A few days ago, text messages from Young Republican state leaders—spanning several months—were made public through reporting by ProPublica and Politico. While the national organization called for some individuals to resign from leadership posts, others, including Vice President J.D. Vance, have stepped forward to defend them.
William Spivey
Here are some of their quotes—and my responses.
J.D. Vance
“This is just what kids do.”
Whose kids do this? Is this how your three children talk at home? Young Republicans range in age from 18 to 40. At what point do they stop being “kids”?
“Young Republicans accused of racism shouldn’t have their lives ruined.”
So they should be allowed to go on unimpeded—to ruin the lives of the people they view with contempt?
“The pearl-clutching over this is ridiculous.”
What’s ridiculous is pretending “I love Hitler” is a harmless joke.
“People are acting like these are hardened criminals—they’re not. They’re young people who said dumb things.”
Many of them already hold positions of power—where “dumb things” can translate into real harm, like attempting to overthrow the government or locking people in cages.
“If Democrats can say outrageous things and get a pass, why are we destroying the lives of Republicans for private jokes?”
Calling people ni**er and fa**ot isn’t a joke. It’s a confession of character.
Right-Wing Commentators and Influencers
“The left wants to cancel these kids for edgy jokes.”
These men—some pushing 40—aren’t edgy. I can help you find another word for them. It rhymes with basist.
“They’re trying to criminalize humor.”
No one’s calling them criminals—just vile human beings.
“If you leaked every private group chat in America, you’d find the same kind of stuff.”
I’ve never been in a group chat like that. Maybe that’s why they kept it private—so no one could see who they really are.
“The media is blowing this out of proportion because they’re terrified of young conservatives.”
Honestly, there’s good reason to be terrified. Being called “watermelon people” doesn’t exactly inspire confidence or safety.
“Liberals are weaponizing private speech to destroy careers.”
Some of these men were talking about burning people. They’re looking to destroy far more than careers.
“The outrage is fake—nobody actually believes these kids are Nazis.”
They’ve told us who they are. I believe them.
“They’ve already apologized. That should be the end of it.”
Why? Without real consequences, nothing changes. You can’t outlaw racism, sexism, or homophobia—but you can stop promoting people who proudly display them.
“This is a distraction from real issues like the economy and border security.”
You should be thrilled it’s distracting from the Epstein files.
“They’re being judged by the worst thing they ever said, not the totality of who they are.”
That's probably wasn’t the worst thing they’ve ever said.
One reason to hold these people accountable is simple: to send a message that this behavior is unacceptable for anyone who hopes to lead America.
What the Young Republican scandal reveals isn’t just the fragility of reputations in the digital age—it’s the persistence of an old pattern: the instinct to excuse, minimize, or reframe racism and sexism as harmless indiscretion. From antebellum defenses of bondage to modern shrugs about “just jokes,” the language of denial has always served to blunt the reality of harm.
To name these patterns clearly is to resist them—and to insist that the next generation of political leaders be judged not by the excuses made for them, but by their willingness to confront history, humanity, and the dignity of those they’ve demeaned.
This post originally appeared on Medium and is edited and republished with author's permission. Read more of William Spivey's work on Medium. And if you dig his words, buy the man a coffee.