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The following is an opinion contribution and reflects the author’s views alone.
Being a Trump supporter in the political climate of Princeton University is like holding your breath at the bottom of a swimming pool. Every Princetonian is expected to vote Democrat for the sake of “saving American democracy” and getting the most racist, xenophobic, bigoted President out of office. This sentiment has been been heightened since the 2016 election because of the racially charged climate prompted by recent racial injustices, the anxiety-stricken environment from months of the coronavirus lockdown, and the uncertainties about returning to a sense of normalcy.
With the elections just days away, I have heard everything from accusations that President Donald Trump is a racist and a white supremacist who will bring back segregation to claims of statements that he allegedly said about the character or ability of Black Americans, namely that certain Black Americans are thugs. For some time, his inflammatory statements have pushed me to consider voting third party or not voting at all. Furthermore, it made me assume that there is no way President Trump could be a positive force for minorities in America.
However, the counterarguments convinced me. I came to the realization of President Trump was associated with notable leaders of the Black community, including the Reverend Jesse Jackson who has praised Trump as a friend to minorities and underserved communities. He has also supported Black American, such as Ben Carson and Herman Cain. One of his closest friends of 37 years is Herschel Walker, an erstwhile NFL star, who shared at the Republican National Convention that, “I’ve seen racism up close, and it isn’t Donald Trump.” He was citing his experience in the Deep South and shared that he has learned a lot from President Trump. After realizing these relationships and coming to the conclusion that actions speak louder than words, I researched to see if Trump has done good things for the Black community. From what I have found, Donald Trump has been a positive force Black Americans following the legacies Abraham Lincoln, Harry Truman and Lyndon B. Johnson. In fact, President Trump has done so much good for the Black community that he has managed to overcome his inflammatory statements to gain favorability with many portions of the Black community.
Under his administration, the Black unemployment rate has fallen to record historic lows. He also innovated Opportunity Zones, areas which increase investment into disadvantaged communities, impacting millions of minority households. They help prioritize rebuilding and bettering many Black communities that have been forgotten by prior administrations due to red-lining policies. He passed the bipartisan First Step Act, a criminal justice reform bill that retroactively reduced the prison sentences of 90% of the inmate population, a majority of whom are African-American, and helped them to return to society. The Act also addressed inequalities in sentencing laws that disproportionately harmed Black Americans.
President Trump signed an executive order that would fund Historically Black Colleges and Universities for the next ten years, so that HBCUs no longer need to request for funding on a year by year basis. He has also taken steps to enact the Presidential Board of Advisors for HBCUs, as has encouraged by many Black community leaders. Furthermore, Trump signed the first Perkins C.T.E. reauthorization since 2016, authorizing more than $1 billion for states to fund vocational and career education programs which would expand upon career opportunities and wealth building resources for Black Americans. Finally, in encouraging economic growth for the nation, the Black community has greatly benefitted.
Police brutality against unarmed Black Americans has significantly decreased under the Trump administration. And while there have been blind calls to defund the police, not many realize how important law enforcement is for the safety of inner city communities where crime is prevalent. There is a significant number of Black Americans who would want more policing and police funding. Who is the candidate that has consistently supported law enforcement? It is Donald Trump.
President Trump has recently unveiled the Platinum Plan which would provide increased job and educational opportunities to the Black community. Given that the pandemic has exposed glaring racial disparities in healthcare, the plan also aims to provide affordable healthcare, transparency in service and drug cost and investment into researching the causes and cures for diseases and conditions that disproportionately affect Black Americans. The way I see it, even though it is quite late into his term, it is better to have a comprehensive plan such as this than professing the same old, empty promises over and over again.
Apart from Trump’s accomplishments, I believe that he genuinely views Black Americans, or rather all Americans, as individuals instead of people separated by affinity groups. At Princeton, we are told to be celebrate our immutable identities and are put into boxes in the name of promoting inclusivity and diversity. I am not pushing back against diversity, but I am acknowledging that this overzealous behavior encourages monoliths. Under Princeton’s model of “diversity,” I would be viewed as someone who is a victim of the system and needs to vote Democrat. If I disobey their orthodoxy, then I have invalidated my Black identity. Under the Trump administration, I am seen as an individual and helped by his actions. This is why I think more Black Americans are coming out to support him.
Princetonians can continue to claim that my rights as a Black American will be taken away under President Trump, but it will not come true. Princetonians can say that Black Americans who support President Trump are misinformed or shooting themselves in the foot, but that line of thinking is just as racist as the white supremicists they condemn. President Trump’s accomplishments are testament to his eagerness to make inroads with the Black community. There is still a long way to go for President Trump, but I can confidently say that he is a force for good for Black Americans and is leading our nation in the right direction.
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