Trump’s election
and his appeal
to racism
How Should We Respond? © 2016
The election of Donald Trump has emboldened racists, to state the obvious. These bigots believe they’re “on a roll.” They’ve seen police officers, who were obviously guilty, and others, escape punishment for shooting Blacks. Add to that, they’ve witnessed Trump’s improbable election despite the fact most Americans disgreed with his overt appeals to racism, ethnic prejudice, sexism and religious bigotry.
The proper response to the Trump election is for African Americans, and all progressive Americans, is to learn from the election: what was done right, what was done wrong, and what must be done to prevent this kind of thing from happening again.
America is afflicted by racism, but America is not a mostly racist country, rhetoric nothwithstanding. In the recent election, progressive-minded Americans took for granted that fairmindedness would always prevail over racism.
They didn’t take seriously the many warnings about a Trump candidacy. They didn’t understand the consequences. Now they have to live with the consequences.
Many voters, including black and white millennials, thought they were smarter than everyone else. But that mindset allowed them to either sit-out the election, vote for Trump, or vote for third-party candidates who had no chance of winning. You have to wonder what they’re thinking today.
As for African Americans, the strongest response to racism and the strongest defense against racism has always been black unity. African Americans should unite and multi-task by working with other groups with similar objectives.
However, black unity cannot be superficial as in the protests that spring up after a police shooting and quickly fade away. True black unity has to be more fundamental particularly in how we interact with each other socially, politically and economically.
It seems ironic, but the best way to deal with racism is not by focusing outward, but focusing inward and on our unity.
“We can be pitiful, or we can be powerful.”
and his appeal
to racism
How Should We Respond? © 2016
The election of Donald Trump has emboldened racists, to state the obvious. These bigots believe they’re “on a roll.” They’ve seen police officers, who were obviously guilty, and others, escape punishment for shooting Blacks. Add to that, they’ve witnessed Trump’s improbable election despite the fact most Americans disgreed with his overt appeals to racism, ethnic prejudice, sexism and religious bigotry.
The proper response to the Trump election is for African Americans, and all progressive Americans, is to learn from the election: what was done right, what was done wrong, and what must be done to prevent this kind of thing from happening again.
America is afflicted by racism, but America is not a mostly racist country, rhetoric nothwithstanding. In the recent election, progressive-minded Americans took for granted that fairmindedness would always prevail over racism.
They didn’t take seriously the many warnings about a Trump candidacy. They didn’t understand the consequences. Now they have to live with the consequences.
Many voters, including black and white millennials, thought they were smarter than everyone else. But that mindset allowed them to either sit-out the election, vote for Trump, or vote for third-party candidates who had no chance of winning. You have to wonder what they’re thinking today.
As for African Americans, the strongest response to racism and the strongest defense against racism has always been black unity. African Americans should unite and multi-task by working with other groups with similar objectives.
However, black unity cannot be superficial as in the protests that spring up after a police shooting and quickly fade away. True black unity has to be more fundamental particularly in how we interact with each other socially, politically and economically.
It seems ironic, but the best way to deal with racism is not by focusing outward, but focusing inward and on our unity.
“We can be pitiful, or we can be powerful.”