Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responds to Republican criticism of her college dancing video: 'It is unsurprising'
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez thinks it’s “unsurprising” that Republicans “would think having fun should be disqualifying or illegal.”
After a video of the freshman lawmaker dancing was shared on Twitter, sparking both criticism and praise, she told The Hill reporter Olivia Beavers, “It is not normal for elected officials to have a reputation for dancing well and I’m happy to be one.”
Asked @AOC re this dancing video. She said:
"It is not normal for elected officials to have a reputation for dancing well and I'm happy to be one."
& "It is unsurprising to me that Republicans would think having fun should be disqualifying or illegal"https://t.co/M0qMKmQ0ar
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) January 4, 2019
Ocasio-Cortez then chimed in herself on Twitter.
I hear the GOP thinks women dancing are scandalous.
Wait till they find out Congresswomen dance too! 💃🏽
Have a great weekend everyone 🙂 pic.twitter.com/9y6ALOw4F6
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 4, 2019
The video was originally shared by AnonymousQ with the intention of embarrassing Ocasio-Cortez and seemingly to stir up criticism of the 29-year-old. “Here is America’s favorite commie know-it-all acting like the clueless nitwit she is…” the since-deleted tweet read, alongside a clip from a Brat Pack Mashup video during her time at Boston University. It was followed up by another post that sarcastically read, “Congratulations New York!”
…High School video of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — Congratulations New York! pic.twitter.com/VSKdUImhZj
— Dan Jordan (@realdanjordan) January 2, 2019
Most people, however, are having difficulty grasping the critics’ point, and are even questioning how this could possibly be a bad thing. Especially for those who remember the iconic dance scene from the classic film The Breakfast Club.
Well, @AOC is officially done. She’ll never recover from the world seeing her…
(watches video)
…dancing adorably and having fun with her friends in high school? https://t.co/0zENCzBinA
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) January 3, 2019
massive scoop: conservatives discover AOC dances, breathes air, has friends, is human pic.twitter.com/yCmeoK14RF
— Nathan Bernard (@nathanTbernard) January 3, 2019
If you don't hate AOC because she wants to make sure you have health care, a college education and planet that won't devour your kids, wait till you find out that she can dance.
— LOLGOP👀 (@LOLGOP) January 4, 2019
I don't even get what they're trying to accomplish here.
Either you're old enough to remember The Breakfast Club and so you recognize the dance moves and aren't offended, or you're young enough to have never seen the movie and so you're AOC's generation and aren't offended…
— Todd Herr (@toddherr) January 3, 2019
Others have taken their arguments one step further by pointing out the hypocrisy in the fabricated outrage surrounding Ocasio-Cortez’s video compared to Republican disregard toward the claims of sexual assault against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and evidence of his partying past.
AOC dances in high school = Conservatives are OUTRAGED
Kavanaugh consistently blackout drunk and attempts to rape girl in high school = conservatives are ¯_(ツ)_/¯
— Erin Biba (@erinbiba) January 3, 2019
Republicans want us to look past A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE being a rapist in high school but also to judge AOC for… dancing??? https://t.co/iVTVvvD1yf
— Get smart (@soldierDtruth) January 3, 2019
A lot of people will bring this up, but: the Venn diagram of people shaming AOC for her high school dancing video while defending Brett Kavanaugh’s teenage sex crimes has a tellingly large center section
— Natalie Shure (@nataliesurely) January 3, 2019
GOP 2018: What Brett Kavanaugh did or did not do as a teenager is irrelevant! How desperate can you be!?
GOP 2019: Look at teenage Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez *dancing* with her friends! Clearly she is unfit for office! #AlexandriaOcasioCortez #AOC #DemsTakeTheHouse
— 𝒯𝒽𝒾𝒶 𝒮𝓉𝑒𝓅𝒽𝒶𝓃 (@thiapax) January 4, 2019
This is a good point. @AOC dancing in high school versus Brett Kavanaugh's heavy drinking in high school. One is cause for alarm, the other is brushed off as a youthful indiscretion. https://t.co/A0j5C6ctLV
— salomedesade (@salomedesade1) January 4, 2019
Many seem to be even more encouraged to share their support of Ocasio-Cortez in the form of their own dancing videos. Some have also suggested creating an AOC 2019 dance challenge and an entire Twitter account dedicated to AOC dancing to different songs was created.
For my future haters, I'm preemptively leaking my own dance video from 3 years ago in solidarity with @AOC. Here is my version of the "Water Dance" #DanceAsResistance #JoyAsResistance
WE MADE A DANCE VIDEO (inspired by Tricia Miranda) pic.twitter.com/4M8t8g2Pod— Karen Attiah (@KarenAttiah) January 4, 2019
You guys, what if we started 2019 with an #AOCChallenge? You film yourself dancing joyfully, donate to a charity recommenced by @AOC, then nominate 3 friends to spread it on? Thoughts? #AOC #Dance #2019goals
— Lukewarm Misadventures of Danny 🏳️🌈 (@DannyPKC) January 4, 2019
i…i kinda (really) want to go to a dance party with @AOC now. 🤷🏾♀️
— EricaJoy (@EricaJoy) January 3, 2019
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez mocked for J.Lo reference in showing new office plaque
• ‘Self-care is political:’ How Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez clapped back at critics
• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calls out ‘double standards’ in American politics: Paul Ryan a ‘genius,’ while ‘I’m called a ‘fraud’
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