Biden said it; Black people had his back. We supported him when others didn’t believe in him. What choice did we have? The other option was not in our collective best interest. Now with the help of more than 91 percent of Black women and nearly 80 percent of Black men, Biden is the next president. The people have spoken.
But it seems odd (to me, at least) that some Blacks supported Trump, stumped for Trump, took photo ops with Trump. Strange that even after the nation rejected Trump for reelection, some Blacks feel bummed out over his defeat. Should we revoke their “Black Card,” or leave the light on for these traitors to find their way back home? Can we trust them?
Black Trump supporters were too few to have any real impact. Some Black compradors never had credibility or clout in the Black community (we knew that when we saw it). Should we bother to explore what’s behind some Black Trump loyalty? If there is a Black Trump supporter profile, these are five familiar traits to spot one.
- Self-loathing. Blacks who have little self-acceptance and high levels of anti-Blackness. Think very little of themselves and dream of whiteness. Isolated from legit Black organizations and confused over their identity. Have a history of always being the “fly in the buttermilk.” Franz Fanon, in White skins, black masks, suggests that some Black’s dream of being white. For Fanon, this dream of turning white is a neurotic condition.
- Sycophants. They can’t stand up to their oppressors because of fear. Kiss up to authority to get a rub on the nose. Sycophants appear conquered. The conquered usually take on the values and beliefs system of their conquerors.
- Selfish or acquisitional. Greedy folks only see the world as “what’s in it for me.” Lie, cheat, or steal to get what they want. Untrustworthy. Sometimes have a criminal past. Angela Stanton-King, Black Voices for Trump, ran for Congress in Georgia as a Republican. Stanton-King spent two years in prison for conspiracy for her role in a stolen car ring, and Trump pardoned her.
- Desperate or in need of a “shazam.” Blacks who look to power for a bailout, a pardon, deep-pocket investors, or political favors. Willing to trade and leverage fame to get one or all of these needs met like Fifty Cent, Lil Wayne, Ice Cube, and Lil Pump.
- Cult followers. Former members of a religious or spiritual cult or group. They get quickly sucked into conspiracy theories. Lack of critical thinking skills. Evangelical or other orthodox religious members. Michael the Black man, the Black male seen at Trump rallies holding the sign “Blacks for Trump, Maurice Symonette is a former follower of Yahweh ben Yahweh, jailed for conspiracy to murder 14 whites in an initiation rite.
No, all Black people are not a monolith, nor should we be. We don’t all share the same values, ethics, political affiliations, or ideology. We have diverse economic interests. But we should share a common purpose to not engage in harmful acts of anti-Blackness. We should act as a unified force when it comes to our humanity. We should have standards around what is unacceptable and when we draw the line.
What do we do about misguided dissenters too weak to fight against oppression who turn upon themselves or go against other Blacks? Certainly, dissent is how some people get to have a voice. But disagreement should never be a tool to crush Black unity. Unity is our new superpower; it works when we use it.
The truth is so few Black Trump supporters have any real clout to sway Black voters. Do we forgive them, restore their Black cards, or should we leave the psychically troubled way behind?
Alice T. Crowe- Opinion columnist
My passion is correcting the missing pages in our history books. Secrets of the Hollow is my latest film series. The first segment, Last Disintegrated School, the untold story of Thurgood Marshall’s fight to desegregate the Brook School in Hillburn, NY, in 1943. This untold story happened eleven years before Brown v. Board of Education. Infobase distributes Last Disintegrated School. Visit my website for information at www.acroweflyz.com. I am currently editing the revised edition of my book, How to Get Black on Track. Follow me on Twitter.
