I had never heard of Josh Hokit until the other week. But the little I quickly learned about the immigrant-bashing, trans-hating Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter was enough to guess, correctly, that he was the man behind the UFC Freedom 250’s most despicable moment on Sunday.
Yes, the "Michelle Obama is a man" slur.
UFC president and CEO Dana White has since condemned Hokit, which is better than doing nothing, like President Trump so far. But as I write today, I have some issues with White's denunciation. After all, he's singularly responsible for encouraging the UFC's lockstep alliance with MAGA; the UFC's labor structure also openly incentivizes this kind of vulgar "smack talk." Plus, Hokit is notorious for such behavior. What did White expect by putting him in the octagon on Sunday night?
In any event, even contemplating Hokit’s motivations is to extend this man unearned, far-too-generous consideration. Hurling a vulgar insult against a Black former first lady during a White House event, ostensibly to honor America’s 250th birthday, is a choice—and Hokit enjoyed making it. Let reminders of it attach itself to every oligarch, Republican, Trump family member, and corporation that went along with this cage fight.
—Inae Oh
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