Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) was ripped by another lawmaker as a “hateful bigot” for a tweet about Dr. Rachel Levine, the assistant health secretary who on Tuesday was sworn in as the country’s first transgender four-star officer.
The conspiracy theory-endorsing Colorado Republican responded to Levine’s appointment as an admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commission Corps with this image, captioned: “Welcome to woke medicine, America.”
Welcome to woke medicine, America. pic.twitter.com/OfKWX2GM90
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) October 20, 2021
Critics accused Boebert — who has a history of transphobic comments — of dog-whistling hate.
Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) noted that Levine is “an accomplished pediatrician, a graduate of Harvard and Tulane, a former fellow at one of America’s top teaching hospitals, a professor who created medical programs at Penn State to help young people, and PA’s former Physician General.”
Boebert, in contrast, is “just a hateful bigot,” Beyer said.
Dr. Levine is an accomplished pediatrician, a graduate of Harvard and Tulane, a former fellow at one of America's top teaching hospitals, a professor who created medical programs at Penn State to help young people, and PA's former Physician General.
— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) October 20, 2021
You are just a hateful bigot. https://t.co/e5ihANWciZ
Others agreed:
What is your point? That the most qualified, regardless of people’s bigotry, will get the job. Yes. Welcome to woke medicine in America and it is beautiful.
— Hello. Is it me you’re looking for (@NodakRunnerGirl) October 20, 2021
Highly qualified people holding positions of responsibility in government once again? Yeah, I would hope that’s how we do it in America.
— Nick Lloyd (@NicholasALloyd) October 20, 2021
All we care about our doctors are how competent they are. Dr Levine is as good as any in that regard.
— BurpCK (@CKnorcal) October 20, 2021
Please elaborate representative Boebert. What’s your point?
— bellairmb (@BellAirMB) October 20, 2021
Ah yes, someone who went to Tulane and Harvard, a highly trained physician. I can imagine you have no idea what that's like.
— Heather (@featherty) October 20, 2021
@Harvard undergrad and @Tulane for med school. Woke medicine? Sign me up.
— Sleepless w/ Prattle (@Mike_y_LikesIt) October 20, 2021
The more woke the better!
— Cynical Dreamer (@frothdaughter) October 20, 2021
Admiral Rachel Levine is accomplished doctor. As the Assistant Secretary of Health, she's working to improve the health and wellbeing of all Americans.
Rep. Boebert, use your platform to raise people up, not denigrate them.
Must be a highly qualified and capable person to be an Admiral. She should be congratulated on her new position.
— Mark Holt (@jmscrimshaw) October 20, 2021
Imagine being so hateful that, while claiming to be a freedom loving, Christian "patriot", you use your elected position to spew hatred toward someone who's achieved more than you can dare to dream. IMO, that's the epitome of disgusting. What a disgrace you are to OUR country.
— Hellina Handbasket (aka ShmoopsyPooh) (@inflictions3) October 20, 2021
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