One of the resistance’s dominant attacks upon Republicans in general, and Trump in particular, is to blame every minority grievance on systemic racism. Didn’t get that promotion? Blame that racist boss. Feeling bad today? Blame that statue of Robert E. Lee. Sadly, there are real racists in the world and “racist” tropes (e.g. conflating photo-ID laws and Jim Crow) set nations back.
America should view race openly and honestly to move the Great Melting Pot forward, starting with accepting freedom of association. God created diversity, but did not command thou shalt love rap music. If the US is home to free individuals, then it cannot tell them whom to befriend and marry, or where to live, shop and work – not when multiple studies prove families inform association preferences (regardless of the family’s race).
Forced inclusion (diversity quotas) are folly when “best practices” have forever united free individuals in America. To wit, white teens accepted Motown and black communities started churches without laws. The Melting Pot is “great” because immigrants adopt the best “old” practices and the native-born buy the best “new” practices. This voluntary process created the leading edge of the civilized world. Why screw it up?
In fairness, Bernie Sanders rightly sees poverty and wants to end it. Great, but he’s wrong about why (identifies capitalists as the source of systemic inequality) and how (aligns with a party that identifies whites as the source of systemic racism). The enemy of minorities is systemic poverty – not corporations or caucasians – and the political left is out of ideas.
The far left alleges “systemic racism” persists in corporate pay and promotions, despite corporate America becoming evermore color blind and Darwinian (results and talent get paid and promoted). US companies annually invest $90 billion in employee education and training, and $1.2 trillion on employee healthcare (equal to federal healthcare outlays) with no racial bias. If systemic racism existed, benefits and training would reflect it.
The mother of all racist tropes is Donald Trump’s white supremacy. Forget his Jewish grandchildren and former Soviet wife, and focus on his promise to close borders and return jobs to America. That is music to working-class black and Latino ears (back in the day, Caesar Chavez protected agricultural wages by opposing illegal immigrants from his native Mexico). So – why do Democrats persist with racist tropes?
Start with Democrats feeling threatened by Trump populism: identity politics is a smokescreen. Systemic racism diverts attention from systemic poverty resulting from bad public schools, exodus of jobs from black communities, and high black incarceration rates. A bad situation created by Democrats (e.g. 1994 crime bill), which is what BLEXIT is telling black voters.
Democrats believe the systemic racism metamessage (it’s not your fault because you’re a victim) incites minority anger and keeps Trump on the defensive. Consider this debate question: “are you willing, tonight, to condemn white supremacist?” Making a “definitive and declarative statement” to prove what he is not was a trap Trump avoided (kind of). He hopes his deeds (crime bill, higher wages and more jobs) sway black and Latino Americans.
President Trump has invested much time and policy in America’s minority communities, but don’t expect the media narrative to change until after the election. I think we all know where white voters stand on Trump; therefore, his fate is probably in the hands of minorities. If they swing Trump’s way, America will never be the same.