What is historically the best way to discredit a woman?

Simple: Call her a witch.

It’s just as effective in 2019 as it was in 1519 (but with less violent consequences). No wonder right-wing evangelicals are throwing the label at progressive Democratic representatives.

On February 8th, The Religious Right group Intercessors for America president, Dave Kubal, after conducting an interview with Republican Rep. Jody Hice of Georgia during a monthly prayer call, went on a delusional rant about witches in the heart of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s District: “It’s been widely publicized that there is a coven of witches that cast spells on President Trump 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This particular coven is found in the southern portion of New York City. He added that the southern portion of New York City also happens to be where the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York sits, which is where the case involving Trump’s former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, was overseen by Judge Kimba Wood. Kubal then noted that Wood had officiated the wedding of George Soros in 2013, and that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was in attendance at the service. So, right in the middle of all of this, the southern district, in the middle of where these witches are doing the 24/7 spell-casting, we find the territory of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,” Kubal added. “Her district is in the center of all of this going on.”

The accusations are as absurd as they are weak. If Trump was really chosen by God — as a disturbing number of Americans seem to believe — than what could a couple of witches possibly do to him?

It’s one thing to try and discredit Rep. Ocasio-Cortez because of the policies she supports — actually, that’s the most legitimate way to criticize any politician. But calling her a witch? Now that’s just lazy.

Republicans have proven their intellectual creativity with the myriad ways they continue to support Trump. They can surely do better than this.

(Image via Shutterstock)

