Kente cloth worn by Democrats “does have ties to slavery”: USA Today

Yes, that’s the conclusion of USA Today. You know, that horrible, right-wing fringe outlet.

Now, you may remember this little display of sad, obsequious pandering.

On June 8, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer led senior Democrats in kneeling during nearly eight minutes of silence for George Floyd.

In order to add a layer of icing to the cake, they knelt wearing African kente cloths. These, it turns out, were all the fashion rage for the Asante people, who at one point during the 18th century were providing 6,000 to 7,000 individuals a year to serve as slaves overseas.

According to the newspaper:

We rate the claim that kente cloth was historically worn by the Asante people of Ghana, who were involved in the West African slave trade TRUE because it is supported by our research.

So this is as if Democratic leaders decided to wear a clothing style popular in and mostly unique to the Confederacy.

USA Today continues:

Although kente cloth does have ties to slavery, it is more widely recognized as a modern symbol of pride in African American culture and pride in cultural ties to West Africa.

Well, yes, it has become a modern symbol of pride you could say. Except that’s exactly what a lot of people say about southerners and the Confederate flag.