Ryan Says ‘There Is No Moral Relativism’ When It Comes To Neo-Nazis

Amid struggles within his own party, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., discusses the Republican agenda as he faces reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 30, 2017.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Amid struggles within his own party, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., discusses the Republican agenda as he faces reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 30, 2017. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) on Monday condemned white nationalists and declared that there were “no sides” to the violence at a rally earlier this month in Charlottesville, Virginia.

“The immediate condemnations from left, right, and center affirmed that there is no confusion about right and wrong here. There are no sides,” Ryan said in a statement on Monday. “There is no other argument. We will not tolerate this hateful ideology in our society.”

The statement comes about a week after President Donald Trump failed to fully denounce white nationalists in the wake of a car attack at the rally that killed one counter-protester and injured at least 19 others. The President initially blamed “many sides” for the violence.

“I still firmly believe this hate exists only on the fringes. But so long as it exists, we need to talk about it. We need to call it what it is. And so long as it is weaponized for fear and terror, we need to confront it and defeat it,” Ryan’s statement continued. “That is why we all need to make clear there is no moral relativism when it comes to neo-Nazis. We cannot allow the slightest ambiguity on such a fundamental question.”

The statement is Ryan’s most robust response to the attack and to Trump’s comments on it. Last week, the speaker wrote that “white supremacy is repulsive” shortly after Trump’s off-the-rails press conference during which he backslid into blaming “both sides” for the violence in Charlottesville.

Ryan said in the statement that “the notion that anyone is intrinsically superior to anyone else runs completely counter to our founding principles.” He did not directly call out Trump, but said American leaders have a responsibility to promote those principles.

“Those principles make America special. They by no means make us perfect. We may never fully eradicate this scourge. After all, this republic is defined by its often winding pursuit of a more perfect union,” the statement read. “But it is that chase that sets us apart. It is the notion we are always trying to be better. This goes especially for our leaders. Those of us entrusted with the privilege to serve and represent the American people have an obligation to challenge us to push beyond the passions of the moment.”

Read Ryan’s full statement here.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Oh, RAyn must have looked in between the couch cushions and found his missing cojones…

  2. Speaker Ryan continued:

    “Republicans are not racist, only our policies are.”

  3. He’s showing off his grownup words - “moral relativism.” That’s pretty elite talkin’ there, Paul. Gives the imbecile more to hate about you.

  4. Day late and a dollar short, Asshole. Leave the classroom.

  5. Moral Relativism?? Someone’s been reading a little Ayn over the weekend.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

36 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for jcs Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for matthew1961 Avatar for fargo116 Avatar for ctvoter Avatar for sniffit Avatar for arrendis Avatar for 26degreesrising Avatar for mike_in_houston Avatar for robcat2075 Avatar for dickweed Avatar for benthere Avatar for cincypix Avatar for wagonmound Avatar for georgeh Avatar for professorpoopypants Avatar for lizzymom Avatar for coimmigrant Avatar for dannydorko Avatar for demosthenes59 Avatar for wtfgop Avatar for jstrummer Avatar for aiddon

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: