures including Kaepernick and the Squad fade in and out. "Dale fought for that right, but I will not let them tear our country apart. That's why I'm running for Senate."
Mind you, Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem not even because of just Donald Trump or a “left vs. right” political discussion, but to protest police brutality. None of the Democratic congresswomen in reference have “cheapened” 9/11, nor are they trying to tear the country apart. Though not a remotely convincing argument, the series of images in the ad does offer one big reminder: Every single person attacked in this video is a person of color.
Not a good look, Byrne.
Here’s that ad.
If you’re wondering which other Republicans are hoping for that Senate spot, it’s pretty grim. Roy Moore, Jeff Sessions, Tommy Tuberville (a former football coach at Auburn), and state Rep. Arnold Mooney are also vying for the seat.