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Embrace multiculturalism.
On January 19, outgoing-secretary of state Mike Pompeo published a tweet that excoriated multiculturalism as “not who America is” and a ploy to “make us weaker” (NYTimes). The irony that his last name is Italian is lost on no one, though his use of the government’s imprimatur to make this racist statement is no joke. Pompeo’s denouncement is in-line with the Trump administration’s goal to sow division and erode the rights of anyone who does not align with whiteness (Forbes).
Happy Friday! And welcome back to the Anti-Racism Daily. After four years of fighting against Trump, the start of a new administration feels exhilarating. In his first days as president, Biden signed 17 executive orders and introduced other initiatives to rebalance the system. A few directly centered racial equity, including ending the 1776 Commission, reinstating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and revoking Trump's ban on diversity training for federal agencies (for context, I've linked our previous reporting on each topic). Review all executive orders >
The Trump administration is behind us. But its impact is not. So we need to shift our focus from fighting against the political leaders of our past to reimagining the future we deserve. Juan's article today morphs a final bitter statement from leaders past into how we can become the leaders our future deserves. Consider this: how are you modeling tomorrow, today? Regardless of how you may feel about the new administration, it was clear that multiculturalism was on full display during this inauguration. How do we carry this into the communities we serve.
This is a free daily newsletter that operates on pay-what-you-wish contributions. Consider subscribing for $7/month on Patreon, or give one-time on our website, PayPal, or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). You can also join us in our digital community.
Nicole
TAKE ACTION
Take a look at the company you work for, the school where you/your child attends, and/or the community you value most. Consider: how does this organization focus on multiculturalism? How does it celebrate diversity in ideas and values? List three tangible ways that the organization can improve and share with key leadership.
Make a concerted effort to only spend your money at places that support and pursue diversity. If you stop patronizing a business because of its lack of diversity, be sure to send and email explaining why, as well as the changes you would like to see if you are to return.
GET EDUCATED
By Juan Michael Porter II (he/him)
As a professional dancer in NYC, I participated in an interactive teaching program called “Multicultural Fusion.” “Multi-Culti,” as we called it, used dance forms from all over the world to show immigrant students how diversity made America great. My boss, Michael Mao—who himself was born in Shanghai—reasoned that by encouraging students to immerse themselves within the numerous cultures that comprised America’s mosaic, they would discover how vital they were to their new home’s vitality.
Though it meant leaving our glamorous rehearsal studios in midtown Manhattan to take a bus to NYC’s outer boroughs, I loved this program. It brought to mind my travels around the world, interacting with people who went out of their way to make me feel like I belonged. Most pressingly, I loved seeing teenagers guilelessly burst out of their shells to rejoice in physical expression.
For the past four years, their futures in this country have been imperiled. On January 19, outgoing-secretary of state Mike Pompeo published a tweet that excoriated multiculturalism as “not who America is” and a ploy to “make us weaker” (NYTimes). The irony that his last name is Italian is lost on no one, though his use of the government’s imprimatur to make this racist statement is no joke. Pompeo’s denouncement is in-line with the Trump administration’s goal to sow division and erode the rights of anyone who does not align with whiteness (Forbes). It plays right into the hands of white supremacists such as Hans von Spakovsky, a lawyer at the Heritage Foundation, who has stated that “diversity is a way of justifying discrimination” (Time).
Trump’s attacks on multiculturalism have included rolling back long-standing civil rights protections, instituting a travel ban on mostly Muslim, declaring the “Black Lives Matter” sign on Manhattan’s 5th Avenue “a symbol of hate,” expelling migrant children to Mexico regardless of their country of origin, and banning diversity and racial sensitivity training at the federal level. (ProPublica, NPR, Vox, Axios). *Editor's note: the Biden administration has ended the travel ban as part of the first executive orders issued in its presidency.
These assaults on diversity were dangerous even when they faced legal challenges because they allowed lawyers to refine their statutes until they were legally plausible, though still regressive. Erica Newland, who worked in the Office of Legal Counsel at the Justice Department, revealed as much while lamenting having stayed on with the Trump administration in a misguided attempt to curtail his draconian measures. Regarding the travel ban, she says that if she and her colleagues had not been on board to “nip and tuck” the agenda, “the attacks would have failed” (NYTimes).
That’s what makes statements like Pompeo’s dangerous. Though he is departing in disgrace, his words influence future legislators and policies. In fact, the Trump administration added six mostly African countries—Nigeria, Eritrea, Sudan, Tanzania, Kyrgyzstan, and Myanmar—to the travel ban on January 5th, 2020, for no other reason than they can (NYTimes).
When I think of the harm resulting from lost contact with these incredible countries, I am reduced to tears. Following a devastating dance injury when I first arrived in New York 21 years ago, my training in Nigerian and Ivorian folkloric African dance rejuvenated my body and brought me back to the art form. My exposure to Sudanese storytelling and its focus on inter-communal sharing inspired me to become one of the largest independent dance presenters in New York and one of the world’s very few Black dance critics. Beyond my own selfish gains, diversity has been proven to make countries and companies stronger because it quite literally challenges us to prepare better, work towards consensus, and anticipate alternative viewpoints (Scientific American, Harvard Business Review). Let us also consider that embracing diversity is simply the right thing to do.
When Trump promised to build a wall along the U.S. southern border, many failed to realize that walls can be metaphorical and physical. Under his reign, our country has lost stature, entered into bruising trade wars, and become isolated from its allies (Pew Research, Bloomberg, Foreign Affairs, The Atlantic).
Without multiculturalism, our bonds to other countries are weakened. It is essential that we reject Pompeo’s assertions, promote multiculturalism, push the incoming Biden administration to re-open the borders as swiftly as possible, and reclaim our position as a country that welcomes anyone seeking to build their own “American Dream.”
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The Trump administration has instituted racist policies that erode civil rights and isolate the U.S. from the rest of the world.
Mike Pompeo’s outgoing message as secretary of state seeks to destroy future policies that promote multiculturalism.
RELATED ISSUES
12/4/2020 | Repeal the Trump Equity Gag Order.
9/21/2020 | Support the 1619 Project.
PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT
Thank you for all your financial contributions! If you haven't already, consider making a monthly donation to this work. These funds will help me operationalize this work for greatest impact.
Subscribe on Patreon | Give one-time on PayPal | Venmo @nicoleacardoza
Impeach, ban and convict Trump.
The following are the BLM's list of demands in response to the Capitol coup shared via email. Action items in today's email reference the points made below. I've added contextual information in italics with an asterisk *.
Happy Thursday and welcome back! Another "new year", another impeachment of President Trump. Today we're amplifying Black Lives Matter's list of demands as our call-to-action. It has action items not just for the next administration, but tactical ways you can take action today.
As you do, remember that Trump has been inciting violence over the past four years. It took an insurrection at the Capitol to spur action, but our democracy and many of its people have been endangered (or outright killed, attacked and/or discriminated against) by his presidency since day one.
Our work is made possible by our paid subscribers. You can financially contribute by making a one-time gift on our website or PayPal or subscribe for $7/month on Patreon. Thank you all for your support!
Nicole
TAKE ACTION
Co-Sign the BLM demands in response to the Capitol coup.
Contact your Senators and demand they vote to convict President Trump. You can use the Senate website, use this form via Everytown, call by dialing (202) 224-3121, or text EXPEL to 30403.
Take at least one of the four actions to support the BREATHE Act on their website, whether it's calling local representatives, spreading the word, or sharing your story on how the BREATHE Act would change your life.
Consider: How did Trump's hateful and incendiary rhetoric directly affect my wellbeing? How did it impact my community? Those more vulnerable than me? Those more resourced than me?
GET EDUCATED
By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)
The following are the BLM's list of demands in response to the Capitol coup shared via email. Action items in today's email reference the points made below. I've added contextual information in italics with an asterisk *.
1. Impeach, convict, and ban Trump from future political office: Every second that Trump remains in office is a threat to our democracy. We are joining Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Rep. Cori Bush, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, and others who are demanding Trump be immediately impeached and convicted in the United States Senate. Trump must also be banned from holding elected office in the future. Call your members of Congress and demand they support impeachment by dialing (202) 224-3121.*It's not enough to simply impeach President Trump to prevent him from running again. Learn more aboutwhat needs to happen next, and learn how similar efforts have played out withother political leaders around the world.
2. Expel Republican members of Congress who attempted to overturn the election and incited a white supremacist attack: More than half the Republican representatives and multiple senators stoked Trump's conspiracy theories and encouraged the white supremacists to take action to overturn the election. We are supporting Rep. Cori Bush's resolution to expel them from Congress for their dangerous and traitorous actions. *Learn more about this resolution onCBS News.
3. Launch full investigation into the ties between Capitol Police and white supremacy: The Capitol was able to be breached and overrun by white supremacists attempting to disrupt a political process that is fundamental to our democracy. We know that police departments have been a safe haven for white supremacists to hide malintent behind a badge, because the badge was created for that purpose. Guilty parties need to be held accountable and fired. We are supporting Rep. Jamaal Bowman's COUP Act to investigate these connections. *Read more about the COUP Act.
4. Permanently ban Trump from all digital media platforms: Trump has always used his digital media platforms recklessly and irresponsibly to spread lies and disinformation. Now it is clearer than ever that his digital media is also used to incite violence and promote its continuation. He must be stopped from encouraging his mob and further endangering our communities, even after inauguration.*Here's aroundup of the actionsvarious tech platforms have taken to block Trump.
5. Defund the police: The police that met our BLM protestors this summer with assault rifles, teargas, and military-grade protective gear were the same police that, on Wednesday, met white supremacists with patience and the benefit of the doubt, going so far as to pose for selfies with rioters. The contrast was jarring, but not for Black people. We have always known who the police truly protect and serve. D.C. has the most police per capita in the country; more funding is not the solution.*Learn how calls to defund the police are translating politically with thisbreakdown of police budgetsacross the U.S.
6. Pass the BREATHE Act: The police were born out of slave patrols. We cannot reform an institution built upon white supremacy. We need a new, radical approach to public safety and community investment. The BREATHE Act paints a vision of a world where Black lives matter through investments in housing, education, health, and environmental justice.*Read more about The BREATHE Act.
Related Issues
10/1/2020 | Vote Trump out of office.
6/10/2020 | Defund the police.
11/16/2020 | Understand your local law enforcement.
PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT
Thank you for all your financial contributions! If you haven't already, consider making a monthly donation to this work. These funds will help me operationalize this work for greatest impact.
Subscribe on Patreon | Give one-time on PayPal | Venmo @nicoleacardoza
Repeal the Trump Equity Gag Order.
On September 22, the Trump administration signed an executive order prohibiting “divisive concepts" in diversity training programs such as systemic race and sex discrimination and implicit race and sex biases (White House). The order, often referred to as Executive Order 13950, seeks to discredit systemic racism and the impact of the enslavement and genocide of Black and Indigenous people. It discredits critical race theory. And it emphasizes that implicit bias has no place in policies, and federal policy shouldn’t be spent to combat it. All of this attempts to invalidate the work of organizations that have committed themselves – through research, advocacy, public policy, creating safe spaces, etc. – to name and dismantle white supremacy. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund has filed a lawsuit against this executive order (NAACP).
Happy Friday and welcome back. The Trump administration's executive order on racial diversity training was signed two months ago and has already made a devastating impact on institutions and organizations, including ours. Today is a straightforward call-to-action to preserve the education and advocacy of the topics you've been reading here each day.
Yesterday marked our six-month anniversary of the Anti-Racism Daily! I started this newsletter on June 3 to offer consistent ways to take action to dismantle white supremacy. I never thought we'd be fighting against an executive order six months later. But I'm grateful we get to do it, together.
This newsletter is made possible by our generous group of contributors. Support our work by making a one-time gift on our website or PayPal, or giving monthly on Patreon. You can also Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). To subscribe, go to antiracismdaily.com. You can share this newsletter and unlock some fun rewards by signing up here.
Nicole
TAKE ACTION
Sign the petition demanding the immediate repeal of the Trump Administration’s Equity Gag Order.
Use the hashtag #TruthBeTold to demand the repeal of the Equity Gag Order.
Fill out this form to provide any information on how the Equity Gag Order impacts your lives and communities.
These action items are provided by the African American Policy Forum, an innovative think tank that connects academics, activists, and policy-makers to promote efforts to dismantle structural inequality. Learn more about their work and support if you can.
GET EDUCATED
By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)
On September 22, the Trump administration signed an executive order prohibiting “divisive concepts" in diversity training programs such as systemic race and sex discrimination and implicit race and sex biases (White House). The order, often referred to as Executive Order 13950, seeks to discredit systemic racism and the impact of the enslavement and genocide of Black and Indigenous people. It discredits critical race theory. And it emphasizes that implicit bias has no place in policies, and federal policy shouldn’t be spent to combat it. All of this attempts to invalidate the work of organizations that have committed themselves – through research, advocacy, public policy, creating safe spaces, etc. – to name and dismantle white supremacy. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund has filed a lawsuit against this executive order (NAACP).
We briefly referenced Trump’s sentiment on this issue in a newsletter outlining the history of critical race theory, before the executive order was announced. But now, two months later, we must talk about the impact that this executive order has had for institutions across the U.S. – far beyond the federal government. Many people assumed that this order was more performative than anything. But it’s easy to discredit its impact if you’re unfamiliar with the reach of federal funding.
First off, it had an immediate and significant impact on federal contractors themselves. The National Fair Housing Association, which rallies to end housing discrimination, provides training for federal agencies and industry leaders to ensure fair and equitable practices. As we’ve discussed in previous newsletters, systemic racism plays a significant part in housing equity – and all of this is exacerbated with COVID-19. Lisa Rice, the organization’s President and Chief Executive Officer, emphasizes that undoing systemic racism is critical for mitigating these issues. But because of this gag order, her organization is now restricted from effectively explaining why this gap exists.
“
If we cannot tell the truth, we cannot effectively advocate for the policies that we need.
Lisa Rice, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Fair Housing Association
But it goes beyond contractors. Organizations that rely on funding from the federal government worked quickly to act accordingly. This includes the education space, which is particularly horrifying. We’ve written about how critical it is to promote anti-racism education, from diversifying curriculum to actively acknowledging racism with the Gen Z community. Stanford University was thrust into the spotlight when they publicly released a checklist for approving diversity content. The corresponding memo states that the university prohibits diversity training that discusses whether the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist or whether meritocracy is racist, sexist, or made by one race to oppress another, alongside other referenced statements in the executive order (Venture Beat). After public backlash, the university expressed that the memo was shared pre-emptively and did not reflect their values.
It’s also affected organizations doing the work completely separate from federal agencies. The AAPI shared examples in their talk, and participants joined in through the live chat, and the impact was broad. An elementary teacher had her children’s books reviewed for restricted content. A diversity and inclusion trainer was asked to remove anti-racism from their invoice. A student was requested to remove lines about white supremacy from their dissertation! And our newsletter has been banned in schools and organizations alike – one organization asked if we could change our name to comply with their corporate standards.
So when we can’t talk about the historical context of these inequities, where does it leave us? Rice emphasizes that it places the blame on the victim; the individual suffering from these systemic inequities is responsible – not the system or the structures that oppress them. This idea is something that the administration has pushed consistently. Just weeks after this was launched, Donald Trump Jr. put it bluntly, stating that Black people have to “want to be successful” for his father’s policies to work (AP News).
“
Anti-racist speech is the most American speech. But we have to counter that against a President that believes ‘Make America Great Again,’ which means ‘make America white again.’
Charles R. Lawrence, III, professor and anti-racism scholar
This type of erasure attempts to diminish accountability for the federal government. But it also aims to deteriorate the foundation and strength of Black people. Our history, our culture, and legacy are not defined by the systemic inequities that we’ve faced – but certainly influenced by it. Furthermore, our labor and exploitation were critical to this nation’s growth and development; we wouldn’t be here without it. We can’t move forward if we don’t acknowledge where we’re coming from.
Based on the Biden adminstration’s focus on racial equity, it’s expected that this executive order will be reversed shortly after inauguration (USA Today). Ideally, they implement an executive order that counters this one, reinforcing the importance of this education for federal agencies, schools, and other institutions. And, most importantly, we must commit to keep doing this work ourselves. Continue to educate yourself, have tough conversations, and rally for change.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
On September 22, the Trump administration signed an executive order prohibiting “divisive concepts" in diversity training programs such as systemic race and sex discrimination and implicit race and sex biases (White House)
This executive order affects the scope of what federal agencies can learn about racial inequity and how it influences their work
It's also created complications for how racial history and theory can be taught in schools and corporate settings
This gag order restricts us from acknowledging the impact of racism in America and discredits the resilience and strength of the communities impacted
RELATED ISSUES
9/7/2020 | Learn about critical race theory.
9/21/2020 | Support the 1619 Project.
12/2/2020 | Fight racism within Gen Z.
PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT
Thank you for all your financial contributions! If you haven't already, consider making a monthly donation to this work. These funds will help me operationalize this work for greatest impact.
Subscribe on Patreon | Give one-time on PayPal | Venmo @nicoleacardoza
Be afraid of COVID-19.
With over 208,000 people lost and 7.5M reported cases, yesterday the President told the American people not to “be afraid of COVID-19”. This tweet was sent after the President was rushed to the hospital after contracting COVID-19 last week, likely at a White House event where most participants did not wear masks or properly social distance.
Currently, the news cycle is laser-focused on how a small and exclusive group of rich, powerful white people contracted COVID-19. Yet during that time, hundreds of thousands of everyday people have, too. The resurgence of the virus across the U.S. is discomforting, to say the least. But being afraid of a global pandemic that's ravaging the country and exposing its systemic inequities is a much more compassionate response than apathy or greed. Today, we unpack why it's critical we take this virus – and the disparities it illuminates – seriously as we head to the holidays.
Remember, you can always switch from a daily newsletter to a weekly digest (sent on Saturdays) by updating your profile information here.
Your support helps sustain this daily, free newsletter. Thanks to you, we can write about what matters, and center the voices of people of color that are often overlooked in the media industry. Make a contribution on our website, PayPal, Venmo (@nicoleacardoza), or subscribe monthly on Patreon. Thank you!
Nicole
ps – the title isn't to spark fear, but solidarity. Please remember how many lives are at stake beyond your own.
TAKE ACTION
Find a local mutual aid network in your community that you can support through the winter.
Double-down on your preventative practices where possible: wear your mask, maintain physical distance, wash your hands, and stay home when you’re feeling sick.
Vote for state and federal candidates that take COVD-19 seriously.
GET EDUCATED
By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)
With over 208,000 people lost and 7.5M reported cases, the President told the American people not to “be afraid of COVID-19” on Twitter. This tweet was sent after the President was sent to the hospital after contracting COVID-19 last week, likely at an event at the White House where most participants did not wear masks or properly social distance. Since that event, over a dozen senior staffers and many more staff members have positively tested for COVID-19 (NYTimes).
If all that irony wasn’t enough, the President’s tweet shortly followed new evidence from the CDC that COVID-19 can “travel distances beyond six feet,” acknowledging that the virus can be “spread by airborne transmission“ indoors with inadequate ventilation (CDC).
This is major. The organization had made this statement earlier this month, but retracted it quickly, saying that a draft was posted in error (Forbes). And for months prior, hundreds of experts from around the world were pressing the organization to acknowledge the possibility of airborne infections to no avail (NYTimes). Although it’s unclear what the hesitation has been to draw short of calling it airborne, this acknowledgment may prompt much more stringent adherence to preventative measures.
And we need to be vigilant now more than ever. With over 43,000 cases a day, the U.S. has reached its highest daily contract rate of the disease than in the past two months (NYTimes). Twenty-one states have seen a rise in cases (CNN), and the average number of people hospitalized for coronavirus in a week rose recently for the first time since July (Covid Tracking Project).
As we’ve reported repeatedly throughout the past three months, the racial disparities of the impact of COVID-19 are significant. The latest from a Senate committee report shows that Black people are dying from COVID-19 at 3.4 times the rate of white people, and the disease is the cause of 1 in 5 deaths among Latinx. In addition, American Indian or Alaska Native patients are 4x more likely to be hospitalized than white people (NPR). And although many states and major cities acknowledged racism as a public health crisis and created various taskforces and initiatives to help offset the disproportionate impact, critics are skeptical on how effective these initiatives have been (WTTW).
As the weather cools across the country and people head indoors, there’s already an increased likelihood for the virus to spread. With the latest news from the CDC, it’s presumable that chances to catch the virus may increase. Already, we’re spending more time in close proximity: many people have returned back to offices, schools and daycares, and 39% of Americans plan to travel this holiday season (Hopper). And as we enter flu season, health officials are warning of a “twindemic,” where flu-like symptoms may mask symptoms of COVID-19, or weaken immune systems to make people more susceptible to catching both. The flu is also likely to take up valuable space in doctors’ offices and hospitals, which could greatly hinder a state’s ability to respond to a COVID-19 outbreak (NYTimes).
But we shouldn’t only be afraid of ourselves – or each other – contracting the virus. We need to fear the impact it’s having on our lives and our livelihood. Consider employment: as of this month, over 2.4M people have been out of work for six months, which constitutes long-term employment (Bureau of Labor Statistics). But more damaging: at least 5M more people will be unemployed long-term by the end of the year. Entire industries, like hospitality and travel, are struggling to return. Companies that have shifted to remote learning may never go back to offices. Over 3M people have lost their health insurance since the pandemic started, leaving them vulnerable to future potential illnesses (Forbes). And eviction moratoriums, student loan and mortgage forbearances, and other graces provided to those in need are unlikely to last forever. Our foundation is crumbling quickly and has already eroded for too many people.
Most urgently, we need to fear political leaders that are not afraid of COVID-19. We cannot afford to continue to respond to the health, social, and economic impact of this pandemic in such a careless way. Our future depends on leaders that can acknowledge and swiftly respond to this crisis – let alone the ones that may come next. Protect those around you – especially those most vulnerable – by doing your part to decrease the virus’s spread and the misinformation our President promotes.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Over 208,000 people have lost their lives due to COVID-19, and another 75M have contracted it.
New CDC guidelines warn that the virus can be spread airborne indoors
Despite efforts, there's still a wide range in racial disparities of contracting and surviving from COVID-19
We must continue to acknowledge the growing threat of COVID-19 as we head into fall and towards an upcoming election
RELATED ISSUES
9/16/2020 | Fight for paid sick leave.
9/6/2020 | Protect the aging population from COVID-19.
8/23/2020 | Support those incarcerated and impacted by COVID-19.
8/16/2020 | Think before eating out.
8/9/2020 | Understand the unemployment gap | COVID-19
7/27/2020 | Support Asian Americans through COVID-19.
7/19/2020 | Rally for representation in science and research: COVID-19 and CDC.
PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT
Thank you for all your financial contributions! If you haven't already, consider making a monthly donation to this work. These funds will help me operationalize this work for greatest impact.
Subscribe on Patreon | Give one-time on PayPal | Venmo @nicoleacardoza
Vote Trump out of office.
Hi everyone,
Yesterday was a tough day. I sat down to write an email about the debate and the news that's unfolded since, but realized that I've already written it. In fact, the current news is four years (and decades more) in the making. Trump did not condemn white supremacy Tuesday night. And he hasn't condemned it throughout his presidency. In fact, he's encouraged it.
Today's email is an adaptation of what I sent back in June when Trump shared a white power message on his Twitter. It outlines just a little of the terror white supremacy has inflicted in this country. As you read, consider how you can counter the hateful rhetoric you may hear beyond the debates. Racism doesn't end when Trump is out of office. Ending it starts with tough conversations with your friends and family.
Thank you for all your support! As always, you can support the newsletter by giving one-time on PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza), or subscribe monthly on Patreon.
Nicole
TAKE ACTION
Vote for Biden/Harris this upcoming election. Remember: not voting is a vote for Trump.
Join #DefeatbyTweet, an initiative where you can donate $0.02 every time Trump tweets (about $18/mo) to Justice Fund, a group of Black-led grassroots political organizations working in swing states to get people to vote.
Have a conversation with a Trump supporter you know about this newsletter.
GET EDUCATED
By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)
At the first presidential debate Tuesday night, Trump chose not to condemn white supremacy (Blavity). But if you've been listening, you may not have been surprised: Trump has actively supported white supremacy throughout his presidency.
Take for example, on Sunday, June 28, President Trump retweeted (and deleted) a video of a Trump supporter yelling "white power," thanking the "great people" in the footage (via NPR). After the tweet was deleted, White House spokesman Judd Deere released a statement that “President Trump is a big fan of The Villages [the community where the video was filmed]. He did not hear the one statement made on the video. What he did see was tremendous enthusiasm from his many supporters" (via AP News).
Before we start, I need to make one thing clear: President Trump is racist. This is not up for debate in my inbox. Whether he has deep-seated beliefs that white people are the superior race, incites racism solely for his political agenda, or is consistently unintentionally racist makes no difference to me. When it comes to this work, it shouldn't matter to you. These types of arguments center Trump's character instead of the social and political harm he creates. And as we discussed in an earlier newsletter, impact, not intent, needs to be our focus as we dismantle white supremacy. He is also bigoted, sexist, islamophobic, homophobic, and xenophobic (to name a few), and the intersectionality of these often come into play in his rhetoric. No anti-racism work includes voting for Trump in 2020.
The tweet mentioned above follows a series of hateful comments and actions from Trump over the past few weeks – and frankly, the past few years – which feel in strict defiance of the movement reshaping our nation. Remember that feelings on racism are rapidly shifting left in America (NYTimes)! Meanwhile, just over half of America considered him racist back in 2019 (USA Today). Here's a running list of Trump's hateful commentary since the 1970s (Vox).
I don't want to say that one comment is "worse" than another because they're all terrible. But sharing and thanking someone for saying "white power" is egregious. The term "white power" is a popular phrase used by “white supremacists,” people that believe that white is the dominant race and should have power over other races (more via ADL).
Side note: the Anti-Defamation League has a glossary of definitions on terms you'll see reflected here and in the articles I've referenced. Read more >
The slogan was chosen a counter-rally to the term "Black power," a positive phrase used by activists during the Civil Rights Movement. It united not just those uncomfortable with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 but also the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (Southern Poverty Law Center). But the white power movement grew to become not just a racially-motivated organization, but a politically-motivated one. Kathleen Belew, author of The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America, cites that the Vietnam War was a significant motivator to organizing and activating this group against one enemy – the government.
Remember that up to this point, the government was actually the ones purporting racist policies. It relied on like-minded vigilantes that were willing and able "to reinforce official policies like slavery and Jim Crow" (NYTimes). The Civil Rights Movement was received as a threat; it demonstrated that the country was adopting more equitable views, and allowing more power and privileges to non-white communities.
This group took arms against the government in smaller, isolated incidents, but culminated in the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing. Timothy McVeigh, Terry Nichols, and other anti-government racists parked a truck of explosives under the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building’s daycare, killing 168 people – including 19 children leaving hundreds more injured (History). The Oklahoma City bombing was "the worst terrorist attack to take place on U.S. soil" until 9/11. The youngest survivor of the attack is 26 years old, and his family reflects on the experience in The Buffalo News.
“Ideologies are sometimes not just ideologies. They result in awful actions and we need to be vigilant about that.”
Dennis Purifoy, survivor of the Oklahoma City Bombing, for the NYTimes
And violent acts of white supremacy continue. It inspired Dylann Roof in 2015 in South Carolina, and James Alex Fields Jr. in Virginia in 2018 (read about both of these murders in our newsletter re: Confederate symbols). A Coast Guard lieutenant and "self-defined white nationalist" was charged in 2019 for stockpiling weapons and planning to start a race war (NYTimes). Twenty-two people were killed at a Walmart in El Paso, TX, by a white supremacist against immigration (Axios). In 2019, a U.S. State Department report named that racially and ethnically motivated terrorism from white supremacists is “on the rise and spreading geographically" (Forbes).
When the protests over the murder of George Floyd began in June, many cities started to question whether white supremacists have been intentionally disrupting the demonstrations from the past month, inciting violence and looting (examples from NBC Chicago, NYTimes, and CBS News). The unrest aligns with a critical white supremacist concept called "accelerationism" – inciting and encouraging violence to draw more people into a war (Brookings).
One of these groups is the Proud Boys, a male-only far-right organization that was most prominent at Portland’s protests. They see themselves as a counter to the “terrorist group Antifa” and often arrive at protests carrying firearms and donned in body armor to support the President, law, and order, and police (CNN). Their chairman, Enrique Tarrio, says that the group does not discriminate (Tarrio himself is Cuban American). However, the group consistently centers misogynistic, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant views in their approach to "reinstating a spirit of Western chauvinism” (CNN). Tarrio said he interpreted "stand back and stand by" to mean that they should just keep doing what they're doing. He also made t-shirts with the words “Proud Boys Stand By” in honor of the President’s remarks (Blavity).
There is no justification for the racist rhetoric Trump shares. Inciting violence and terror as a president encourages others to repeat the violence and terror of our past. Our democracy doesn’t deserve another four years of this.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Trump has a long history of hateful and racist rhetoric.
Throughout our history, government officials have encouraged white supremacists to spew violence.
And the rise of violence from far-right groups like the Proud Boys is simiilar.
RELATED ISSUES
7/4/2020 | Weekly Reflection: White terrorists, Black spaces, and deleting Facebook.
7/14/2020 | Embrace your race privilege.
6/18/2020 | Take down Confederate symbols.
PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT
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Learn about critical race theory.
"Our social world, with its rules, practices, and assignments of prestige and power, is not fixed; rather, we construct with it words, stories and silence. But we need not acquiesce in arrangements that are unfair and one-sided. By writing and speaking against them, we may hope to contribute to a better, fairer world.”
– Critical Race Theory: The Cutting Edge (Third Edition)
Happy Monday. After a series of incendiary tweets, many people are asking about what critical race theory is, and how far the president will go to polarize the nation on the issue of race. Today's newsletter dives into the impact of these recent events and what we can do to keep the conversation moving forward.
As always, your support is greatly appreciated. These contributions are our only source of funding and help us pay writers and develop new resources. You can give one-time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza), or subscribe for $5/mo on our Patreon.
Nicole
TAKE ACTION
Reflect on the following questions, common to critical race theory work:
What is the significance of race in contemporary American society?
Where, in what ways, and to what ends does race appear in dominant American culture and shape the ways we interact with one another?
What types of texts and other cultural artifacts reflect dominant culture’s perceptions of race?
How can scholars convey that racism is a concern that affects all members of society?
How does racism continue to function as a persistent force in American society?
How can we combat racism to ensure that all members of American society experience equal representation and access to fundamental rights?
How can we accurately reflect the experiences of victims of racism?
Source: Purdue, which also has a comprehensive overview of critical race theory.
Research both presidential candidates’ agendas for racial equity. Choose one proposed policy by each candidate, and use the same questions for more critical inquiry.
GET EDUCATED
Last Friday, Trump worked to cancel anti-racism trainings held by government agencies, a move that was widely shared on his social media. In a memo, the director of the Office of Management and Budget tells the agencies to “begin to identify all contracts or other agency spending related to any training on ‘critical race theory,’ ‘white privilege,’ or any other training or propaganda effort that teaches or suggests either (1) that the United States is an inherently racist or evil country or (2) that any race or ethnicity is inherently racist or evil” (NYTimes). This action was sparked after a conservative activist was featured on Fox News segment that argued that these diversity trainings are “racist,” and “systematically attack the unifying ideals of this country” (CNN).
But these accusations aren’t accurate. Critical race theory is a school of thought designed to help identify and understand how racism plays a part in our society. It doesn’t say that everyone is racist, but that racism is a part of everyday life for people of color and unpacks how racial bias influences our conscious and unconscious responses. Although it began as an academic theory, critical race theory is widely taught and studied cross disciplines, including education, sociology, and law.
Some of the key themes within critical race theory include topics like institutional racism, microaggressions, reparations, determinism, intersectionality, and white privilege (JSTOR). It encourages criticism of liberal anti-racism ideas, like colorblindness and affirmative action (Harvard). And it emphasizes that creating spaces for communities of color to share their stories is necessary for growth. Critical race theory has influenced the approach I’ve taken with this very newsletter. Explore our archives to find many of these topics covered in previous newsletters. And if you’re interested, you can find a more comprehensive overview of critical race theory via PDF here.
More variations of critical race theory have evolved to focus on specific ethnic/racial groups, or intersectionalities within ethnic/racial groups, including critical race feminism (CRF), Latino critical race studies (LatCrit),[50] Asian American critical race studies (AsianCrit), South Asian American critical race studies (DesiCrit), American Indian critical race studies (TribCrit), and disability critical race studies (DisCrit).
Before we discuss the broader implications of this change, we need to recognize its immediate impact. The federal government is the largest employer in the nation, employing nearly 9.1 million workers, or 6% of the total employment in the United States (The Hill). If these trainings do cease, they could negatively impact the workplace culture and the diversity of its staff.
Also, studies prove that federal contracts are disproportionately awarded to white-owned businesses, which has increased over the past twenty years (Washington Post). Not only will removing these trainings prevent leaders internally from being equipped to address these disparities, it eschews responsibility from fair and equitable practices moving forward.
And this has broader implications for our nation’s conversation on race. In some ways, this comment from Trump is nothing new; Trump’s social and political career has been shaped by his perception of race throughout the past decades (NYTimes). And in the past few months alone, he’s incited violence, denounced the Black Lives Matter movement, dismissed police brutality, and fueled anti-Asian racism during COVID-19, for starters (Vox).
But this action doesn’t just denounce marginalized communities and acts of injustice, but the concept of racism itself. Instead of delegitimizing movements towards racial equity, it’s as if he aims to eliminate the idea altogether. Regardless, it detracts from the racial reckoning that our country is fighting for, and is likely to incite more contention in a time where revolution is essential now more than ever.
Denouncing a theory doesn’t change the facts. It only emphasizes them. Racism is enough of an issue in the U.S. to drive political leaders to infer that it isn’t, which is why we need to continue to stay in inquiry with this work.
It feels a bit counterintuitive to write this; if you’re reading this newsletter, you’re clearly still part of the conversation. But nevertheless, we need to stay in dialogue – not about racism itself, but the actions we’ll take to transform this nation and provide justice for all. Because the how is the only part of the conversation that will move us forward. And we deserve to have clear and constructive steps outlined by both candidates as we head to the polls this November.
key takeaways
Critical race theory is a school of thought that analyzes how racism persists in social and political systems
The Trump administration aims to remove diversity trainings that use critical race theory, which impacts the federal government and conversations on race as a whole
Trump has fueled racism and divisiveness to maintain and gain power.
RELATED ISSUES
6/29/2020 | Don't vote for Trump.
7/23/2020 | Know our racist presidential history.
7/21/2020 | Honor the legacy of Rep. John Lewis.
7/6/2020 | Abolish qualified immunity.
6/30/2020 | Boycott as a form of protest.
6/26/2020 | Face the bias in facial recognition software.
PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT
Thank you for all your financial contributions! If you haven't already, consider making a monthly donation to this work. These funds will help me operationalize this work for greatest impact.
Subscribe on Patreon | Give one-time on PayPal | Venmo @nicoleacardoza
Protect the right to vote by mail.
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Alright. Buckle up because this one is a wild ride. I don’t know about you, but I hadn’t been following the USPS situation closely until researching this newsletter and wow. Wow. Let’s take a journey through history to fully understand how the struggling U.S. Postal Service and a surge of voting by mail can aggravate disenfranchisement for communities of color.
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Nicole
TAKE ACTION
Sign the change.org petition to save the USPS.
Get clear on the vote by mail rules and deadlines in your state, including any initiatives to protect the right to vote by mail.
GET EDUCATED
The Trump administration has expressed repeatedly that there is “tremendous potential” for vote by mail fraud, and Trump himself has gone as far as to suggest postponing the election (Twitter). Although experts say that voting by mail is more vulnerable than voting in person, actual fraudulent incidents are rare. Of those, they have been easily detectable – like the incident during North Carolina’s Ninth Congressional District race in 2018 (NYTimes). Any fraud with the capacity to sway the outcome of a national election would be easy to identify. Five states – Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, and Utah – already conduct elections almost entirely by mail and haven’t recorded significant fraud of note (NCSL). Nevertheless, Republicans and Democrats alike call for more accountability and scrutiny to minimize harm during this unprecedented time.
It’s more accurate to argue the “tremendous potential” for vote by mail disenfranchisement than vote by mail fraud. Take the current situation in New York. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo encouraged voters across the state to participate in the June primaries through vote by mail, widely distributing mail-in ballots throughout New York City. But election staffs quickly became overwhelmed with 400,000 mail-in ballots, 10x the number of mailed-in ballots received in previous elections (NYTimes). Six weeks later, two congressional races remain undecided, and election officials fear that 20% of ballots for New York’s 12th Congressional District will be thrown out, disenfranchising over 100,000 voices (The Intercept). Similar issues in California earlier this year (PBS) and historically in other states raise the same concerns (The Intercept).
There are many reasons for a ballot to be thrown out during the counting period. Some are human error: incorrectly filling out forms associated with the ballot, forgetting to sign, or having a signature that doesn’t match their voter registration form. It is important to note that although user-driven, many of these errors disproportionately impact voters of color and language-minority voters (The Intercept). But the focus of today’s newsletter looks at the responsibility of the U.S. Postal Service, which is partially responsible for the issues in New York City. An essential part of mail-in voting relies on delivery dates: depending on the state, ballots can be disqualified if they’re not received by the election deadline, or at least postmarked by that date. In New York, thousands of voters didn’t receive their ballots until the day before the primary. Also, the U.S. Postal Service “had difficulty” processing ballots with their prepaid return envelope, potentially invalidating thousands more (NYTimes). In Michigan, currently preparing for its primary on August 4th, election administrators said they have “fielded complaints from voters who had not yet received their ballots” (Washington Post).
The U.S. Postal Service is having a rough 2020. In fact, it’s been having a tough go since the mid-2000s, when consumer habits and economic instability ravaged its revenue. Earnings plummeted as people shifted from mailing letters to sending texts with the rise of mobile devices, and the Great Recession of 2008 obliterated first-class mail volume – a high margin profit source (Washington Post). In 2019, the USPS delivered 31.4% less mail than the year prior. But in contrast, the number of individual mailboxes, P.O. boxes, and other “delivery points” typically grows by 1 million or more each year (Pew Research). Although shipping packages to same-day shipping-obsessed-consumers generates some revenue, the USPS is approximately $160B in debt (Washington Post).
With the situation looking dire earlier this year, the Trump administration appointed Louis DeJoy, a North Carolina businessman and major Trump donor, as the new postmaster general, who immediately created sweeping changes to make the USPS a more viable business model (NPR). These changes include “prohibiting overtime pay, shutting down sorting machines early and requiring letter carriers to leave mail behind when necessary to avoid extra trips or late delivery on routes” (Washington Post). DeJoy made it clear that “if we [USPS] cannot deliver all mail” because of staff shortages, “the mail will not go out,” causing concerns about its accountability to the upcoming election (The Hill).
It’s important to note here that the U.S. Postal Service wasn’t designed to be a thriving and flourishing for-profit business like FedEx or UPS, but a public service democratizing access to information – uniting a nation across its vast terrain (Washington Post). This model, though, was made possible by using enslaved people at its start, perpetuating a long legacy of racism and discrimination through inequitable pay and lack of job security through its history. That conversation is for another newsletter (Smithsonian Institute).
These changes went into effect mid-July, so let’s look at how these changes are unfolding. Across the U.S., mail service is slowing and inconsistent. In Overbrook, a community in West Philadelphia, mail delivery is taking weeks, forcing citizens to go without paychecks and medicine (Inquirer). Boxes pile up in local offices without the capacity to sort and deliver efficiently. Anonymous supervisors told the Inquirer that they’ve been instructed to leave mail behind and prioritize the delivery of Amazon packages instead (Inquirer). According to Niche, Overbrook’s demographics are 78% African American, which emphasizes a point made by COLORLINES earlier this year: communities of color – particularly in rural communities – are more likely to rely on services the USPS provides, like checks through the mail, money orders, medicine, and necessary resources during COVID-19 (COLORLINES). Consequently, we can expect that they can be disproportionately impacted by voter disenfranchisement as the election nears.
And these broad political and economic decisions also burden the postal workers on the ground. Over 630,000 people work at the USPS and represent a more diverse workforce than most of America. 23% of Postal Service workers are black, 11% are Hispanic, and 7% are Asian (Pew Research). These essential workers are critical to our democracy’s future but have less support than they did before the pandemic. Across Philadelphia, at least 133 Postal Service employees have tested positive for the coronavirus since March, and two employees have died (Inquirer). Cases exacerbate the short-staffed individuals, and the lack of overtime may make it impossible for anyone to deliver mail. One carrier is working 90 hours/week and still unable to finish his routes (Inquirer). Conditions worsen as postal workers face angry and frustrated customers on the ground or inside post office facilities. And working conditions are harder with rules like reducing “park points,” or places where carriers park their trucks to walk packages to nearby homes. By decreasing the number of times workers can stop and rest, they’re more likely to be on their feet and exposed to the outdoor environment (Washington Post).
The House Oversight and Reform Committee called a hearing to examine recent changes to the USPS. They’ve asked DeJoy tor his testimony on Sept. 17 to “examine operation changes to the U.S. Postal Service” and “the need for on-time mail delivery during the ongoing pandemic and upcoming election, which as you know may be held largely by mail-in ballot” (The Hill). And as 18 states hold primary elections this month, we’ll have greater insight on how drastically the USPS can affect elections this November. One thing is clear: we must protect our right to vote by mail, especially for those most marginalized, and rethink the role of the U.S. Postal Service so it can continue to serve us fairly and equitably.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The impact of COVID-19 is encouraging more states to promote vote by mail to participate in upcoming elections
The Trump administration continues to note "tremendous potential" for vote by mail fraud, which is factually untrue
The USPS, under new leadership, is slowing mail delivery making it more difficult for communities to receive necessary mail, including vote in mail ballots
The USPS could play a role in disenfranchising thousands of voters in upcoming elections
The shifts at the USPS disproportionately impact communities of color
RELATED ISSUES
July 23, 2020 | Know our racist presidential history.
July 21, 2020 | Honor the legacy of Rep. John Lewis.
June 29, 2020 | Don't vote for Trump.
June 24, 2020 | Fight voter suppression.
PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT
Thank you for all your financial contributions! If you haven't already, consider making a monthly donation to this work. These funds will help me operationalize this work for greatest impact.
Subscribe on Patreon | Give one-time on PayPal | Venmo @nicoleacardoza
Know our racist presidential history.
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TAKE ACTION
Choose one U.S. President and research their lives, using the following guidelines:
How did this president support the livelihood of non-white people in America?
Which laws / policies did they establish (or rescind) that affected the rights of non-white people?
How did they demonstrate racism on an interpersonal level?
What actions did they take that created or upheld systems of advantage based on skin color?
Share what you learned on Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #antiracismdaily so we can all learn from each other.
GET EDUCATED
In a virtual town hall with the Service Employees International Union yesterday, Biden bluntly said that Trump is the country’s first racist president, admonishing his racist statements against the Asian community when referencing COVID-19 (Washington Post).
“No sitting president has ever done this. Never, never, never. No Republican president has done this. No Democratic president. We’ve had racists, and they’ve existed, they’ve tried to get elected president. He’s the first one that has”.
Joe Biden
Trump has been wielding racism for political gain (which we covered in a previous newsletter) for his entire presidency, so I can see the strategic value of Biden doing the same. And since polarizing statements grab headlines (another tactic Trump uses), big statements like this get people talking about Trump’s impact as a president. I also appreciate that Biden’s statement says what many other political leaders and media have been afraid to – that President Trump is racist (especially because, as the Washington Post notes, Biden has tiptoed around naming this in the past).
And although I can see the strategic value, I don’t condone it. Because here’s the thing. Racism is not just a political tactic. Racism is a global pandemic. Racism is a public health crisis. Racism murders innocent people, incarcerates vulnerable youth, and displaces entire communities. It robs us of our right to breathe and leaves us with trauma that lasts generations. So as we watch racism unfold during election season, don’t let its effect on the polls come before its impact on those most marginalized. Yes, we need to vote. And we need to keep doing the work to dismantle systemic oppression each and every day.
Also, Biden’s statement isn’t true. Trump is absolutely racist, to be clear (and has not “done more for Black Americans than anybody with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln”). But so are many other presidents from our history. For starters, 12 of our nation’s presidents — over 25% — enslaved people during their lifetimes. Of these, eight held enslaved people while in office (History). Aside from John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams, every president from George Washington to Ulysses Grant owned enslaved people (History). Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the U.S., once offered $50 for the return of a runaway enslaved person and $10 extra “for every hundred lashes any person will give him, to the amount of 300” (Associated Press). He also focused on forcibly removing Indigenous communities from their tribal lands towards the west, creating the “Trail of Tears,” a treacherous 5,000-mile route that Indigenous communities were forced to use (Business Insider).
But it doesn’t end there. Woodrow Wilson used his time in office to re-segregate multiple agencies of the federal government, creating “separate but equal” facilities at the Department of Treasury, Post Office Department, and Railway Mail Service. He personally fired 15 out of 17 black supervisors in his own service and replaced them with white people. The head of the Internal Revenue division in Georgia fired all his black employees, saying, "there are no government positions for Negroes in the South. A Negro's place in the cornfield." And by 1914, all job applications for the federal government required a photo to be considered (Vox).
FDR supported the internment of Japanese-Americans in California during World War I (NYMag). Nixon believed in a hierarchy of races, with whites and Asians much higher up than people of African descent and Latinos, which influenced his policy decisions on welfare reform in 1971 (The Atlantic). George H.W. Bush’s “War on Drugs” disproportionately, and intentionally, targeted people of color (Harvard).
And while we’re here, let’s take a quick look at the White House real quick, which was also built by enslaved people. At least nine presidents brought their existing enslaved people to live at the White House as "chefs, gardeners, stable hands, maids, butlers, lady’s maids, valets, and more" and lived in uncomfortable, damp, rodent-infested spaces (White House History).
“I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves”.
First Lady Michelle Obama, 2016 DNC Speech
There are so many more instances we can add to this list, but I think you get the point. And remember that the goal isn’t to create some type of competition to choose the “most racist president”. That’s the wrong line of thinking. Any type of racism, no matter how nuanced, still creates and perpetuates systemic racism. Instead of trying to minimize or maximize harm on a scale, we must acknowledge all of the instances of racism our presidents have contributed to the foundation of our nation.
Some people will argue that because things back in the day “weren’t consider racist,” they don’t count as we look at history with a modern-day lens. But racism is not up for interpretation. Racism, by its standard definition, means “a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race” and “a political or social system founded on racism” (Merriam-Webster). And there’s evidence of this weaved into every example mentioned above – both the individual prejudice our nation’s presidents had, and how they used them to create and reinforce systems. Regardless of how many people felt during this time period, or what these actions were called, racism was still very much happening, lying the foundation for the inequities we experience today.
And this definition of racism doesn’t paint the full picture. The definitions Merriam-Webster offer demonstrates how racism perpetuates, but not the imbalance of power that comes with it. And as we know after reading the Anti-Racism Daily for the past 50 days (🙃) it’s the disparities that stem from racism that disproportionately affect non-white people in our society.
That’s why Kennedy Mitchum, 22 years old at the time, emailed Merriam-Webster to ask them to expand the definition to further define racism as “a system of advantage based on skin color” (The Atlantic). From her perspective, “there is a system, and then there is individual bias. There are structures that perpetuate racism and then people who give in to that system. These two things should go hand in hand” (NYTimes). Her insight may be why more people have been using the term “white supremacy” when discussing racism to emphasize the imbalance. The dictionary company agreed with Mitchum’s definition and should have an updated entry shortly (NYTimes). So re-read the examples above and consider – how did these presidents contribute to the systems of advantage people experience based on skin color today?
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Biden called Trump our "first" racist president, which doesn't acknowledge the long line of racism in our nation's leadership
Even if we didn't call actions from past presidents racist back then, they're still a part of the racism in our society today
Any type of racism, no matter how nuanced, still creates and perpetuates systemic racism.
Our definition of racism is evolving to account for the power that some benefit from as a result of racism
Trump is still racist and we're still not voting for him this November
Related Issues
June 29 | Don't vote for Trump.
PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT
Thank you for all your financial contributions! If you haven't already, consider making a monthly donation to this work. These funds will help me operationalize this work for greatest impact.
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Don't vote for Trump.
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Happy Monday,
Our president tweeted a video with the words "white power" in it, and somehow – after everything – I still can't believe it. So we're talking about it in today's newsletter: the history of the white power movement, its rise over the past few years, and the racist rhetoric Trump is pushing during these revolutionary times.
I encourage you to read today's newsletter and be in inquiry on how we often minimize or justify racist rhetoric. It might be easier to call it out when Trump says something, but not our beloved uncle at the dinner table. How do you make justifications for racist things people close to you may say?
If these newsletters are supporting you, considering giving one-time on PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza), or subscribe monthly on Patreon – just like a newspaper subscription.
Nicole
TAKE ACTION
Don't vote for Trump.
Consider joining #DefeatbyTweet, an initiative where you can donate $0.02 every time Trump tweets (about $18/mo) to Justice Fund, a group of Black-led grassroots political organizations working in swing states to get people to vote.
Have a conversation with a Trump supporter you know about this newsletter.
GET EDUCATED
On Sunday, June 28 President Trump retweeted (and deleted) a video of a Trump supporter yelling "white power," thanking the "great people" in the footage (via NPR). After the tweet was deleted, White House spokesman Judd Deere released a statement that “President Trump is a big fan of The Villages [the community where the video was filmed]. He did not hear the one statement made on the video. What he did see was tremendous enthusiasm from his many supporters" (via AP News).
Before we start, I need to make one thing clear: President Trump is racist. This is not up for debate in my inbox. Whether he has deep seated beliefs that white people are the superior race, incites racism solely for his political agenda, or is consistently unintentionally racist makes no difference to me, and when it comes to this work, it shouldn't to you. These types of arguments center Trump's character instead of the social and political harm he creates. And as we discussed in an earlier newsletter, impact, not intent, needs to be our focus as we dismantle white supremacy. He is also bigoted, sexist, islamophobic, homophobic, and xenophobic (to name a few) and the intersectionality of these often come into play in his rhetoric. There is no anti-racism work that includes voting for Trump in 2020.
The aforementioned tweet follows a series of hateful commentary and actions from Trump over the past few weeks – and frankly, the past few years – which feel in strict defiance of the movement reshaping our nation. Remember that feelings on racism are rapidly shifting left in America (NYTimes)! Meanwhile, just over half of America considered him racist back in 2019 (USA Today). Here's a running list of Trump's hateful commentary since the 1970s (Vox).
I don't want to say that one comment is "worse" than another, because they're all bad. But sharing and thanking someone for saying "white power" is egregious. The term "white power" is a popular phrase used by white supremacists, or people that believe that white is the dominant race and should have power over other races (more via ADL).
Side note: the Anti-Defamation League has a glossary of definitions on terms you'll see reflected here and in the articles I've referenced. Read more >
The slogan was chosen a counter-rally to the term "Black power," a positive phrase used by activists during the Civil Rights Movement. It united not just those uncomfortable with Civil Rights Act of 1964, but the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (Southern Poverty Law Center). But the white power movement grew to become not just a racially-motivated organization, but a politically-motivated one too. Kathleen Belew, author of The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America, cites that the Vietnam War was a major motivator to organizing and activating this group against one enemy – the government.
Remember that up to this point, the government favored racist policies – and actually needed these vigilantes "to reinforce official policies like slavery and Jim Crow" (NYTimes). It was a threat that the country was adopting more equitable views, and providing more power and privileges to non-white communities.
This group took arms against the government in smaller, isolated incidents, but culminated in the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing, when Timothy McVeigh, Terry Nichols and other ani-government racists parked a truck of explosives under the day care of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, killing 168 people – including 19 children – and leaving hundreds more injured (History). The Oklahoma City bombing was "the worst terrorist attack to take place on U.S. soil" until 9/11. The youngest survivor of the attack is 26 years old, and his family reflects on the experience in The Buffalo News.
"
Ideologies are sometimes not just ideologies. They result in awful actions and we need to be vigilant about that.
Dennis Purifoy, survivor of the Oklahoma City Bombing for the NYTimes
And violent acts of white supremacy continue. It inspired Dylann Roof in 2015 in South Carolina, and James Alex Fields Jr. in Virginia in 2018 (read about both of these murders in our newsletter re: Confederate symbols). A Coast Guard lieutenant and "self-defined white nationalist" was charged in 2019 for stockpiling weapons and planning to start a race war (NYTimes). 22 people were killed at a Walmart in El Paso, TX by a white supremacist against immigration (Axios). In 2019, a U.S. State Department report named that racially and ethnically motivated terrorism from white supremacists is “on the rise and spreading geographically" (Forbes).
Today's protests and the pandemics may have sparked urgency for white supremacists (examples via The Nation). And several cities have questioned whether white supremacists have been intentionally disrupting the protests from the past month, inciting violence and looting (examples from NBC Chicago, NYTimes and CBS News). Regardless if they are, the unrest aligns with an important white supremacist concept called "accelerationism" – inciting and encouraging violence to draw more people into a war (Brookings).
Which is why there is no justification for the racist rhetoric Trump shares. Inciting violence and terror as a president encourages others to repeat the violence and terror of our past. And I'm not sure that will Make America Great Again for anyone other than those that identify as white.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Trump has a long history of hateful and racist rhetoric
"White power" is the rallying cry for white supremacists
Racially and ethnically motivated terrorism from white supremacists is on the rise
There is no anti-racism work that includes voting for Trump in 2020
Thank you for all your financial contributions! If you haven't already, consider making a monthly donation to this work. These funds will help me operationalize this work for greatest impact.
Subscribe on Patreon | Give one-time on PayPal | Venmo @nicoleacardoza