On October 9, Indiana AG Todd Rokita defended musician Kanye West after the latter made an anti-Semitic tweet and wore a “White Lives Matter” shirt to a fashion show.

To be clear, no form of bigotry is “independent thinking”. It is the lowest, most base form of thought and speech. Many Hoosiers told him as much. In response to the backlash, Rokita clarified he was only defending West’s choice to wear a “White Lives Matter” shirt, a slogan mostly used by white nationalist organizations like the KKK, and the name of an SPLC-designated hate group.

No matter the motivation, the outcome is the same. Either way, AG Rokita used his platform to legitimize hate speech and reactionary racism and has not apologized in any meaningful way. Nor has he been held accountable or had his remarks condemned by any of his fellow Republicans in office.

At base, AG Rokita owes Hoosiers a sincere apology for his actions and a retraction of his statement. But really what he and his office owe Indiana is real commitment to the protection and betterment of ALL Hoosiers, not just himself and his desperate quest for fame. On behalf of Hoosiers, I truly hope to see a change.