Let us be abundantly clear. There are only two persons in this 2016 presidential race—Hillary Rodham Clinton or Donald Trump. There is another piece to be considered in this year’s election—violent revolution. Trump has said he may not accept the people’s choice for the presidency. Some of his followers are already threatening to resist and not to allow Clinton to be president. For people of African ancestry, for America—indeed, for the world, this is probably one of the most important elections in the history of this country.
If Trump wins, he will have 1 to 3 appointments to the Supreme Court. Throughout the history of the nation, the Supreme Court has considered us as non-persons or expendables, or a burden to the nation, but seldom as humans equal to all others under the law.
If Trump wins, the U.S. attorney general would likely be former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, or a person of his ilk. Newt Gingrich would have a top post, probably dealing with domestic affairs, and other conservatives, racists and reactionaries would be among Trump’s closest appointees and advisors. There is a possibility that all we have gained will be rolled back. What we have fought for, we may have to fight for again.
There are striking similarities between Trump’s administration with the aforementioned persons in place and the last half of the 19th century.
After the Civil War, from 1865 to 1875, there was substantial progress. In 1865, the 13th Amendment was passed, ending slavery. In 1868, the 14th Amendment conferred citizenship. In 1870, the 15th Amendment extended enfranchisement, or the right to vote. March 2, 1867, Congress legislated that the former slave states should have conventions and all male citizens were entitled to participate. It should be noted that the renowned historian John Hope Franklin observed that the State Constitution drew up, in 1867 and 1868, some of the most progressive legislation the South had ever known.
There were 16 African-Americans elected to the Congress, including two senators from Mississippi, Blanche Bruce and Hiram Revels. According to W.E.B. du Bois, the Freedman’s Bureau was providing significant assistance to the former enslaved.
“Then along came Mr. Rutherford B. Hayes. He wanted to become president, and to achieve that objective he was prepared to do anything. He made a deal with former slave holders; he would pull out the Federal troops, give money for development and greater representation in Washington for their support. In essence, he would restore the former slaves’ masters to power in the South, and Black people would, thus, be returned to subjugation.
“By the latter part of the 1870s, the Congress had turned against Blacks. In 1878, the use of armed forces to ensure fair election was forbidden. In 1894, the appropriations for Special Federal Marshals and Supervisors of Election were terminated.” (Please note: The fight still exists to keep Blacks from voting. For those who say voting doesn’t count, let this outcome be a lesson. If voting didn’t matter, why would these racists fight and have fought so hard to keep us from the poll? Why did our people sacrifice so much, including their lives, for the right to vote?)
“In the 1890s, the last disabilities laid on rebellious Southerners were removed in a final amnesty.
“The Supreme Court, in spite of the Constitution, found a way to drive Blacks away from the temple of legal and human rights. In 1875, the Supreme Court overturned the Civil Rights Act of 1866, disregarded the legislation of 1870, which were enactments to stop KKK-type vigilantism. The court ruled in favor of defendants who were indicted for preventing Blacks from voting.” (Notice again, the fight around voting.)
“In the United States v. Reese, the court ruled that the statute covered more offenses than were punishable under the 15th Amendment. In the United States v. Cruikshank, the court ruled that the 15th Amendment guaranteed citizens not the right to vote, but only the right not to be discriminated against by states because of race, color or previous conditions of servitude. In 1883, the court outlawed the Civil Rights Laws of 1875.
“In 1890, the Supreme Court ruled in the Plessy v. Ferguson decision that there was such a thing as separate but equal; all the noble efforts of the fighters against racism had come to naught. So much for the Supreme Court and the defense of constitutional rights. Men who have special interest, whose profession it is to deal with words, are like iron smiths, they can shape them any way they want to and when they have the power to enforce their will, their laws—right or wrong—become the law of the land. What is clear, to some people: Words on paper mean absolutely nothing.”
To emphasize, Trump’s election could be a replay of our worst years. We need to consider two other decisions by the Supreme Court. The Dred Scott Decision and the Board of Education. In 1857, Chief Justice Roger Taney ruled that Black people had no rights that white people were bound to respect. It wasn’t until 1954 in the Brown v. Board of Education that we began to get a little relief from the courts.
If there are no other reasons to vote against Trump, the appointments to the Supreme Court and the U.S. attorney general are reasons enough. I have a concern that Trump will bully and intimidate his way into the presidency of the United States.
The foreign policies of Trump should have caused us great concern. Trump has already indicated that other nations should have nuclear weapons and that he is prepared to engage in conflict with nuclear weapons. Given what we have seen of his thin-skinned, exaggerated reaction to the flimsiest slight and how easily he is baited into acting according to the strategy of his opponent, we should have even greater concern. Trump could have his finger on the button that could blow us all off the map.
Vote for Trump, and you will get all of the above. The question might be asked, “Why vote for Hillary Clinton?” Succinctly, I believe she will work hard to significantly improve the progress we have already made. Plus, she will increase the number of her staff and cabinet appointments with people who are conscious and committed to our programs and issues.
My daughter, Leah Daughtry, was the CEO of the 2016 Democratic National Convention. There was a policy that one-third of contracts were awarded to minorities and women. I have every reason to believe that the Clinton administration will make even greater progress in that area. Additionally, Leah has been appointed to head the Transitions Team Appointment Committee. If Clinton wins, all appointments will come through her committee.
Do I believe that Clinton will bring us to the Promised Land? No, but I believe she will bring us further along than we are now. Clinton has a long history of selfless service to the needy and to racial progress. I know there have been criticisms of her husband, former President Bill Clinton and his years of unfair, draconian policies that increased incarceration. Let me emphasize: It was her husband, and not Hillary Clinton.
She has been criticized for her “predatory” statement but she has apologized. Let us remember that the dope policies and the rhetoric came at a time when practically everybody was complaining about pushers and drug use. In fact, the late Sonny Carson, highly venerated in our communities, organized a group called Black Men Against Crack. He tried to run crack dealers out of the community. The Rev. Al Sharpton went on a campaign to put an X by the houses where he said crack dealers were located.
So with all that being said, it is clear that there is only one choice for us: Hillary Rodham Clinton.