Gary McCullough/AP

On Monday, I encountered this image posted by Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee:

Protect our ducks and kittens in Ohio! pic.twitter.com/YnTZStPnsg

It prompted me to shrug and accept ignorance. With the GOP having transformed into a party of shitposters, I simply assumed I was out on a joke that, with God’s grace, would pass before my job required me to learn about something either racist or stupid—or probably both.

But, shortly after, a clue arrived in the form of a meme. Ah, I realized looking at an image Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) posted on X, it would be both—racist and stupid—and I was going to have to understand it.

🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/96vvZhvuSv

To start, it’s critical to note: The origins of these posts, from some of the highest........

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