You Don’t Leave the Game Until It’s Over

By: E. Faye Williams

I was blessed to attend Grambling University as my first of several colleges and universities after high school. The master of college football was there at that time. I don’t have to tell most of you that I am talking about the great Coach Eddie Robinson. I remember a lot about what he said or did, but one of my favorite statements from him is, “You don’t leave the game until it’s over.” Well, too many of our people are afraid the game headed up by Donald Trump is over for us. Rob would tell you to stay in the game and be ready to play because this game of Trump vs. the People is not over!

Two weeks into this Trump and his sidekick Elon Musk pitiful show of retribution is in high gear! We can’t say he didn’t tell us what he was going to do. Some of it was so outlandish that many couldn’t believe he would do it. It’s probably one of the things those who voted for him said, “He was just kidding! That was just campaign talk!” Well, for once in his life, he was telling the truth! Unfortunately, too many people didn’t believe him!

The game, if you call it that, has just begun, and Coach Rob would tell us to get in the game and stay. Fannie Lou Hamer would warn us “to be no ways tired!” With all the damage that has already been done to our democracy, cleaning up this garbage is going to take all of us to stay in the game and play our role as though our lives depend on it — because life as we have known it “ain’t happening no more!”

These lunatics have told even those who voted for Trump (white women) that they have no rights. They knew better since Vice President Kamala Harris supports women’s rights strongly. Trump definitely does not. Certain immigrants knew better — including Melania — who doesn’t seem to be interested in being seen by her husband’s side. Did you see that hat she wore for the inauguration that blocked her husband’s view of her and hers of him?

Others who, according to statistics, voted for him were too many Hispanics — and look at how he’s showing his appreciation to them. Certainly those civil servants who’ve either been fired or laid off never believed they were on his retribution list — especially the FBI, CIA and prosecutors. Black Teamsters knew what Trump would do and voted in their best interest. But certain non-Black Teamsters ignored the message and stayed with the orange man to the end — only to find that the person they supported is working to end union rights. Rep. Byron Donalds and Sen. Tim Scott weren’t even considered for Trump’s Cabinet, or were they asked and just said no?

Candace Owens — the voice of Black Republicans — Kodak Black, Antonio Brown, Mike Tyson, Lord Jamar, Le’Veon Bell and the reported 1 in 4 Black men under 50 are said to have supported Trump, and what a pity because he didn’t consider even one of them to help him destroy our democracy! I’m willing to say some of those who voiced support for Trump didn’t actually vote for anybody, and I doubt they’ll be left off his retribution list. I didn’t list Dr. Ben Carson in either category because he was misled a long time ago about who was for the people and who was against people who look like him, so we never counted on him or Kanye West or Herschel Walker and a few others to do the right thing.

It’s time to do what Alicia Keys advised the rest of us to do: “Rise up!” This is not a time to sit back waiting for somebody else to fight for your rights while you leave the game!

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