A common refrain in certain circles about Donald Trump during this extended “white supremacy” scandal of his own making is that he wasn’t considered racist until he entered the arena of politics. Usually this claim is juxtaposed with a photo showing Donald Trump with one of the people often accused of ” disingenuous race hustling” on the left, Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton.
The problem with this argument is the exaltation of white men by black people doesn’t erase their racism. This has been proven time and time again throughout history. Even if you adorn the current president with medals from black people, that doesn’t erase a history that includes a housing discrimination suit from the Federal government (that people give him an out for despite him being a 27 year old at the outset and in his thirties when it was found that they didn’t comply with the orders of the court), his full page add against the Central Park Five and his claiming their guilt during this year’s election, his years long obsession and stoking of racist sentiments with regards to Barack Obama’s birthplace, and his inelegance or outright refusal to condemn white supremacy on 3 separate occasions. The reality is people have long held beliefs that Donald Trump is a narcissist that has had issues with race, with it even appearing in a 1991 book about him (you know, when he was a Democrat).
The crux of the issue is the photo. It’s the the “I have a black friend” argument in social media form. People need to stop using people of color as props in an attempt to prove a point. Standing near black people is not a great act erasing racism. Standing near people of color doesn’t guarantee that you are for changing the attitudes that create obstacles in their lives. Standing near people of color means exactly what it is… that in your life you have stood around some people of color. The reality in this country is that Donald Trump has money and people clamor for access to money and the resources that it can grant. That point is proven by another Donald.
The original winner is the Los Angeles chapter’s NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 was to be Donald Sterling. For those that don’t know Donald Sterling, he is an owner of rental properties in California and the former owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. He had to pay the largest housing discrimination payout in the history of the United States in 2009, and here are a few quotes of his throughout the years:
- “I wanna know why you think you can coach these niggers”
– to a potential head coach in 1983 - “I don’t like Mexican men because they smoke, drink and just hang around the house,”
- “That’s because of all the blacks in the building, they smell, they’re not clean”
– to a property supervisor in 2002 - “Why are you taking pictures with minorities? Why? It’s like talking to an enemy. Hispanics feel certain things towards blacks. Blacks feel certain things toward other groups […] It will always be that way. […] It bothers me a lot that you’re associating with black people. […] You’re supposed to be a delicate white or a delicate Latina girl. […] You don’t have to have yourself walking with black people.”
– to his mistress in 2014
That last quote, coupled with some other vulgarities is the only reason that a man known to harbor such racial resentments for years wouldn’t receive a LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT award for the NAACP. You’re probably asking yourself why the NAACP would reward such a vile human being, but the reality is you already know the answer. Money makes the world go round.
Donald Trump and Donald Sterling have both stood near people of color in their lives. That in itself is not a reflection of lack of prejudice. If you can’t make an argument on what someone has done to advance people of color, maybe you shouldn’t make an argument at all. The exaltation of white men often happens through the use of resources that feel unattainable to most people of color. The trade off is that those people of color become props that can enhance the local or national branding of the person doing the donating. This does not erase any existing racial prejudices within that person.
Just because someone has used people of color as props in their lives doesn’t mean you have to use them as props in your arguments.
Biddle America 