Politics

Marjorie Taylor Greene calls Kwanzaa a ‘fake religion created by a psychopath’

<p>Marjorie Taylor Greene</p>

Marjorie Taylor Greene

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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) slammed her fellow Republicans for tweeting in celebration of Kwanzaa in an attempt to be more inclusive regarding the festival.

The right-winger shared her frustration with the College Republicans on Twitter.

“Stop. It’s a fake religion created by a psychopath. You aren’t bringing in new voters, you are turning them away. People are tired of pandering and BS,” Greene wrote.

Notably, the original tweet from the College Republicans includes a misspelling of the word ‘Kwanzaa.’

As we know, Kwanzaa is not categorized as a religion at all, instead, it is a seven-day holiday festival that’s observed from December 26 to January 1st culminating in a communal feast called Karamu.

With Dr. Maulana Karenga originating the holiday in 1966, Kwanzaa is a dedicated period for Black people to honor their shared cultural heritage and roots. The festival is celebrated by millions around the world alongside Christmas and Hanukkah.

In regards to Greene’s critical reference to Karenga’s past, it seems to be a reference to his 1971 conviction on charges of assault and false imprisonment. Karenga was released four years later and has long denied the charges.

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As described by Karenga himself on his website, “It is based on African first harvest celebrations organized around five fundamental kinds of activities: ingathering of the people; special reverence for the creator and creation; commemoration of the past; recommitment to the highest cultural values; and celebration of the Good.”

On Twitter, many people called out Greene’s wrongful notion of religion being tied to Kwanzaa.

“Ahh yes, the religion known as Kwanzaa. Celebrated by Kwanzians. I will never forget my years in Christmas school which led to my confirmation as a Christmasic,” wrote Danny Deraney.

“Kwanzaa isn't exactly a religion. It's a celebration of African American culture. We know that's your issue with it. Just say so,” one person replied.

One person responded by sharing a previous statement from Donald Trump where he celebrated Kwanzaa.

Another said, “So you’re only for freedom of religion when it comes to your religion?”

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