Jasmine Crockett Shuts Down Claims About the Smithsonian

[00:00:00]Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, welcome to the Republicans White Pride Rally disguised as a congressional hearing. It might be uncomfortable for some people on this committee to hear about the true history of America. And I hate that for for them, but facts are facts. And it's a fact that there is a violent, exclusionary, discriminatory, sexist and racist part of American history where our indigenous populations were forcibly displaced from their land. Where thousands of black people were unjustly lynched. Where black people were denied the right to vote and they still trying to do it today. Where women needed their husbands permission to open a bank account. Where people with disabilities were routinely excluded from schools, workplaces, and public life. where four little black girls were murdered by the KKK at the 16th Street Baptist Church.

[00:00:49]And a lot of this wasn't that long ago.

[00:00:51]In fact, three of those little girls would be 77 and one would be 74. More than 40 members of Congress serving right now would be older than them. Ruby Bridges, who is the first black child to desegregate an all-white school, is only 71 years old. More than a hundred members of Congress serving right now are older than her. So attacks on the Smithsonian or any other institution that's willing to tell the true history of America is not only an attempt to rewrite history. It's an attempt to erase history. So Dr. Blight, if Republicans are going to ban books, penalize schools and universities, attack museums, if states continue to change curriculum, where do Americans go to learn about the complicated, sometimes racist and violent parts of American history?

[00:01:40]Thank you for the question. I think they will have to keep going to the same institutions and we have to keep fighting to preserve what we are doing in those institutions. They have to keep going to public schools. They have to keep going to their public libraries.

[00:01:53]They have to keep going to the the great Smithsonian. Uh look, the purpose of history is to enlighten us, inspire us, trouble us, bother us, sometimes make us angry.

[00:02:09]I find it hard to believe that a young person could go through the Museum of of American history and not come out at least inspired with the single most important thing, a sense of the past, a sense of history. Americans have to keep going to those places they trust.

[00:02:28]We have to keep those institutions trustworthy.

[00:02:33]>> Thank you so much. In fact, that takes me to Dr. Hardach. Um, they accused you and the Smithsonian of sewing division in this country. However, before the White House deleted it, the departments of Justice and Homeland Security found the biggest domestic threat to the United States is violent white supremacists. So, I have a couple of questions for you. First, to the best of your knowledge, has the museum ever been linked to any violent act that has occurred in the United States or against the US government?

[00:03:03]>> Thank you, ma'am. Not to my the best of my knowledge.

[00:03:05]>> I don't think many of these white supremacists can even read, but to the best of your knowledge, can you identify a single artifact in your museum that would divide the country?

[00:03:17]>> To the best of my knowledge, ma'am, no.

[00:03:19]I hope that they unite the country through a shared understanding of our past.

[00:03:25]>> Do you think or do you ask the political affiliation of any of your employees before you hire them?

[00:03:31]>> Absolutely not, ma'am. It's against the Hatch Act of 1939.

[00:03:35]>> I'm glad that you know the law, but nevertheless, uh, do you ask if they've donated to political campaigns?

[00:03:42]>> Absolutely not, ma'am. It's against the Hatch Act of 1939. We need a briefing in in this building. But nevertheless, uh, do you only hire nonwhite people?

[00:03:52]>> No, ma'am.

[00:03:54]>> In fact, almost 60% of the Smithsonian's total workforce is men and more than 50% is white. 90% of Smithsonian employees making senior level pay are white and 60% of them are men. I don't understand this fetish that these white guys with fragile egos have with trying to feel oppressed. It reminds me of the same people MLK was referring to when he said, quote, "They believe that American society is essentially hospitable to fair play and to steady growth towards a middle class utopia embodying racial harmony." But unfortunately, this is a fantasy of selfdeception and comfortable vanity. I want to go back real quick though, Dr. Blight, because you talked about the World Cup. The World Cup that that captured the imaginations of the entire world when they saw all of these people of color that was playing for all these teams. And ultimately, if you recall, the last two teams, it was Argentina and Spain. And it seemed like the vast majority of the world was rooting for Argentina or actually against Argentina, right? And why was that? Just give me a explanation if you could guess. If you'll just let them finish the answer.

[00:05:11]>> Spain are the best team. Maybe that's why they were rooting for them.

[00:05:15][laughter] >> There's also a racist history that >> exist. You're recognized.

[00:05:20]>> Thank you.

[00:05:20]>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh Dr. Hartig, how many children visited the National Museum of American History last year?

[00:05:29]>> Hi. Good morning, ma'am. Since >> Answer the question, how many kids?

[00:05:32]>> Good morning, ma'am. Since we don't charge, we >> are you the director of the museum?

[00:05:37]>> I am, ma'am.

[00:05:38]>> Okay. And you don't know how how many people visited the museum last year?

[00:05:41]>> Two million.

[00:05:42]>> How many of those were children?

[00:05:44]>> Ma'am, I don't know for you, but I'm happy.

[00:05:47]>> Do you agree that educating children about American history is a core duty of the museum?

[00:05:51]>> Yes or no?

[00:05:52]>> Absolutely.

[00:05:53]>> And are images of sexual fetishes appropriate for children?

[00:05:58]>> Yes or no?

[00:05:59]>> So, ma'am, >> it's a simple yes or no. Are is sexual imagery, provocative sexual imagery appropriate for kids? Yes or no?

[00:06:09]>> Ma'am, [clears throat] we strive to represent all Americans.

[00:06:13]>> You strive to represent pedophiles, indoctrination, grooming of kids at an American history museum. And it sounds like you're proud of it. You won't answer the questions probably because you're ashamed. And as a woman, I really can't believe you will stand sit here today. And you can't even admit that sexual imagery like this behind me, they tell me, my staff tells me this little trinket around the penis, this is BDSM in a uh in a setting where children are walking through. That's disgusting.

[00:06:44]Like, what kind of message are you trying to send to kids with BDSM imagery? What is What are you trying to tell kids? Are you sexualizing children?

[00:06:55]Is that what your your motive is for the museum? Why?

[00:07:00]So that's specific two-piece.

[00:07:02]>> Do you know how many kids get raped by adults every year in this country? This kind of thing when you are dressing men up as women, drag queens, you're putting this kind of crap in front of kids, sexualizes them and makes them more vulnerable to people that want to rape them or abuse them or when we have men and women's settings uh that want to do harm to to women. Um, you talked about the girlhood exhibit and you didn't want to answer the chairman's questions earlier. Uh, but it was a diary featuring a six-year-old. A six-year-old that reads, "Everybody was talking about getting boobs in their period. I pray to God every night for my penis to grow."

[00:07:42]Dr. Harkig, can you tell me, look me in the eye and tell me that that belongs in an exhibit for kids.

[00:07:48]>> Ma'am, girlhood, it's complicated was not an exhibit designed for children. I know you had the little disclaimer thing which is sort of >> the diary was of a 13-year-old going through puberty.

[00:07:59]>> Okay. Do you think that's an appropriate thing to put in an American history museum where there are children walking through?

[00:08:05]>> We're talking about American history, >> right? So, girlhood complicated. It's >> okay. I'm moving on because you just they've I don't know how much money you spent on getting prepped for this hearing. They did a good job because you're filibustering and not answering a single question from a single Republican >> today. Um, do you believe that men can become women?

[00:08:24]>> Ma'am, as the director of the museum, that's not relevant in this case.

[00:08:28]>> It's very relevant. You're you're you've got men dressed up as women, and you have them on displays in front of kids.

[00:08:34]Do you think men can become women? Yes or no?

[00:08:37]>> So, RuPaul's Drag Race, which is the upper, >> it's a man. RuPaul is a man who dresses like a woman, literally.

[00:08:44]>> Correct.

[00:08:44]>> Um, what is a woman, Dr. Hartig?

[00:08:49]as a director and as a historian, it's not my opportunity.

[00:08:52]>> You sexualize the American History Museum. So, this is a fair question.

[00:08:56]What is a woman?

[00:08:58]>> So, at the museum, >> what is a woman?

[00:09:01]>> We strive to represent and not categorize all >> Okay, I have another question for you.

[00:09:06]There's a glossery at the museum that informs visitors that while American culture traditionally recognizes two genders, other countries recognize three or more. So, enlighten me this morning.

[00:09:19]How many genders are there?

[00:09:23]>> Ma'am, which glossery >> this is? Okay. This is a display and it has a glossery that says other countries recognize three or more genders. So, I would like you to enlighten me today.

[00:09:32]You're the director of the American History Museum who sexualized things in front of kids. I want to know I want to ask you how many genders are there?

[00:09:42]>> So, first of all, I'm happy to give you about the gloss.

[00:09:45]>> How many genders are there?

[00:09:47]>> Sure. And what are they?

[00:09:48]>> I'm not sure which glossery you're speaking.

[00:09:51]>> Of course, I know that you don't. You know exactly what this hearing was about today. Uh, one of your exhibits at the American History Museum says, "Sometimes gender isn't revealed at birth." So, when is gender revealed?

[00:10:04]>> So, when was your gender revealed to you, Dr. Hartik?

[00:10:08]>> So, I don't really think that's relevant to the >> It is relevant. You have a display at the MU American History Museum talking about gender isn't always revealed at birth. So when was your gender revealed?

[00:10:21]>> So since I am a PhD and >> I wasn't done yet, but I'll yield back, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

[00:10:28]>> Thank you, Miss Mace.