This is just embarrassing for Trump stooge Byron Donalds
It would be nice if Black Republicans signify the diversity this world so desperately needs. Thinking that way, however, would be easier if they didn’t say such outlandish, Uncle Tom inducing rhetoric. Yes, I’m talking about Byron Donalds, who appeared on CNN with Abby Phillip. He knows damned well that the economy under Donald Trump wasn’t half as good as it has been under President Biden. But he’s an ass-kisser. When Donalds said “without question” that Trump’s economy was better, Phillip interrupted him: “I’m going to interrupt you on the facts. Congressman, the Black unemployment rate was the lowest in American history under Joe Biden just last year. The poverty rate for Black people is the lowest under Joe Biden.” Donalds couldn’t let that comment stand. He retorted that while unemployment is lower, when wages are adjusted for inflation, it makes no difference. He went on to say that under Trump’s policies, people were making more money. During COVID? That is doubtful at best.
According to Newsweek, Phillip was responding to Donalds’s ridiculous statement about Jim Crow, which Newsweek published the day before. It’s hard to believe Donalds believed the nonsense that spewed from his mouth. Donalds claimed that life was better for Blacks under Jim Crow. Excuse me, what? To get more context of this wildly erroneous comment, Donalds-who is trying to recruit Black voters for Donald Trump-said that he is starting to see “the reinvigoration of the Black family.” He blames the decline of the Black family on Democratic policies. His full statement was: “You see, during Jim Crow, the Black family was together. During Jim Crow, more Black people were not just conservative-Black people have always been conservative-minded-but more Black people voted conservatively.” He further claimed that after Lyndon Johnson took over (and ordered equal rights for Blacks), we went downhill. Can you say brainwashed? He’s the only one who believes this nonsense (other than perhaps Tim Scott and Clarence Thomas), and minority leader Hakeem Jeffries took special offense to it.
Jeffries confronted Donalds: “It has come to my attention that a so-called leader has made the factually inaccurate statement that Black folks were better off during Jim Crow. That’s an outlandish, outrageous and out-of-pocket observation. We were not better off when people could be systematically lynched without consequence. …How dare you make such an ignorant observation? You better check yourself before you wreck yourself.” “Ignorance” does not even begin to describe Donalds’s stupidity in saying such a thing. The MAGA contingent likely gave him a standing ovation. They would love to see us back in those times, but it ain’t happening. Donalds and others like him need to stop trying to speak for Black folks, as they are woefully inadequate to do so. They know very little about Black folks’ lives because they rarely interact with us.
People like Donalds, Scott, and Thomas have no clue how Black people live or what we desire. They need to shut their stupid mouths and stick with what they do best-ass kissing a racist perv.
Shirley is a former entertainment writer and has worked in the legal field for over 25 years