Ocasio-Cortez tells job-shaming Republicans to ‘take their classism to the trash’
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is calling out Republicans for “classism” for attacking her past work as a bartender.
Over the weekend, the freshman lawmaker slammed Ivanka Trump, daughter of and advisor to President Donald Trump, for taking part in G20 talks despite having no qualifications.
“It may be shocking to some, but being someone’s daughter actually isn’t a career qualification,” Ocasio-Cortez said in response to a viral video of an awkward moment between the first daughter and several world leaders.
Conservative pundit Paris Dennard asked Ocasio-Cortez what her own qualifications are.
“Remind us how being a bartender qualified you to be a member of Congress creating laws, voting on bills that impact Americans & the world,” he tweeted.
She replied with the only qualification that matters in Congress: The election results that showed her easily winning her district last year.
Then, she launched into a passionate defense of not only her own background, but of all people who’ve worked similar jobs:
As always, I‘m proud of my work in restaurants.
I also worked for Sen. Ted Kennedy, piloted literacy projects in the South Bronx, studied Development Economics in W Africa, served as an Educational Director & won international science competitions before I ran for office, too.— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 30, 2019
Working people that GOP dismiss as “just a waitress/cook/etc” contain multitudes, & are just as capable & intelligent as anyone.
Classism - judging someone’s character by their income - is disappointing to see from them.
What is so appalling to GOP about having an honest job?— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 30, 2019
Some of the most nuanced, intelligent, & grounded people I‘ve ever met weren’t at BU, MIT or Harvard events when I was a student.
They were the plumbers & waitresses I hung out with at happy hour, who had ferocious intellectual curiosity *and* a lived context of the real world.— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 30, 2019
In other words, Republicans who criticize my being a waitress as evidence of lacking skill can take their classism to the trash.
You are insulting the capacities and potential of virtually every working person in America (&the 🌎) for having experience that’s earned, not bought.— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 30, 2019
(And that’s if they even take out their own trash, which I doubt)
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 30, 2019
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
