To the editor:
This country was built on the backs of African-Americans, Latinos, Asians, and other people of color. When Barack Obama was elected as the 44th President, it was a proud moment not just for African-Americans but for all Americans who understand that “we are a nation of immigrants.”
Donald Trump is the antithesis of Barack Obama. While Obama was the president for all Americans whether or not you agreed with his political views, policies or decisions; Trump represents far fewer Americans, and has used those people to divide the country along racial lines, and turned back the hands of time.
While Obama was a statesman who reached out to Cuba, forged a nuclear deal with Iran, established affordable health care, and maintained America’s long standing relationship with NATO and other alliances, Trump has been duped by Kim Jong-un, and outfoxed by Vladimir Putin. He has been humiliated by porn stars and bad actors.
America is said to be the land of the free and the home of the brave but I don’t see that now. People of color are under assault, our leaders are cowardly and mute. Checks and balances are late arrivals. The president is committed to building walls instead of bridges. I wish I could say the future looks bright but it doesn’t. Social justice has taken a backwards trend, and white nationalist rhetoric and actions are on the rise. America is not winning, it is not being made great again.
November’s election is the most important election in our lifetime. African-Americans and other people of color will again be asked and expected to help turn congress blue and put the President and his policies in check. “There-in lies the Rub and the Irony.”
It’s time for the Democratic Party to be responsive to its broad coalition. It’s time to demand a return on our investment. If the Democratic Party cannot place the following agenda items on their platform, on November 6th we should stay home and fry chicken;
- Rewrite section 4B of the voting rights act to negate the discriminatory voting policies being passed by states throughout the country
- Establish a US Commission of Law Enforcement with a national database on police shootings and prosecutorial oversight
- Eliminate state and federal funding for private prisons that contribute to mass incarceration
- Work to reverse Citizens United with a constitutional amendment and eliminate Super PACs.
- Give democracy back to “the people”
- Establish responsible gun control legislation
- Provide affordable access to health care
- Remove all confederate statues and signage
Let’s stop the Democrats from taking the Black vote for granted. If all politics are local, and they are, throughout the US Black folk should be engaging their local representatives and the DNC by asking what have you done for “us” lately and will you commit to the above if “we” get out the vote and help turn congress blue in November. Wait patiently, but not long for an answer.
Leighton Newlin
Princeton
