Author: Ibram X. Kendi
Affiliation: Boston University Center for Antiracist Research
Organization/Publisher: The Atlantic
Date/Place: September 2020/USA
Type of Literature: Article
Word Count: 4682
Link:https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/09/the-end-of-denial/614194/
Keywords: America, Racism, Donald Trump
Brief:
While discussing the long prevailing issue of racism in American society, the author takes a jab at the racist policies of the US President, Donald Trump. Although Trump considers himself as the “most anti-racist person” around, his speeches and actions say a different story. Be it going after Congresswomen he labels as “nasty,” criminalizing refugees or framing the anti-racism protestors as “thugs,” Trump’s reign since 2014 has been all about portraying an exclusive idea of America. However, one positive thing which Trump achieved, which none other than him was able to do, is that he showed American society a mirror which reflected a very negative image of America; a reality which many could see but were reluctant to accept. 57% of Americans now admit that the American police behaves differently against the Black “culprits” as opposed to the White ones, an increase of 24% since 2015. Three out of four Americans now accept that “racial and ethnic discrimination” is a big problem in America. What makes it worse is the silence of those who are educated enough to see and understand. While president Trump openly and repeatedly abuses Democrat Congresswomen like Omar, Pressley, Tlaib, and Ocasio-Cortez, the Republicans have opted to be mere bystanders. Thus, what Americans need to demand at this point is not speeches, but concrete action from their representatives. Campaigns against slavery or apartheid in the past have been long and uneasy. However, what remained constant was the demand of the abolitionists to eradicate these evils. This is what we are expected to do today.
By: Usman Khan Pathan, CIGA Research Associate