As an organization with deep roots in defending the rights and faith of Irish Catholic immigrants since 1836, we are shocked and deeply disappointed by Governor Whitmer’s recent actions. Her decision to participate in a parody mocking the sacrament of Holy Communion is deeply offensive.
In a recent video, Governor Whitmer participated in a stunt with social media influencer Liz Plank. Ms. Whitmer placed a single Dorito chip on the tongue of Ms. Plank, kneeling before her in a clear caricature of Holy Communion. This burlesque of a sacrament that is the centerpiece of faith for Catholics is inexcusable.
Rather than offering a sincere apology, Governor Whitmer has attempted to deflect responsibility by dismissing the video as a ‘meme’ and part of a TikTok “Feed Someone” challenge, supposedly in an attempt by her to promote the U.S. ‘Chips Act’ which was signed into law over two years ago. This explanation feels more like desperate after-the-fact spin, especially since the subsequent interview with Ms. Plank focused far more on abortion than semiconductor production. Ms. Plank is not known as a tech guru, nor are techies her primary audience.
However, the most troubling aspect of this incident is the Governor’s failure in the wake of the offense she has given to take full accountability. In her statement, she claimed the video was ‘construed as something it was never intended to be,’ suggesting the fault lies with Catholics who were offended, not with her actions.
This theme was then expanded upon by the Governor’s staff. In a statement released after the Governor’s alleged apology, a Whitmer spokeswoman, Helen Hare, stated, “The Governor’s social media is well known for infusing her communications with pop culture. This popular trend has been used by countless people, including Billie Eilish, Kylie Jenner, and Stephen Colbert, and the fact that people are paying attention to a video promoting President Biden’s CHIPS Act proves it’s working.”
In other words, the whole issue is unhip Catholic Luddites. The Whitmer spokeswoman conveniently fails to note that others have participated in the trend without the need to parody an act of faith sacred to millions. We also find it more than disingenuous that a current TikTok ‘trend’ is being used to push a two-year-old bill. We sincerely hope the Governor does not infuse her communications with the pop culture trend of eating Tide pods or subway surfing.
This is nothing short of gaslighting—a tactic where those hurt are made to feel as though they’ve misunderstood or overreacted. Instead of offering a sincere apology, the Governor and her team are attempting to shift the blame to the very people she insulted.
As Americans, we do not expect our leaders to be errorless, but we do expect accountability. As Catholics, we believe in forgiveness, but that starts with a sincere acknowledgment of wrongdoing. Governor Whitmer’s reluctance to fully accept responsibility for her actions is profoundly troubling and falls short of the integrity we expect from those in public office.
Neil Cosgrove, National Anti-Defamation Chair.
(photo: Screenshot / Liz Plank’s Instagram account)