|
Hillary Clinton ’ s campaign for the presidency had its own devastating bum fumbling , primarily : campaigning in Arizona , Texas , North Carolina and Florida instead of firming up support in traditional Democratic strongholds and key battleground states of Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin with vital electoral votes necessary to secure a victory ; sending Bernie Sanders to California , which overwhelmingly supported her anyway instead of to those aforementioned crucial states with a high percentage of White blue-collar workers ; and a failure to craft a cogent message that energized African-American , Asian , Latino , millennial , moderate to progressive White voters in suburban , exurban , and rural areas .
To be fair , Mrs . Clinton did win the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes . She could have won the Electoral College had it not been for alleged Russian interference and hacking , and voter suppression in Michigan , North Carolina , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin , according to a report on Friday , November 11th , 2016 , released by investigative reporter , Greg Palast , who cited a “ system called Crosscheck ,” created by Kris Kobach , the Kansas Secretary of State , “ to purge 1.1 million Americans from the voter rolls in gop controlled states .” Reports also cited Mr . Kobach as having put together a Muslim registry that Trump is said to be deciding to put in place to register all Muslims in the United States to determine which ones the Trump administration will move to deport , a frightening onslaught against this country ’ s democratic values , if it is enacted .
Going forward , the Democratic Party has to re-educate many complacent elites in its own party or purge them from control of party leadership , if they expect to win elections in the future . Every state in this country is suffering from what Van Jones termed “ whitelash ,” especially in the deep South , the central Mid-West , the northern tier Mountain and Plains states , the Southwest , and “ the rust belt ,” formerly , a Democratic Party stronghold . In all these states , Van Jones ’ theory of “ whitelash ” is really pronounced in many White males of all ages ; this group overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump in 2016 . Imagine what could ’ ve happened had the 41 million people — many of whom were Democrats — who stayed home had voted in 2016 . This non-voting is an example of the pervasive cynicism undermining our fragile democratic republic .
|
In this totally divided nation exploding with anger and hatred , if a severely battered Democratic Party is to block President Trump ’ s callous , subversive agenda , it will have to organize millions of people of all races , ethnicities , classes , religions , and economic status in a continuous public show of displeasure and resistance against what is definitely going to be a Republican radical , extreme right-wing agenda . Republicans , according to a front page story in the Saturday , February 18 , 2017 , edition of The New York Times , are already targeting to “ eliminate ” “ the Corporation for Public Broadcasting , the Legal Services Corporation , AmeriCorps and the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities ,” while at the same time increasing “ spending on defense and infrastructure .” Democrats have vowed to fight them tooth and nail . But to slow down this onslaught and accomplish their goals , Democrats — progressives , moderates , conservatives , whatever — must unite in common cause beyond theoretic , ideological ideas .
Republicans win elections — especially local and state elections — because they come together . They don ’ t argue endlessly about intellectual disagreements or refuse to support candidates due to miniscule policy differences . They unite to gain power and then plan how to implement it before — not after — they acquire it . Democrats are just the opposite .
The unity between all Democrats — “ so-called progressives ,” African-Americans , Whites , Asians and Latinos , Native peoples , Muslims , and the lgbt community — is tenuous at best . Meanwhile , Donald Trump and his Republicans are moving to gut Medicaid , Medicare , the Affordable Care Act , Social Security , and every progressive initiative passed during the Presidency of Barack Obama . Never mind their attacks on the arts , the humanities , public broadcasting , the epa , and Trump ’ s dangerous assault on the press , which he now calls “ the enemy of the people .” He is a would-be dictator , an authoritarian , and the people who follow him blindly like sheep are authoritarians also , like those who followed Hitler , who didn ’ t put one person in the gas chambers ; his followers did . Think about that . And God help us when it comes to our foreign policy under Trump and his administration ; it ’ s already proving disastrous .
|
How will President Trump handle his myriad business interests while he serves in the presidency ? His conflicts of interests are immense ! Mr . Trump is already violating ethics rules involving his assets , not to mention those of his family . How can they be held accountable going forward ?
We , the people of the United States , must reject the corrosive , false narrative of White supremacy that has inflicted this country for far too long . If we are to thrive as a multi-cultural , multi-ethnic , multi-religious country , America needs to embrace and develop a more humane , caring consciousness . Voters will have to discern the difference between fact and propaganda , especially today with the widespread influence of a completely open Internet .
Relativism and absolutism are terrible recipes for an enlightened society . We all must strive mightily to lessen the toxicity of racism and sexism , knowing it won ’ t be easy , if we are to become a more humane , caring society that can transcend our political differences and live up to our ideals and values as a nation . We have a lot of work to do .
Once again , we at Black Renaissance Noire offer you another dynamic issue ; we hope you find it an engaging , exciting read . In this issue , we are privileged to publish the poetry of F . Douglas Brown , Elena Karina Bryne , Kamau Daáood , Paul r . Harding , Genny Lim , Nick Makoha , Grace Ocasio , Rowan Ricardo Phillips , Sonia Sanchez , and Torrie Valentine ; fiction by Kalisha Buckhanon and Jaïra Placide ; new non-fiction by Marc Albert-Levin , Jessica Kashiwabara , Hermine Pinson , and Kalamu ya Salaam ; and the critical voices of Melba Joyce Boyd , Ezennwa Ukwuoma , and Elisabeth Spettel . Interjected into this eclectic mix are the stunning images of Melvino Garretti ( special thanks to Gail Oliver Design of Los Angeles for Melvino ’ s photos ), Duane Harper Grant , and Tyrone Mitchell . As always , dear reader , your comments and feedback are welcomed and appreciated on this and every issue . Thank you for your continued support of our efforts . n
|
5 BLACK RENAISSANCE NOIRE |