Legend has it that a wise man once said that there are only two certainties in life, taxes, and death. Now, I am not here to question such a long-lasting expression of wisdom, rather, to petition for the adding of a third certainty that fits the 21st Century. The third certainty is that “no opportunity to increase one’s political power shall be missed.”
I hope that you understand that the following statement is not an attempt to insinuate that I am clairvoyant. However, I knew that once Joe Biden, also known as emcee Joey B. or the Notorious B.I.D. in these parts, ignited an explosive device buried in America’s cultural minefield called racial matters that vultures would immediately circle above the explosion in hopes o devouring his carcass. Trust me when I say that the alluded to vultures were circling above the quarantined Presidential hopeful long before the Notorious B.I.D. emerged to issue a misspeak. According to the Notorious B.I.D.,
…if you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t Black.
I blame Biden’s political team for not realizing the inherent dangers found in allowing a 77-year-old White man to navigate delicate racial matters that have shifted heavily during his lifetime in real-time. Biden’s words provided a welcomed opening for avowed opponents.
In a world where political group supporting issues appear for no apparent reason, I was unsurprised, yet amused, by the emergence of a group called Black Voice for Trump. Prior experiences with such groups inform my belief that they were created for moments such as these that allow them to assume a position of righteous indignation and feigned shock. This group of Trump supporters offered the following statement crafted by Katrina Pierson, an American Tea Party activist senior advisor for Trump 2020.
White liberal elitists have continuously dictated which Black Americans are allowed to come to the table and have a voice. It is clear now more than ever, following these racist and dehumanizing remarks, that Joe Biden believes Black men and women are incapable of being independent or free thinking. He truly believes that he, a 77-year-old white man, should dictate how Black people should behave. Biden has a history of racial condescension and today he once again proved what a growing number of Black Americans and I have always known: Joe Biden does not deserve our votes.
If it were not for the inherent racial bigotry that shadows varying expressions of Republicanism, this message would hold some significance. However, it is difficult to get past the fact that the modern-day Republican Party ceased being “the party of Lincoln” or Reagan long ago. It has given way to being the party of Donald J. Trump; the most boorish and divisive figure to ever serve as U.S. President.
This space has repeatedly been used to lament the absence of political choices available to Black America. Unlike many others, I place a significant portion of the blame for this situation on the shoulders of Black America. There is no need to rehash Black America’s grand tradition of entering political seasons without a political agenda that they could leverage as a Excalibur to advance their politico-economic interests in a crowded field of competitors. It is ironic that a community that invests so much into their Christian beliefs fail to integrate the “good news” of Jesus Christ during opportune moments. It seems that every political season, Black political leaders violate the spirit of James 4: 2 – 3 (You have not because you ask not) by not developing a political agenda.
Despite the unwise words of a few rabble-rousers, it does matter who wins the 2020 Presidential election. The path to increasing Black America’s position in a increasingly diverse nation begins with a well-developed political agenda.
Unfortunately, it appears that Black political leaders have absconded from their duty to develop the alluded to political agenda in favor of in-fighting that cuts along traditional political lines. It is imperative that Black political leaders possessing allegiance to a wide-swath of political philosophies divest from mental masturbation sessions that will produce little more than wasted water divest from the well-worn pattern of one-upmanship and busy themselves developing a political agenda to represent the millions of Black voters who hold the potential to serve as a swing vote in contentious political battles.
As we approach the 2020 Presidential election, I hope to hear less about Joe Biden aka The Notorious B.I.D. and much more about Black leaders finally awakening from their extended slumber to develop a political agenda that Blacks who agree that the ultimate goal of improving our community must not be derailed by personality conflicts born of one’s affiliation with a political party that continually places Black issues on the backburner.
A guy can hope, I guess.
Dr. James Thomas Jones III
© Manhood, Race, and Culture 2020.
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