Patrick van Katwijk/AP

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

I’m not American. I’m still learning things about this great country. That America fought a big war of independence, however, is not one of them. It’s in the immigrant starter-pack. America cancelled the monarchy long ago, in the pre-Twitter national dawn of 1776, from which much pride, and a whole day off work, is derived.

So it was puzzling to learn that the great defenders of American patriotism are feeling queasy these days about the long-term survival of the poor sods helming the same monarchy that was once defeated in such glorious battle.

What did it take for this historical tide to turn in the favor of the tyrants, the oppressors of liberty? A single accusation of racism by a woman of color.

If you’re finding yourself with nothing to do next Thursday, be sure to tune into a virtual event hosted by the Heritage Foundation, the policy think tank, with the hyperventilating title, “The Crown Under Fire: Why the Left’s Campaign to Cancel the Monarchy and Undermine a Cornerstone of Western Democracy Will Fail.” The event promises to explain how “the American radical left has seized upon the claims from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, that the Royal Family created a hostile, racist environment for the couple” to launch an attack on the British monarchy, and in turn, the very ideals of Western Civilization itself. Will they stop at nothing?!

This enemy-of-my-enemy contortion act isn’t isolated. Our friends over at Refinery29 have documented a vast cast of rightwing notables fawning over the monarchy, including Megyn Kelly, Charlie Kirk, Ben Shapiro, and Erick Erickson.

I know I am still just student of American history (from a country that has yet to fully shirk the monarchy, no less) but I never thought the rhetorical outgrowth of the Mr. Potato Head Gender Scandal would be tearing up the Declaration of Independence to own the libs?

Owned by no one—except you.

We just keep seeing it happen: Newsrooms owned by billionaires and corporations are spinning their own narratives, overwriting the truth, following only stories that keep them in the pocket of those with even more power.

Not here. We’re not owned by anyone. We’re not part of any cult that demands our allegiance to a bottom line. We’ve spoken up and spoken out while other newsrooms changed their stories—or cut them altogether—to keep the C suite happy.

Our mission is to find the truth and amplify it. That’s why we’re independent, nonprofit, and, crucially, funded by readers. The investigations on our website will always be free to read, watch, and listen to, but our newsroom is powered by readers who pitch in what they can so we can keep asking the hard questions.

Can you chip in today?

Owned by no one—except you.

We just keep seeing it happen: Newsrooms owned by billionaires and corporations are spinning their own narratives, overwriting the truth, following only stories that keep them in the pocket of those with even more power.

Not here. We’re not owned by anyone. We’re not part of any cult that demands our allegiance to a bottom line. We’ve spoken up and spoken out while other newsrooms changed their stories—or cut them altogether—to keep the C suite happy.

Our mission is to find the truth and amplify it. That’s why we’re independent, nonprofit, and, crucially, funded by readers. The investigations on our website will always be free to read, watch, and listen to, but our newsroom is powered by readers who pitch in what they can so we can keep asking the hard questions.

Can you chip in today?

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

INDEPENDENT. BECAUSE OF YOU.

Mother Jones has no billionaires calling the shots—just readers like you making fearless reporting possible

Donate