The politics of discrimination reflects a political quagmire
By Derek Joy
Interesting how Women’s History Month follows Black History Month.
One obvious point of interest is that Black Americans and women have a long and storied history of being the two most discriminated segments of the American population.
Equal rights. Human rights. Both have been a thorn in the sides of America’s image as the land of opportunity.
But for now, let’s look at how Black History Month closed out.
President Barack Obama, as everybody knows, is America’s first Black American President. You might say he took Florida International University – my alma mater – by storm in the last week of Black History Month.
Mainstream media made a point highlighting Obama’s vow to veto any bill blocking his executive action on immigration. Seems Republicans are up in arms over Obama’s executive order protecting some five million immigrants from deportation.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker John Boehner have no better reason other than they’re Republicans with a majority in both Houses of Congress, and Obama is a Democrat. No better immigration reform plan, either.
Some write off the bruhaha as political. That same argument has been waged for decades when it came to human rights and equal rights for Black Americans and women in this country.
For sure. It is a political battle.
Being 2016 is a Presidential Election year, Democrats want to keep the White House and maybe make increase their numbers – if not recapture – both Houses of Congress, while Republicans want to increase their majority in both Houses and capture the White House.
Consequently, the politicking and fundraising takes center stage, rather than the interest of the well being of the masses in America. So, I ask one question. If there are illegal immigrants who have violated the law and nobody knows what to do, why doesn’t the law look at all crimes in just such a way?
The latter perpetrators are dealt with, some in very harsh ways, while the former have baffled politicians in the Capitol for decades. Apparently, they see more profit in doing nothing about immigration or mitigating punishment for other criminals.
Shifting gears a bit, we come to former Miami Gardens Police Chief Stephen Johnson, who found himself on the wrong side of the law as Black History Month came to a close.
He was arrested in a prostitution sting by Broward Sheriff Office Deputies in Dania Beach. City Manager Cameron Benson promptly fired Johnson, who served as North Miami Police Chief and City Manager before being appointed last May.
That experience alone is sufficient reason to scratch one’s head, shake one’s head or maybe just see it for what it is. Perhaps, a succinct perception can be seen in the words of Miami Gardens resident George Stewart, who said: “A Black leader who made a bad choice.”
So, in moving away from Black History Month, into Women’s History Month and the start of the Florida State Legislature’s 60-day marathon legislative session, keep your eyes on the political chicanery resulting from the fight over money in the budget process.
