Fighting Racism With Unity

By E. Faye Williams
Washington Informer
Reprinted – by Texas Metro News
https://www.washingtoninformer.com/

After the election Nov. 5, we tried to imagine how we came to these results, but it’s still hard. It’s difficult to see Americans electing a convicted criminal. We witnessed Vice President Kamala Harris conduct a flawless campaign positively, while her opponent hurled vulgar insults.

We saw women’s excitement from day one — women of most races and cultures because someone finally understood the importance of women’s health care and our right to choose — but many later betrayed us.

We saw nearly every union support the Harris/Walz team. We saw nearly every Black female voter show our pride in the ticket, and we worked for victory. It’s hard to imagine many other women did — and I’ve tried to imagine how any woman believes the criminal will protect them whether they like it or not! We Black women rejected that threat. I’m proud of my sisters for doing so because we knew what it meant not just for us but for our families, friends and even the women who voted for him.

We’re supposed to accept election results, but time and again, we see the problem because we read not just what candidates say but know their past record. We’re not storming the Capitol and leaving others to pay for the damage.

Those responsible haven’t paid for any destruction. Had we done that, we would’ve been forced to pay and go to jail! The difference in treatment clearly shows racism! We don’t cry racism easily. We just return to work and try to find common ground next time. We take losses on the chin and begin working toward a better day. We work for unity with good people who’ve shown themselves willing to work for a better world for all. That number dwindled in the recent election even though we Black women gave it our all. Still, it’s hard to see other groups desert us in what they led us to believe were common causes. Some misled us — some more than others — but as Fred Hampton taught us years ago, “You don’t fight racism with racism. We fight racism (and I add sexism) with unity.”

It wasn’t just that many betrayed us. The results show who did, and while it’s painful, we’ll do what we always do. We’ll continue working once our well-deserved period of grieving ends — and we’ll never give up fighting for what we deserve. We thank President Biden for letting us showcase another Black woman’s great talent. Now, we ask that he allow the real 47th president to take her place by letting Vice President Kamala Harris claim that number, even if only for the next two months.

Another request: President Biden should pardon his son, who has no criminal convictions, made no racist attacks or hateful speeches, and didn’t harm Americans or our sacred buildings.

My second request: President Biden should pardon former Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby so she can return to her excellent work before Donald Trump ensured she suffered a wrongful conviction for doing her job well! We’ve sent several requests. It’s time for an answer.

Williams is president of The Dick Gregory Society (www.thedickgregorysociety.org).