For Black America Trump Is Public Enemy Number One

2016-11-04 02

Rebirth of a Nation

[Speaking Truth To Power]

With only a few days left before the 2016 Presidential Elections, the time has come for Black Americans to flood to the voting booths to put all politicians, and America, on notice that we’ve had quite enough of racial policing—and inaction from politicians who seek Black support but do nothing to stop prejudiced policing.

Although, both parties have, historically, engaged in the criminalization of Black America, the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency would no doubt usher in a new era of racist repression by law enforcement, since this bully bigot has made it clear he is the Republican “law and order” candidate.

Black America must send a crystal clear message to all politicians, especially Republicans, that racist policing and mass incarceration will no longer be tolerated.

Ever since the police killings of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, we’ve witnessed a steady stream of stories involving killer-cops who wantonly end the lives of Black people—with zero accountability.

If politicians can’t find the spine to hold police accountable for brutalizing Black people we must do everything in our power to remove them from office, period.

Next week, when we vote, we must make our votes speak strongly that we will punish politicians who protect prejudice police who brutalize and kill Black people. Although, Democrats leave a lot to be desired in advancing our interests, including holding murderous racist cops accountable, our main opponents now are Republicans—and their racist, sexist, standard-bearer: Donald Trump.

This race-baiting trust fund buffoon who has gained political ascendancy denigrating President Barack Obama, by promoting the Birther nonsense that the president isn’t a U.S. citizen, must be pilloried at the polls by Black people of every stripe. How any self-respecting Black person can even entertain the idea of voting for this bigot—unless they have been given their thirty pieces of silver—is a real head scratcher.

Anyone Black person supporting Trump who isn’t on the Republican political patronage payroll, who claims they believe he will do things for Black people, must be seriously delusional.

Trump’s history tells us he is nothing more than an opportunistic racist—accused molestor of women—xenophobe.

During this election cycle, Trump has manipulated the racist sentiments of many White Americans. He has engaged in idiotic rhetoric about Muslims, castigating all Muslims and seems to have not considered the many Muslims who’ve died fighting for this country.

He has made malicious statements attacking Mexicans with asinine talk about “building a wall,” and making “Mexico pay for it.”

But let’s remember, this racist provocateur, who has scapegoated Muslims and Mexicans over the last year, learned these tactics from those times when he was busy promoting bigoted stereotypes about African-Americans—the same stereotypes that allow police to kill Black people and excuse it.

In recent months, since Trump started engaging in a public relations ploy pretending to be concerned about African-Americans, we have heard him talk about how bad the crime is in Black communities. He has even had the unmitigated gall to ask us: what can we lose by voting for him.

This from a man who was sued twice for housing discrimination by the Justice Department—including once when President Richard Nixon, the original “law and order” Republican, was in the White House.

This from a man who helped convict the innocent Central Park Five, and who still attacks them, even after DNA evidence, and the confession of Mathias Reyes, has exonerated them. Donald Trump’s bigoted behavior in the Central Park Five fiasco gives us insight into how he would approach the issue of police brutality and murder of Black people.

When he tells us he will be the “law and order” candidate, he is telling us Black America would be under serious siege by racist police.

Trump’s behavior in the Central Park Five case—then and now—debunks any claim he would be a fair president on the topic of police brutality and racial policing. The fact that he still can’t bring himself to apologize and accept the evidence proving the innocence of the Central Park Five is indicative of why we cannot trust him, as president, to address the problems between police and African-Americans.

Back in 1989, Trump paid $85,000 and took out full-page advertisements in the major daily newspapers in New York City, stroking racial fears and demanding the death penalty be reinstituted. “I want to hate these murderers and I always will,” said Trump—before any kind of evidence was revealed. Later that year, in a CNN interview, he said something very significant which speaks to his current political rise “maybe hate is what we need if we’re gonna get something done.”
Is there any wonder why Trump clearly believes preaching prejudice is the way to elevate himself to the promise land of the American presidency?

One of the Central Park Five, Yusef Salaam, called Trump “the fire starter” who created the climate that led to their convictions—where no DNA or forensic evidence ever linked any of the five to the rape. According to Mr. Salaam, “common citizens were being manipulated and swayed into believing that we were guilty.”

Because of this, these five, then innocent teenagers, received constant deaths threats.

America’s criminal “justice” has never dispensed anything resembling fairness when it comes to African-Americans. In this regard, especially since America’s racist policing has been thoroughly exposed over the last few years, we need honest discussions regarding the concrete changes that must happen in law enforcement and in the mass incarceration prison pipeline that legions of African-Americans find themselves caught in.

Does any sane person believe a racist serial liar like Trump can be an asset on such a serious issue?

Trump’s tactics of using bigotry and racism was as apparent in the Central Park Five as it is now when he demonizes Mexicans and Muslims. Imagine, even after Mathias Reyes confessed, in 2001, and although all of the DNA evidence links only him to the crime, Trump continues to insist in his twisted mind that the Central Park Five are guilty.

Moreover from a man who boasts of sexual aggression against women.

His Birther attacks on President Obama represents a racist continuum from his attacks on the Central Park Five—and from his earlier discriminatory practices where he refused housing to African-Americans.

This year’s election will be a momentous one on multiple levels. For African-Americans, the issue of policing and racial justice is just as high on the list as anything. Some argue that Democrats have failed African-Americans. Though there is an element of truth to that, are we supposed to be silly enough to think we’ll fare better with a Republican Party—where a demonizing demagogue like Trump now represents them as their presidential candidate?

Many White pontificating “progressives” are saying that there is not much of a difference between Secretary Hillary Clinton and Trump. According to these folk, we should vote for neither. Black Americans cannot afford to take this line of irresponsible reasoning seriously.

Will these wide-eyed, utopian idealists stand with us in the line of fire when Donald Trump’s racist police are given carte blanche in Black communities?

Throughout President Obama’s presidency, many of these same “progressives” complained bitterly that he was not forceful enough on things, like the healthcare bill. But these same people were tellingly silent when racists were threatening to assassinate America’s first Black president.

Unfortunately, many of these “progressives” are more hypocritical than overt racists—since, they too have closeted racial hang-ups.

If this election, Black America cannot afford a Donald Trump presidency if we intend to stop racial police murder.

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