Dropped my daughter off at school and before she got out of the car I told her when I picked her up there will be a Black woman as Vice President. Her face lit up like sunshine. Amid all the craziness, been little time to acknowledge and savor that. But what a day.
History books in 2071: A rare photo of Vice President Kamala Harris and First Lady Michelle Obama greeting each other with a nonverbal, "I see you, sis." pic.twitter.com/esSP98iqWV
With her strong and poignant words, @TheAmandaGorman reminds us of the power we each hold in upholding our democracy. Keep shining, Amanda! I can't wait to see what you do next. 💕 #BlackGirlMagic
So excited to see Kim Ng named the first woman and first Asian-American General Manager in the MLB. I grew up loving the Cubs, but I’ll be cheering you on!https://t.co/Nl9YNryOn6
Today is a moment shaped largely by the Black women who have long played a crucial role in our democracy. Their pragmatism helped nominate Biden; their insistence helped nominate Harris. Their determination helped to elect them both.
When the Constitution was written in Philadelphia more than 220 years ago, the founding fathers couldn’t imagine that a Black woman would one day help govern this country. Today, the city delivered the last votes that will reshape America’s imagination. https://t.co/m4g7NxXBKW
Woooooohooooo!!!!!! PHILLY!!!!! AMERICA!!!!!! BLACK FOLK!!!! BLACK PEOPLE!!!!!!!! GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!!! 💛💛💛🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿 Now….let’s fight for that Senate!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/MAxsrFDcRp
Black people have been wondering why white people and other non-black people have been riled so much by George Floyd's murder-- and not by videos of other police shootings.
Perhaps now, what we finally see is a collective white shame and guilt about these cruelties.
So white people, you guys need to figure this out how to erase the emotional rewards of sadistic pleasure white people have long enjoyed in dominating and destroying black bodies.
When these truths are pointed out by black people or actual historians, it doesn't mean we want to erase everything they did. It doesn't mean we don't think the founding fathers' legacy should be deleted.
The problem is that many white people believe that being a racist is an all-encompassing trait that stains everything else a person does. They believe it is an evil feeling that lives inside the heart.
The fact that police disproportionately shoot black people is racist. It does not mean that individual officers go to work hoping to kill black people. It means they work for a system that disproportionately target black Americans.
Jefferson, Lincoln, Washington and others did not explicitly say they hated black people.
They just created a system that dehumanized black people and treated black people as property. And, while we often focus on slavery, it was not just about slavery.
White supremacy is the reason there is an electoral college There were more enslaved people in the south, which would give the South a political advantage if they counted slaves as whole human beings.
White supremacy is the reason behind America's military might.
Southern states didn't think the federal government should be able to raise an army because they feared black soldiers might invade the South to free their black brothers.
So, instead of facing these historical truths and force us to reconcile with how this country has treated black people and indigenous people since its inception, we'd rather lie about it.
And, in the vacuum created by this intentional whitewashing, racism flourishes
Why wouldn't you think a speech at Mount Rushmore was a great idea if you didn't know how America stole the land from the Sioux after signing a treaty that said it belonged to them?
They represent the historical lengths this country has gone to whitewash the past. They represent the lie of "liberty and justice for all." They represent their willingness to ignore racism in order to honor whiteness in all its glory.
The Obama Diary 
You must be logged in to post a comment.