“White Supremacy? Hell, I Believe in It!” — The Playboy Interview That Should’ve Buried Him

In 1971, Wayne spat his venom into Playboy with the subtlety of a shotgun blast. Let’s dissect the highlights:

• On Black Americans: “Blacks aren’t educated enough for leadership.” Translation: White men should rule until Black people meet his arbitrary, racist benchmarks. And slavery? “Like a kid getting polio—just bad luck!” Imagine shrugging off centuries of torture and exploitation as a “whoopsie” of history.
• On Native Americans: “We stole their land? They were selfish for not handing it over!” Classic colonizer logic: Massacre millions, then blame the victims for “resisting.”
• On LGBTQ+ Folks: Dismissed Midnight Cowboy as “a story about two fags.” Because why stop at racism when you can toss homophobia into the mix?

These weren’t “controversial opinions.” They were hate speech. And he doubled down in 1973, laughing with Bob Hope at the Oscars about “drunken Indians” while Native activists protested outside. Charming.

Behind the Camera: A Right-Wing Crusader Who Made Hollywood a Weapon

Wayne didn’t just play cowboys—he cosplayed as a fascist enforcer:

• HUAC’s Hollywood Henchman: Co-founded the MPA, a McCarthyite group that ruined careers of “communist” writers (read: anyone who dared critique racism or inequality).
• Vietnam War Cheerleader: Directed The Green Berets, a jingoistic fantasy so shameless even conservatives cringed. Body counts as propaganda? “Yeehaw!”
• John Birch Society Fanboy: Aligned with far-right extremists who called MLK a “communist traitor.” Surprised? Don’t be.

His films weren’t innocent either. The Searchers glorified a genocidal racist hunting Native Americans—a role Wayne reportedly relished. Art imitates life, huh?

The Weak Defenses: “He Was a Product of His Time!” (Spoiler: No.)

Apologists love this excuse. Let’s debunk it:

• 1971 wasn’t the Stone Age. The Civil Rights Act passed in 1964. MLK was assassinated in 1968. By then, even conservatives knew better than to scream “white supremacy” into a reporter’s tape recorder. Wayne didn’t care.
• Other Stars Evolved. Henry Fonda championed civil rights. Marlon Brando sent Sacheen Littlefeather to reject an Oscar over Native exploitation. Wayne? He dug his heels into bigotry.
• His Family’s Spin: “He wasn’t really racist!” Sure, and The Searchers was a documentary about kindness.

This isn’t “cancel culture.” It’s accountability for a man who spent decades punching down.

Why Are We Still Naming Airports After This Guy?

In 2020, USC finally yanked his exhibit, calling his legacy “toxic.” Meanwhile, Orange County’s John Wayne Airport still shoves his statue in travelers’ faces. Let that sink in: A man who trashed Indigenous people and Black Americans gets a literal monument in diverse, progressive California.

The Hypocrisy: We tear down Confederate statues but cling to Wayne’s? Because he wore a cowboy hat instead of a hood? Please.

Conclusion: Stop Romanticizing Racists. Full Stop.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: You can’t separate John Wayne’s “art” from his racism. His films mythologized genocide. His politics attacked equality. His words dehumanized millions. Celebrating him isn’t nostalgia—it’s complicity.

So next time someone sighs, “But True Grit is a classic!” ask them: What’s more important—a Hollywood fairy tale, or refusing to glorify a man who spat on justice?

The West wasn’t “won.” It was stolen. And John Wayne? He was no hero. He was a propaganda tool for white supremacy. Time to retire the myth.