Two Forward, One Back

 

In less than four years, President Trump has successfully unmasked every racist and white supremacist hidden in plain sight. 

"His bigotry on full display at the 2020 presidential debate was appalling and repulsive, to say the least, for any U.S. president. It’s an utterly disgraceful chapter in American history." 

For all the advances this country has made through the civil rights movement, and the countless lives lost fighting racism and discrimination, to have Trump lead us all down a dark and divisive path is shameful. As Americans who love this country and the multitude of diversity that we all bring, enriching our lives for the better, we must learn to starve our fears about what divides us as a people, while taking great aim at distinguishing racism, no matter the president’s repugnant comments or tweets.

By William J. Booker, as printed by New York Daily News, Oct 06, 2020

Moving Forward Together Against Racism

As published by the Chicago Tribune, July 24, 2020 by William J. Booker

Racism has hurt America in many ways, from policing our citizens, to housing and voting, to someone simply taking a jog. And although we appear to be moving backwards as a nation, in many ways, we are also moving forward towards racial tolerance. 

"If Trump was not president, the conversations we have about race and racism, infecting this country like a virus of its own, might be a mute talking-point."

It is because the majority of Americans agree that racism is a horrible thing, and that something needs to be done to root it out of institutions and expose people who perpetuate racism, and promote hate; that better days are ahead of us. 

"In the wake of the death of Civil Rights leader, U.S. Rep. John Lewis, America is moving forward together, and against symbols of hate." 

Gone are the days of honoring Confederate generals, or taking pride in the flag of the Confederacy for no good reasons. We no longer value racist opinions, or views no matter who it's coming from, whether the name of a football team, the views of a well-known celebrity, or the name brand of maple syrup; times are changing and history will judge us on how we respond to this moment. 

We are a nation of people who will no longer stand for the killing of unarmed people of color by the police under any circumstances. And it would appear that the whole world is in agreement with us. As crazy as it may sound, America is going through a metamorphosis and a purge at the same time, and will become a much better place despite the president's divisive, and shameful attempts to stoke the flames of hatred and cultural divide.

The Legacy of Slavery Continues

By William J. Booker, as printed by the Chicago Tribune, June 1, 2020.

They did it without any moral conscience for the human lives they were taking, destroying, raping, killing, torturing. There was no game plan when white America enslaved African Americans, and sought to deprive us of our rights. There was no game plan when our culture was taken from us, our dignity stomped out of us, our women and children raped, our civil rights leaders murdered. There was no game plan for what would happen if the people from s---hole countries were suddenly free. There was no game plan because all the cards were on the table. Any and everything America wanted to do to black people, they did. They lynched us and smiled about it.

"Slavery was started more than 400 years ago, and still today we suffer from the abuse from many white Americans who believe that black lives don’t matter, and black votes don’t count. They wave their American flags, and wear their MAGA hats with pride."

When will the violence end? When will the destruction and looting stop? I don’t know, you tell me. When will America own up to over 400 years of injustice? When will we be finally free of the tyranny from racist police officers we face every day in our communities? You want peaceful protest? The day America decides to take its knee off the necks of black and brown Americans, and give us equal justice, is the day we won’t need to loot or burn down buildings to express anger and outrage. You say we’re in this together — then tell me, why the hell are we the only ones dying? 

Get On the Right Side of History

As Published by the Chicago Sun-Times, by William J. Booker, June 21, 2019

Mitch McConnell and Republican lawmakers don't think African-Americans deserve reparations for slavery. Although it's true no living white person is responsible for slavery, all living white people have benefited from slavery the same way all living black people wear the scars of slavery.

What we do know is that America was built on slavery, the separation of African families, and the genocide of decedents of African-Americans. We also know that numerous US companies: NY Life, Tiffany and Co., Aetna, Brooks Brothers, Bank of America, Wachovia, and JPMorgan Chase and others got rich from the slave trade.

Slavery helped to create the white middle class, although African-Americans were excluded from benefiting from same government programs that their taxes helped create, denying them the opportunity to create wealth.

It's clear that the Republican leadership is totally against reconciliation or atonement of any kind for centuries of atrocities perpetrated on generations of descendants of African-Americans--including their own constituents.

"The irony is, after all the racist comments and tweets President Trump has made, stoking flames of hate and embolden racists, Republicans could go down in history as actually living up to their montage "Make America Great Again" with one unanimous vote, putting them on the right side of history for once."

Though Republicans lawmakers have no intentions in the slightest gesture. It's apparent that not even a $20 Harriet Tubman bill (Scheduled to be released in 2020) can change the true face of this nation.

As Rev. Martin L. King, Jr. said, “Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check—a check that has come back marked ‘insufficient funds.’ But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity in this nation.”

:: The Price of Patriotism ::

America's eyes are open wide shut to the relentless persecution of blacks by racist white people in this country, and their misuse of emergency 911 calls to the police to aid them in their discrimination and racial profiling of blacks. As Americans, we watch these horrific episodes being played over and over again through the lens of social media; as racists are given a pass to abuse emergency 911 calls and trespassing laws to have blacks arrested for doing absolutely nothing wrong.

It's uncanny, in many ways in its resemblance to Civil Rights era Jim Crow laws, and no one seems to be doing anything about it. This reckless behavior puts innocent black people in handcuffs and in jail, while onlookers watch in utter disbelief. This America is our truth.

"Make America Great Again is nothing more than code for Make America White Again. Giving privileged white Americans the right to discriminate against blacks."

We all heard the sentiments in an announcement made by President Trump at one of his rallies in North Carolina, just before he was elected President. When Trump stated that he would pay the legal fees of a white man that sucker-punched a black protester. This was his national call-to-action in my opinion to "Make America Great Again" and his unwavering support for white nationalists.

We heard it again in Charlottesville Virginia, during a white supremacist rally, when Trump seemed to side with white nationalists initially, condemning the violence on "many sides". I could go on, but it's clear to me that we live in a country where two Americas exists. One that puts police officers against black and brown Americans, and threatens their safety, and one that seems to make it ok for white Americans to call the police on black Americans, and have them arrested for just being black.

This is the America we celebrate on the 4th of July. It's the America our troops, of all nationalities, die and fight for, and the America we all stand for during the national anthem--and in many cases are willing to take a knee for regardless of the consequences, or the price we have to pay to the NFL. As we celebrate this 4th of July, and in times of racial uncertainty let us all remember, a very wise man once said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

In Solidarity,

William J. Booker

"In the case of the American Negro, from the moment you are born every stick and stone, every face, is white. Since you have not yet seen a mirror, you suppose you are, too. It comes as a great shock around the age of 5, 6, or 7 to discover that the flag to which you have pledged allegiance, along with everybody else, has not pledged allegiance to you. It comes as a great shock to see Gary Cooper killing off the Indians, and although you are rooting for Gary Cooper, the Indians are you."

— James Baldwin "The American Dream and the American Negro" (March 7, 1965)

MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN:

Secrets, Lies & Deception

It's clear to most Americans that the Trump Administration fully supports the agenda of white nationalists, however it's more important to understand how every advancement ​that ​this country has made ​towards denouncing racial ​inequality, bigotry and discrimination has endured.

​The Emancipation Proclamation in 1​863, the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, Affirmative action in 1961​, ​the Civil Rights Act of 1968​, and the first Black President​; all mark the successful path and struggles African Americans have made and continue to make in the fight for racial equality.

T​his country is undoubtedly moving in the right direction, and trying to heal from the horrible past of slavery, ​despite the best efforts of white supremacist. Public monuments to the Confederacy are symbolism's that ​perpetuates bigotry, racial intolerance and hate;​​ ​which have become painful reminders to Black people of what their ancestors had to endure, and why many African Americans are still ​today ​trying to overcome over 400 years of oppression.

It also ​explains​ why President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions are pursuing a case of reverse discrimination ​for white students at Universities across the country. The fight for white privilege in this country is strong---but ​the battle ​is ​soon to be lost even with the President's support.  

"What ​the media has failed to report, is what ​the KKK, White Supremacist and other hate groups are really afraid of​ ​next; which is ​reparations​ to African-Americans​ for human rights violations including public lynching, rape and other atrocities towards enslaved victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade."   

Donald Trump and the Neo-Nazi 'alt-right' knows the case for reparations is the only thing of significance left on the table in the ongoing conversation about reconciliation for slavery; and there's nothing he or his racists cohorts can do to stop this country from acknowledging its horrible past and moving forward to atone for over a century of enslavement, persecution, domestic terrorism and racial inequality for people of African descent.          

In fact, Trump actually ​alluded to it when ran to be President, when he stated that if he won the election "African​ ​Americans would love him more than President Obama". A wise man once said, be careful of your foot...it may find your mouth. 

For information about reparations visit: https://www.facebook.com/ReparationsReportCenter