We’ll need new signs
A Republican president created Black History month in 1976 and all future presidents and their governments have celebrated it. President Ford fifty years ago declared the need for “honoring the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans.”
Today nearly 50 years later, another Republican president, Donald Trump, issued a proclamation telling all Americans that Black History month is “an occasion to celebrate the contributions of so many black American patriots.” At the same time Trump issued an executive order forbidding all Federal employees to celebrate on the job — no words, no images, no communication. Mention has been stripped from all government agency web sites.
A subtle difference in the two president’s proclamations that a casual reader may not notice is that Ford’s reference is to Black Americans and Trump’s is to black Americans. What’s the message behind going to lower case?
And a couple of other minor differences. Trump loses the word neglected, changes accomplishments to contributions, and focuses on black American patriots, while Ford implies all Black Americans.
Finally, guess who will be regarded as “patriots” and what kinds of “contributions” are meant in the following pair-ups: Clarence Thomas vs Thurgood Marshall? Tim Scott vs John Lewis? Kanye West vs Stevie Wonder? Candace Owens vs Angela Davis? Condoleezza Rice vs Michelle Obama?
The correct answers will appear in the history books of tomorrow and the incorrect answers in the history books of yesterday. I would recommend the older books. Save them for the young people you care about, those who you want to know the truth.
