There are so many issues and injustices that plague the African-American community. So much so, it is imperative at any given opportunity, Blacks do what they can to advocate for the underserved or disenfranchised within our community. We have a responsibility to ourselves, to one another and to this country in general. It is accountability at its finest, and with accountability comes positive change.
Last week a select number of Black pastors representing churches throughout the country had a closed-door meeting with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The actual number of pastors varies depending on whom you ask: Trump says there were 100 pastors present, while some of the attendees said that number was closer to 40–50 members of clergy. The number of pastors who met with Trump has less importance to me than the subject matter that was discussed.
Again, the public has conflicting reports. Trump and his staffers say the meeting resulted in an endorsement from nearly all of the pastors. The pastors’ perspective? Well, the few who were willing to talk about the meeting said only a handful of pastors endorsed Trump.
I appreciate diversity of thought, so if some of the pastors present at the meeting with the billon-dollar entrepreneur wanted to publically support him, I am fine with that … it is their right to endorse whomever they want. What I do have a problem with is what was not discussed in the meeting — anything substantive. The pastors claim topics such as Black unemployment, racial unrest and the Black Lives Matter movement were discussed, but no one cared to share with media the result of those conversations.
Was Trump sympathetic about the disparities that Blacks face? Did he speak with sincerity about the topic of police brutality? Did he show a modicum of emotion at the mention of names like Freddie Gray, Tamir Rice or Laquan McDonald? We may never truly know what occurred in that private meeting, but if I were willing to bet my hard-earned money, I’d say Trump was the same out-of-touch, defiant and apathetic man he has always been. Comments from a pastor in attendance support my claim.
Victor Couzens of Ohio said he specifically asked Trump to apologize for a tweet he released that incorrectly states Blacks commit the majority of homicides against white victims. Couzens said Trump said nothing. “He did not offer an apology in our presence, so I don’t know if he plans to apologize in the future.” I’m not sure why Couzens was unsure of Trump’s intent to apologize in the future. If Trump refused to apologize to an intimate group of pastors in private, why in the world would anyone think he would apologize publically? It’s an insane way of thinking.
Also insane was former “The Apprentice” contestant Omarosa Manigault’s defense of Trump. When a member of the group asked Trump what he has done for the Black community, witnesses say Manigault quickly interjected by telling all in attendance that Trump helped fund the construction of a California inner-city playground. I’m not sure what Manigault would define as a top priority for Blacks in America, but playgrounds do not make my list of most important things that need to be addressed for Blacks. In addition to apparently not asking Trump and his team their stance on tough and highly important topics, the clergy members also neglected to address the tone in which Trump speaks to and of minorities … including Caucasian women.
After the meeting, as several Black pastors flanked Trump, the smug businessman said to media, “The beautiful thing (about the meeting was) they didn’t really ask me to change the tone.”
It was as if Trump was mocking the group for being weak or ignorant to the concerns of the community. It was a missed opportunity for “leaders” — and I am using that term lightly in this context — to call Trump out on his maltreatment of immigrants, Blacks and women.
Blacks have to do better. And when we have the opportunity to confront wrongdoings, maltreatment or injustices, we should do so boldly and not cower at the fame of an inept political candidate.
Shannon Williams is president of Recorder Media Group.
https://www.indianapolisrecorder.com/opinion/article_7337649c-9ad2-11e5-8c73-3b92b613368e.html
Last week a select number of Black pastors representing churches throughout the country had a closed-door meeting with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The actual number of pastors varies depending on whom you ask: Trump says there were 100 pastors present, while some of the attendees said that number was closer to 40–50 members of clergy. The number of pastors who met with Trump has less importance to me than the subject matter that was discussed.
Again, the public has conflicting reports. Trump and his staffers say the meeting resulted in an endorsement from nearly all of the pastors. The pastors’ perspective? Well, the few who were willing to talk about the meeting said only a handful of pastors endorsed Trump.
I appreciate diversity of thought, so if some of the pastors present at the meeting with the billon-dollar entrepreneur wanted to publically support him, I am fine with that … it is their right to endorse whomever they want. What I do have a problem with is what was not discussed in the meeting — anything substantive. The pastors claim topics such as Black unemployment, racial unrest and the Black Lives Matter movement were discussed, but no one cared to share with media the result of those conversations.
Was Trump sympathetic about the disparities that Blacks face? Did he speak with sincerity about the topic of police brutality? Did he show a modicum of emotion at the mention of names like Freddie Gray, Tamir Rice or Laquan McDonald? We may never truly know what occurred in that private meeting, but if I were willing to bet my hard-earned money, I’d say Trump was the same out-of-touch, defiant and apathetic man he has always been. Comments from a pastor in attendance support my claim.
Victor Couzens of Ohio said he specifically asked Trump to apologize for a tweet he released that incorrectly states Blacks commit the majority of homicides against white victims. Couzens said Trump said nothing. “He did not offer an apology in our presence, so I don’t know if he plans to apologize in the future.” I’m not sure why Couzens was unsure of Trump’s intent to apologize in the future. If Trump refused to apologize to an intimate group of pastors in private, why in the world would anyone think he would apologize publically? It’s an insane way of thinking.
Also insane was former “The Apprentice” contestant Omarosa Manigault’s defense of Trump. When a member of the group asked Trump what he has done for the Black community, witnesses say Manigault quickly interjected by telling all in attendance that Trump helped fund the construction of a California inner-city playground. I’m not sure what Manigault would define as a top priority for Blacks in America, but playgrounds do not make my list of most important things that need to be addressed for Blacks. In addition to apparently not asking Trump and his team their stance on tough and highly important topics, the clergy members also neglected to address the tone in which Trump speaks to and of minorities … including Caucasian women.
After the meeting, as several Black pastors flanked Trump, the smug businessman said to media, “The beautiful thing (about the meeting was) they didn’t really ask me to change the tone.”
It was as if Trump was mocking the group for being weak or ignorant to the concerns of the community. It was a missed opportunity for “leaders” — and I am using that term lightly in this context — to call Trump out on his maltreatment of immigrants, Blacks and women.
Blacks have to do better. And when we have the opportunity to confront wrongdoings, maltreatment or injustices, we should do so boldly and not cower at the fame of an inept political candidate.
Shannon Williams is president of Recorder Media Group.
https://www.indianapolisrecorder.com/opinion/article_7337649c-9ad2-11e5-8c73-3b92b613368e.html