Guest Editorial: A Nation divided — Where do African Americans go from here?
By Aswad Walker, Defender News Network
With the popular vote split nearly right down the middle, the 2020 Presidential Election revealed to some and reminded others that America is truly a nation divided. The Defender spoke to two political science professors, Carroll Robinson and Michael O. Adams, and Marcus Davis, host of Fish, Grits & Politiks, to get their takes on where the country is headed post-election.
Defender: Moving forward, how will the 2020 election results impact state and local politics?
Davis: Our nation has a problem that we only pass significant legislation if we have one party that has the House, the Senate and the White House – if you think about it. Trump Administration’s biggest legislation was the tax bill. How was that passed? Because he had the House, the Senate and the White House. The Obama Administration’s biggest piece of legislation was the ACA (Obamacare), because he had the House, the Senate and the White House … It means that American citizens are addicted to getting duped by the system.
Robinson: Black people showed up, showed out and delivered, but not enough focus was put on winning the state by driving up Black voter turnout. … What last night showed is we have to build the future of the Democratic Party, or the Texas Democratic Party, on Black voter turnout. The idea that you’re going to build the future of the Texas Democratic Party on Hispanic voters and white women, that’s just not a solid enough foundation. You’ve got to maximize Black turnout.
Defender: What does this election say about us as a country?
Adams: I’m overjoyed that so many people turned out to vote. That’s the beauty of a democracy. Because, you want people to participate, regardless of where you stand or what’s your party affiliation. However, it was kind of ugly where you play into dog-whistle politics. It only seeks to divide the country. I’m a little afraid. They tried to kidnap the governor of Michigan. Man, who knows what these people will do?
Davis: This election says that we are the divided states of America, not the United States. … This concept of the United States of America is failing … It means that the pledge of allegiance is a lie. That’s what it means. Because we are not one nation. We are not indivisible. We damn sure ain’t under God. And we damn sure ain’t got justice and liberty for all.
By Aswad Walker, Defender News Network
