When one analyses the problem of racism this country is facing, one would have to be blind or in denial not to acknowledge the role that old, White racist politicians play in promoting division. Yeah! I said it! Old, card-toting members of White supremacist groups are a pernicious problem plaguing many state legislatures throughout the country. They are old lawmakers who flame and pander old racist views of White supremacists of the past. It is prevalent in their divisive rhetoric—and the discriminating legislation they seem to unapologetically promote and pass.
These old racist relics are found throughout our legal judicial systems in the role of lawyers, judges, and politicians—but none more evident than in some of our state legislatures and the U.S. Congress. It is insulting and indefensible to Blacks and people of color. These relics of the past feel free without consequence to blatantly sell and promote their toxic poison of racism. Evidently, they feel comfortably safe in doing so, because usually they are representing constituents from communities and cities still reeking of learned racism and practices of bygone years.
These old politicians come from a time when their families and communities instilled racist and White supremacist views in them, because racism, of course, is not inherent but taught. They are willing recipients who continuously pander the flames of yester-year when White supremacy was openly the accepted law of the land. They are drunk on the privileges and entitlements afforded Whites and continue to try to subjugate Blacks under the guise that they are superior to them. They are incessantly arrogant with no shame in their game, using their power to enact racist legislation that discriminates against others.
We can only hope their children or grandchildren (through their experience and association with Blacks) will someday stop the cycle of racism by debunking all the lies they were told about Blacks and people of color. You see, the future of a better country lies in our youth acknowledging the truth of the past and working to amend past injustices and earnestly helping to attain equality and equity for all. You are finding today many young Whites who are not so gullible to the stench of racism perpetuated and practiced by their families. You see, God is still in charge. They are not blind and realize that it is the old, White lawmakers throughout the country who are fanning the flames of hate and racism.
It is easy to understand when watching these old, White racist politicians making such little progress throughout years in promoting justice and equality for all. They are still carrying the venom of racism practiced by their forefathers with little if any desire to change. I can only speculate that they see themselves as self-proclaimed vanguards, continuing to protect the entitlements and privileges of Whites. They relish denying other races access to the gains they enjoy economically, and politically. They seem to have no shame in teaching their young that they are superior to their Black counterparts. Therein lies one of the main problems keeping us, as a country, from embracing each other and going forward in securing, honoring and respecting all of our citizens.
This vision of recapturing or maintaining a semblance of yester-years where White supremacy reigned supreme, overshadows the credibility of these old, White politicians to do the right thing. Blacks are seeing vestiges of the past with blatant racist politicians vehemently manifesting their disdain for Blacks and people of color. Unfortunately, some of the younger, White politicians under the tutelage of these old, White politicians feel obligated to carry the baton of racism forward—as if it were a tradition.
I am personally betting there are enough young voters, Black and White, willing to go to the polls and vote these relics of racism out of office. They will declare a new movement going forward, a movement devoid of racism and one aspiring all Americans to be the best they can be, advocating for liberty and justice for all. Being ‘woke’ applies to Whites as well as Blacks. So young voters, let’s show this country who is ‘woke’ by your votes to eliminate racist, old, White politicians from office.
