A message of white supremacy and antisemitism could appear on our state license plates thanks to a Senate bill creating specialty car tags that proclaim, “America First.”
Thirty-four senators in the Legislature voted to pass Senate Bill 507, seemingly unaware that “America First” has been used by organizations promoting antisemitism, religious intolerance, fascism, Nazism and white supremacy in the United States since the 1940s.
Credit: Courtesy
Credit: Courtesy
The sponsor of the bill is Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega, who framed the America First slogan as “patriotic.” Sen. Gooch is wildly and dangerously overstepping his bounds by designating himself Chief Definer of Patriotism for the state of Georgia.
Would he still choose that slogan if he knew the history of “America First” beyond Donald Trump’s embrace of the phrase as a campaign slogan in 2016?
During the presidential election of 1944, the America First Party ran on a platform that included calls for Jews to be sterilized and deported. Around the same time, an organization called America First Inc. made a patent for a weapon called “Kike Killer” designed to murder Jews in America.
The America First Committee, an anti-war group formed in 1940, faced controversy because of its support by fringe hate organizations and antisemitic, fascist-leaning members like Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh and aviator Laura Ingalls. At an America First Committee rally, Lindbergh said the United States should “defend the white race against foreign invasion.” Ingalls used pro-Nazi rhetoric and straight-arm Nazi salutes on her America First speaking tour.
In rallying his colleagues, Sen. Gooch said, “If you’re not a patriot and you’re not for unity in this country and supporting what’s good for our nation, hit the red button (to vote no)… If you want to put our nation first and make America a priority, hit the green button.”
Sen. Josh McLaurin, D-Sandy Springs, who opposed SB 507, ironically suggested changing “America First” to “Donald Trump First’' instead. In response, state Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, said, “Are you American? Or are you a communist infiltrator?”
The tone-deaf senators who voted for SB 507 are voting to normalize the expression of racism, antisemitism and white supremacy. This would be bad enough if they weren’t also using McCarthy-era rhetoric to strongarm passage of the bill.
At face value, a debate in the General Assembly about specialty car tags seems trivial compared to tax cuts, religious freedom, gun control, reproductive rights, and other measures facing Georgia lawmakers right now.
But what is the real intent and purpose behind SB 507? This bill boils down to a group of majority lawmakers trying to exact a forced tribute to their specific ideology. The tribute, as Sen. McLaurin noted, is blatantly directed at Trump and the policies of the GOP. Less blatant is the menacing subtext that occurs when politicians invoke patriotism, unity and national pride as reasons to support their legislation.
Sen. Gooch and his colleagues are treading on dangerous ground that has no place in the Legislature. At best, SB 507 is a politically motivated attempt by egotistical majority lawmakers to affix campaign bumper stickers across Georgia in an election year. At worst, it is the revival of a call to nationalism that has sinister reverberations in our very recent history.
This bill still requires passage in the House and a signature from Gov. Brian Kemp to become law. Georgians should contact their lawmakers to ensure a quick death to this shameful bill.
Caroline Stover is a retired sales and marketing executive who has lived in the Atlanta area for 15 years. She is active in political causes from reproductive justice to voting rights.
About the Author
