MSNBC host Chris Matthews shut down an MSNBC guest after she equated capitalism and slavery during a segment on Hardball on Monday.
Matthews's panel was discussing President Donald Trump's tweets calling for four progressive congresswoman to go back to their countries. Christina Greer, a Fordham University professor, called capitalism a "negative" ideal.
"That's who he's always been, he is a white ethnic from Queens who has always trafficked in racial tropes, racial stereotypes, and racist ideology, thanks to his father. So, I mean, this is not new. And for a country that's predicated on anti-black racism, white supremacy, capitalism, and patriarchy, the president perfectly encapsulates all four of those negative ideals when put together, and that's the history of our country. That's who we were."
Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons questioned her remarks.
"Wait, wait, wait, you're putting capitalism on the same plain with patriarchy and white supremacy?" Simmons asked.
Greer continued by saying America "is built on four legs and the table rests on capitalism, patriarchy, anti-black racism and white supremacy," Greer continued. "So when people come up to whomever, and I voted for him, except for I don't really believe in that. You know what? You do believe in it now."
Matthews turned to Simmons who defended capitalism.
"My last thought on this is just this. I come from Michigan. I know a lot of people -- my family moved up from the South in order to go to Detroit to work in big auto companies. They wanted to make money. They wanted to believe in capitalism. I have a lot of friends who did the same thing. I would not put capitalism on the same leg. I think the ideas of white supremacy and other questions are very real in bad parts of America," Simmons said.
Greer interjected and claimed "U.S. chattel slavery is capitalism."
"I think that's an old argument," Matthews said in response to Greer. "I don't agree with Christina on that. Anyway, we know the ideological battles and they're going to go on here every night. Thank you."
"Chris, I do have a book called Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream," Greer added.
"It's available in the commercial system known as capitalism," Matthews said. "Thank you so much. You can get a profit on it, finally, four and a half bucks probably."