Who have we become? I keep asking myself this question
repeatedly. Who are we as a people? What do we stand for? That question revolves through my mind
daily. Things that don’t make sense are
becoming an un-welcomed reality.
I never thought that I
would see the day when we would have an avowed racist in the White House. Nor did I ever see the day when millions of
people would follow him almost as if he were a cult leader. It has become increasingly difficult for me
to turn on the news at any given time without hearing something that Trump has either
said, done or had people do on his behalf.
My heart breaks for the
men, women and children that are still locked up in cages along our
border. It upsets me that millions of
people think that this is okay because this is just a result of “their”
president keeping one of his many promises.
But I keep coming back to
my original question. Who are we and
what have we become? What do we stand
for? Do we really stand for the end of
the American democracy and the rule of law as we know it? The very thought makes my head spin because
what I am seeing before me…what we all are seeing before our very eyes is a man
who is hell bent on getting rid of our democracy and replacing it with
autocratic behavior. He has made himself
judge, jury and executioner and no one will stand up to him.
But who are we? Have we really fallen into the depths of
devaluing our fellow human beings in the guise of keeping America safe? Has compassion given way to greed? After all, many people say quietly to
themselves that they long for the “good ole days.” They say this not realizing or caring that
the “good ole days” were only good for white people. The good ole days were identified as being
dominated by white people in general and white men in particular. But the good
ole days were only good for a few at the expense of others.
White people in general
are up in arms about too many brown people coming to this country. Indeed, the president has made the
proclamation that our country is full and is turning away people that are
fleeing their own country. He sees the
black and browning of our country and is doing everything that he can to stop
it. To some, this is a good thing
because it comes at a time when “white” America believes that they are under
siege. They see equality as oppression
not realizing that you will not be any less white because someone of color
moves into the house next door. Your children
will not be any less white if they play and associate with children of color.
It is time for the
foolishness to stop because white people must learn that they are living in a
fallacy that never was. Pride in your
heritage is okay. Being Italian, Irish,
Dutch or German is perfectly fine. Being
white has been the reason why many people have died in this country. Crosses have been burned on the lawns of many
persons of color because of whiteness.
Men, women and children have died because of whiteness. And now, today whiteness is the cause of
people being locked in cages under insufferable conditions. Women have been raped and children have been
separated from their families due to policies administered by white people.
And I am personally tired
of white people telling people of color that if things are so horrible here, go
back to where you came from. They say
this not realizing that where I come from is Newark, New Jersey…that last I
heard was one of fifty states in this country.
With all that being said,
maybe the election of Donald Trump really is a sign of who we are as a
people. Because you see Donald Trump has
ripped the bandage off a nation that carefully hid their racism. When it became politically incorrect to be an
outward racist, racism went into hiding and no one talked about it even though
it was in the minds of white America across the country.
We still cling to racist
policies that keep white people in power…and today, white people are not
willing or ready to give up that power. The power
is in repression and ignorance. We see
it every day in the things that the president does and says…and he does it for
no other reason than because he can. He
doesn’t adhere to the norms of our democracy or constitution the way that past
presidents have done. He never did and
probably never will. And yet, his name
is still spoken in hushed tones among members of his party. Some like him, many loathe him and some
downright hate him.
But he while he’s in
office, they are getting what they want from him administratively if not
politically. They walk lock step with
him because deep down, they are afraid of the ostracism they would experience
if they were to speak truth to power.
They will defend their right to the power that they hold because they
know that if they separate themselves from Trump, they will lose everything
including their livelihood.
So, at least for the
moment, we have a president who will do as he wishes when he wishes. He will weaponize the DOJ to do his bidding. Ideologies and policies that we would have
never thought to be considered normal are now being normalized…which some can
say is the slow dismantling of democracy as we know it to be.
Do not be surprised of
Donald Trump thinks of a way where he can remain in office and thus in power
forever. As ominous as that sounds,
please understand that if we don’t stop the bickering and fighting between the
two parties; if we don’t stand for something in addition to making Trump a one
term president, our nation will be pitched in to more chaos that we can
imagine.
So, I come back to my
original question: who are we and what do we want to be?
~ J.L. Whitehead
