Sometimes I lie awake at night wondering where we
went wrong as a nation. I think about
how we wound up so polarized; how tribalism has become the new norm. I have a window seat to the invisible fight
that people are having not just with this administration, but amongst
themselves.
What we are seeing is something that could be
construed as a systematic war on people of color as well as varying
faiths. I’ve had this conversation with
many people and as expected, some people agree with me and some people don’t.
But to place this in perspective, you have to
recognize the weapons that are being used to repress people of color. This war didn’t begin with the inauguration
of Donald Trump, but it has culminated under him.
He has created a rhetoric that is rooted in
discrimination and prejudice. He speaks
life to bigotry in the guise of safety and security. He has used patriotism as a means to repress
those that don’t look like him. And
people that defend him will say that he cares about people of color simply
because the economy is booming and unemployment for African Americans is at an
all time low; even though the groundwork for the uptick in the economy started
long before he took office.
It’s unfortunate that he attacks…and attacks…and
attacks.
And yet, people that are not the brunt of his
attacks will dismiss his actions as simply being misinterpreted; perhaps even
misunderstood.
But as a person of color, I understand his message
all too well. I’ve heard it often enough
in my lifetime.
So if you think that Trump cares about people of
color, let’s check off the list of things that he has done to prove otherwise:
1.
On May 1, 1989, real estate magnate Donald
Trump called for the return of the death penalty when he took out
full-page advertisements in all four of the city's major newspapers. Trump said
he wanted the "criminals of every age" who were accused of beating
and raping a jogger in Central Park 12 days earlier "to be afraid".[82]
The advertisement, which cost an estimated $85,000,[82]
said, in part, "Mayor Koch has stated that hate and rancor should be
removed from our hearts. I do not think so. I want to hate these muggers and
murderers. They should be forced to suffer ... Yes, Mayor Koch, I want to hate
these murderers and I always will. ... How can our great society tolerate the
continued brutalization of its citizens by crazed misfits? Criminals must be
told that their CIVIL LIBERTIES END WHEN AN ATTACK ON OUR SAFETY BEGINS!" [83]
In a 1989 interview with CNN, Trump said to Larry King:
"The problem with our society is the victim has absolutely no rights and
the criminal has unbelievable rights" and that "maybe hate is what we
need if we're gonna get something done."[84]
Lawyers for the five defendants said that Trump's
advertisement had inflamed public opinion. After Reyes confessed to the crime
and said he acted alone, one of the defendants' lawyers, Michael W. Warren,
said, "I think Donald Trump at the very least owes a real apology to this
community and to the young men and their families."[82]
Protests were held outside Trump Tower in October 2002 with protestors chanting,
"Trump is a chump!"[82]
Trump was unapologetic at the time, saying, "I don't mind if they picket.
I like pickets.” (1)
2.
There is the false claim that Trump continually made
about the former president of the United States that somehow he was not born
here and clung to that lie for years. (2)
3.
There are Trumps comments about the riot that took
place in Charlottesville where there were “fine people on both sides.” The fact that the president of this country
can say that there is good on both sides when white nationalists with torches
marched to protect white supremacy instead of condemning that action is another
means to divide our citizens.
4.
The travel ban imposed on Muslims was condemned
initially because of what he campaigned on.
He had made a promise to his supporters that he would do everything he
could to keep the undesirables out of this country; a promise that was based
primarily on bigotry. He made people of
the Muslim faith the “them” in this war on terrorism branding a religion as the
source of discontentment for the 35 – 40% that voted for him.
5.
Trump declared war on the players of the NFL when they
decided to take a knee to protest police brutality and violence. He turned this into a political issue stating
that they were somehow disrespecting the flag when in reality; it wasn’t the
flag that they were protesting. It never
was. Not once did he address the reason
why these men decided to take a knee in the first place; almost as if the
reason why they took a knee was inconsequential. Instead, they were portrayed
as spoiled, over-paid, black athletes that hated their country. The reality is that black lives, just like
all life should matter…and to the president, as sad as it is to say, it simply
doesn’t.
6.
The United States did respond to the devastating
effects of Hurricane Maria. But the
response was disproportionate to the help that was needed as these were and are
citizens of this country. Too many died
because the optics portrayed us as not caring enough. Yes, the president and his wife did fly down
in the aftermath of the hurricane that devastated the island, and yes, FEMA was
in place to help with those that needed help.
But a year later, our people are still hurting and the estimates of the
citizens that perished are well over one thousand, possibly going as high as
four thousand.
People of color are not seen as people. We are seen as something other. Black men are deemed a threat before we can even open our mouths to say who and what we are. And there are people that will say that we are bringing up this topic again just to hear ourselves talk; almost as if we enjoy bringing up something that in theory should have been addressed years ago despite the possibility that this topic may make you feel uncomfortable.
I assure you, dying from being misinterpreted as a threat is a little bit more important than how you feel because you don’t want to hear about it. Black men have always been deemed as a threat. We have to watch how we speak to appear nonthreatening; we have to watch out body language when we’re in stores and restaurants, all in the guise of making you feel safe. Our police force has been used as weapons against us in the course of upholding law, order and civility – even when such a call should never have been placed to begin with because no laws were broken.
People of color have been called “animals”, “rapists” and murderers. And we all know that once you dehumanize an individual, it is easier to place yourself above them. When you do not regard a person of color as having the same characteristics as you, it is easier to deny them the same privileges that you enjoy and perhaps take for granted.
At the same time, we are not afforded the luxury of becoming angry about an unjust system. Responding with emotion is not an option because once we do, we then become the very thing that you have accused us of being all along, not realizing that the way that you treat a person has everything to do with how they respond.
I say all of this because it is important that it gets said. Diversity is something that should be embraced and cherished because it is what makes us who we are. Admittedly, I don’t know everything there is to know about every culture outside of my own, but I am willing to learn and partake in that.
We cannot nor should we subscribe to an ideology that tears us apart at the seams. We have so much to learn from one another. We have so much to give to one another. But it initially starts with opening our minds and hearts.
I do not think that this president has the capacity to be the kind of leader that he should be. I think that the need for praise and loyalty supersedes common sense and dignity for the office that he holds. But that is a topic to be addressed on another day in a different article.
But I will end with this quote by James Baldwin and this pretty much sums up how I feel about race relations in this country:
“How can I trust what you say when I see what you do?”
~ J.L. Whitehead
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