MAGA Hats Have Become a Divisive 'Us Vs. Them' Symbol: Fashion Critic
*By Chloe Aiello*
President Trump's "Make America Great Again" cap is more than just a hat, it's a "symbol of us vs. them," according to Washington Post fashion editor Robin Givhan.
"No fashion item is completely separate from the broader culture. It doesn't exist in a vacuum and so the way that people respond to it, the way it's read by others, is equally as potent if not more so than the intent of the wearer," Givhan said.
Givhan [penned a column](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-maga-hat-is-not-a-statement-of-policy-its-an-inflammatory-declaration-of-identity/2019/01/23/9fe84bc0-1f39-11e9-8e21-59a09ff1e2a1_story.html?utm_term=.ec3a75c53f4e) last week about what the hat has come to mean in the years since it burst on the scene as a campaign accessory for Trump's 2016 presidential bid. The hat, she wrote, has become "a symbol of us vs. them, of exclusion and suspicion, of garrulous narcissism, of white male privilege, of violence and hate."
Her commentary follows a recent controversy in which the hat took center stage. Catholic schoolboys in MAGA hats, a Native American elder, and black nationalists collided at the March for Life in Washington, D.C., in a video that went viral. In an interview on "Today" after the incident, the student at the center of the controversy, Nick Sandmann, acknowledged that the presence of his hat may have escalated tensions.
Fashion has historically been used to make political statements ー last year alone saw women in Tehran, Iran, removing their headscarves in protest of compulsory hijab laws, as well as celebrities at the Golden Globes wearing all black in solidarity with the #MeToo movement. But in the era of the pink pussy hats and the Black Lives Matter t-shirts, the red MAGA hat has emerged as the most divisive accessory of all. And Givhan argues it is inherently different that these other politically charged items.
"The Black Lives Matter t-shirts and the pink pussy hats, those were being worn by a group of people who were not at the top of the pyramid in terms of our society. They were people striving to better their rights and ... gain greater equality, versus the 'Make America Great' hat, which doesn't have that sort of duality of the oppressed versus the oppressor," Givhan said.
She added that the hats have been weaponized by some who have worn them, including white supremacists at the deadly Charlottesville, Va., rally. When someone wears a MAGA hat today, they're implicitly supporting more than Trump's policies, Givhan said.
"There are definitely reasonable policy differences that are expressed by people who wear that hat, but I think the larger connotation says, 'I am willing to concede that my policy wins are worth it, despite all of these other negative ramifications,'" she said.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/washington-post-columnist-calls-maga-hats-a-declaration-of-identity).
President Joe Biden announced Friday that along with the European Union and the Group of Seven countries, the U.S. will revoke “most favored nation” trade status for Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
The consumer price index jumped 7.9 percent in February, marking a 40-year high for inflation in the U.S. This report comes less than a week ahead of the Fed's all important meeting. Kayla Bruun, Economic Analyst, Morning Consult, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Markets opened lower amid hotter-than-expected inflation data, which surged to its highest level in nearly 40 years. Lisa Erickson, Senior Vice President and Co-Head, Public Markets Group, U.S. Bank joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the significance of this figure ahead of the Federal Reserve's FOMC meeting.
As the Russia-Ukraine war disrupts the global economy, sending markets on a roller coaster ride, gold remains hovering around $2,000 an ounce. Often seen as a safe haven in times of economic crisis, Jason Cozens, founder and CEO of gold-as-currency platform Glint Pay, joined Cheddar’s Opening Bell to discuss the latest gold rush, how the war is impacting prices, and how people can use Glint to trade in the precious metal. “You know the stock markets and cryptocurrencies are risky investments," he stated. "Whereas gold is just reliable money. It's no one else's liability if you own."
As Western sanctions weigh on Russia's economy, the country is at the risk of defaulting on its debt. Fitch ratings agency has downgraded Russia's debt for the second time in a week, warning a "sovereign default is imminent." Jesse Wheeler, Economic Analyst at Morning Consult, explains what that means, and how it could have ripple effects across the global economy.
Uber Lyft and Doordash are all set to spend $1 million dollars on a campaign and efforts to stop lawmakers from classifying their gig workers as employees. The campaign features TV and online ads highlighting Washington area workers who say they prefer the flexibility of being an independent contractor rather than following the model of a company employee. Professor at NYU. Stern School of Business and author of the sharing economy, Arun Sundararajan, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
President Biden is looking at unlikely partners to buy oil, after banning all Russian energy imports. Among them is Venezuela, a regime that has been sanctioned by the U.S. since 2019. Ariel Cohen of the Atlantic Council explains to Cheddar News why that might not be a bad choice.
