[imagesource: Eric Gay / AP]

In 2015, Greg Abbott became the 48th governor of Texas.

Before that, he served as the state’s Attorney General of Texas 2002 to 2015.

Before that, he was a member of the Texas Supreme Court from 1996 to 2001.

In short, the man should have a decent sense of where Texas lies on a map in relation to the rest of the world.

Yet here we are, looking at a tweet sent yesterday showing that geography isn’t exactly a strong suit.

First up, said tweet:

Biden banned travel from South Africa because of the new Covid variant.

Immigrants have recently been apprehended crossing our border illegally from South Africa.

Biden is doing nothing to stop immigrants from South Africa entering illegally.

Pure politics and hypocrisy.

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 28, 2021

And just in case he is capable of feeling shame (all evidence points to no) and deletes his tweet, here’s a screenshot:

It’s just so lazy.

Abbott knows that he can score some cheap political points with uneducated Texan voters who are basically those guys from South Park shouting ‘they took our jobs’.

But does he not care what other people who are able to look beyond the racist fearmongering think, at all?

The reaction to his tweet, both from Americans and South Africans, has been to take the piss:

For all the folks who unquestioningly believe whatever Greg Abbott says. 👇 pic.twitter.com/DgvtCrXh0c

— Vote Blue 2022 (@FlipTXBlue2022) November 28, 2021

Anyone that has the stamina and strength to swim across the Atlantic is a huge asset to our society. We should welcome them with open arms. They should immediately be offered jobs in the military or the NFL.

— RotatingWinterStatue (@FLDataDude) November 28, 2021

We sent this tweet out for a biopsy. The results are back . It is 100 % pure fecal matter . Unless you can post facts I’m afraid you don’t have a leg to stand on with this one. Please try again .

— jake from state farm v3 (@swavedave1) November 28, 2021

If you can cross into the US from South Africa, that is one hell of an achievement and I urge the SA Government to invite those exemplary swimmers back with open arms to give them a place on our national team, no questions asked! https://t.co/It72Gx8dpt

— Robyn Porteous (@RobynPorteous) November 29, 2021

For generations we have trained the likes of @Cameronvdburgh @chadleclos @RykNeethling as pathfinders for the rest of us….build a net across the Gulf of Mexico @GregAbbott_TX that will keep Illegal South African immigrants out. Be warned we are exceptional swimmers. #makeitwide https://t.co/cgV1m2zqmt

— Bruce Whitfield (@brucebusiness) November 29, 2021

Remember the disaster that was Miss Teen South Carolina 2007? Lest we forget:

It’s giving https://t.co/xnKFsRAM2w pic.twitter.com/6tbdsVyMvp

— Sibongile Mafu (@sboshmafu) November 29, 2021

Jokes aside, the actual numbers tell their own story of why Abbott is talking pure shite:

From fiscal years 2007 to 2020, there were a grand total of 44 arrests of South African nationals in Border Patrol sectors along the Mexico-Texas border—an average of 3 a year.

I can’t find a single CBP press release mentioning any arrests of South African nationals since 2018. https://t.co/VrmkywzNqC

— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick) November 29, 2021

The # of South Africans caught entering by @CBP across ENTIRE southern border is so small it’s not tracked on monthly updates including 20 top nationalities. But for 2020 it was 6; 2019, 4; 2018, 4; 2017, 5; 0 in 2016.

Since the variant Thursday, almost no way to get to border. https://t.co/682Xd3HN8Z

— lomikriel (@lomikriel) November 29, 2021

Six people last year.

But hey, never pass up the chance to be a racist fool in order to pander to your base.

Maybe he can now focus on keeping the lights on in Texas.