Paul Gosar’s Controversial Anime Video and Censure in 2021
In November 2021, Congressman Paul Gosar, a Republican from Arizona, faced significant backlash after posting an edited anime video on his social media accounts that depicted him killing Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attacking President Joe Biden. The video, which sparked outrage across the political spectrum, led to Gosar being censured by the House of Representatives, a rare and severe form of rebuke.
The Anime Video:
- Content of the Video: The video, which was an edited clip from the popular anime series Attack on Titan, showed an animated version of Gosar’s face superimposed on a character wielding swords. In one sequence, the character slashed at a figure representing Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, killing her, and in another scene, the character was seen attacking President Biden.
- Posting on Social Media: Gosar posted the video on his official Twitter and Instagram accounts, leading to immediate backlash. The imagery of violence against a sitting Congresswoman and the President of the United States raised alarms, especially given the increased political tensions and the violence of the January 6 Capitol riot earlier that year.
Outrage and Backlash:
- Condemnation from Democrats: Democrats were quick to condemn the video, accusing Gosar of promoting violence and stoking dangerous political rhetoric. Ocasio-Cortez, in particular, called out Gosar, accusing him of inciting violence against women of color and questioning whether there would be consequences for his actions.
- Criticism from Some Republicans: While many Republicans stayed silent or downplayed the incident, a few, including Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, joined in condemning the video. They argued that it was inappropriate and dangerous for a sitting member of Congress to post content that depicted violence against fellow lawmakers.
- Gosar’s Defense: In response to the criticism, Gosar defended the video as symbolic and argued that it was meant to represent the political battle over immigration policy, not a literal call for violence. He later removed the video from his social media accounts but did not issue an apology to Ocasio-Cortez or Biden.
House Censure:
- Censure Vote: On November 17, 2021, the House of Representatives voted to censure Gosar for his actions, making him the first member of Congress to be censured in over a decade. The resolution passed with 223 votes in favor, including two Republicans, and 207 votes against, largely along party lines.
- Loss of Committee Assignments: In addition to being censured, Gosar was stripped of his committee assignments, including his seat on the House Oversight and Reform Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee. This was a significant punishment, as committee assignments are essential for lawmakers to influence legislation and represent their constituents’ interests.
Significance of Censure:
Censure is one of the most serious forms of discipline the House can impose on a member short of expulsion. It is a formal statement of disapproval and typically includes a public rebuke on the House floor. The last member of Congress to be censured before Gosar was Charlie Rangel in 2010 for ethics violations.
- Impact on Gosar’s Standing: While Gosar was censured and lost his committee assignments, he remained defiant. He did not apologize for the video and continued to embrace far-right rhetoric. The censure did not appear to significantly affect his standing with his core supporters, many of whom viewed the punishment as an example of political correctness and partisan overreach.
Broader Political Context:
Gosar’s anime video and subsequent censure came at a time of heightened political polarization in the United States. The January 6 Capitol riot earlier that year had underscored the dangers of violent political rhetoric, and the video was seen by many as particularly reckless in that context. The incident also highlighted divisions within the Republican Party, with some members choosing to side with Gosar, while others distanced themselves from his extreme behavior.
- Normalization of Violent Rhetoric: Critics argued that Gosar’s video was part of a broader trend of normalizing violent political rhetoric, which could have dangerous consequences in an already volatile political environment. The video also underscored concerns about how social media platforms are used by public figures to spread inflammatory content.
Conclusion:
Paul Gosar’s posting of an anime video depicting violence against Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Joe Biden led to widespread condemnation and a rare censure by the House of Representatives in 2021. The incident reflected the deep political divisions in the country and raised concerns about the use of violent imagery in political discourse. Despite the censure, Gosar remained defiant, and the controversy did not appear to diminish his standing among his most ardent supporters. The episode was emblematic of the challenges facing American politics in an era of increasing polarization and extremism.