A black CNN anchorman goes viral in push back to Trump's attack on Baltimore
Said Pres. Donald Trump: "Cummings district is a disgusting rat and rodent infested mess. . .No human being would want to live there." Searing, Blackwell tried to fight back tears as he defended his hometown. "They are Americans too," he said, just like Trump supporters.
This is a recurring theme. Trump has been on a roll demeaning lawmakers of color as of late.
Maxwell noted Trump's history of using the word "infested" in berating socio-economically challenged areas. From inner cities to third world countries, Trump has shown a pattern of making degrading remarks about minorities and living conditions. The language ostricies an entire group of people, isolating them as if they are other" or belong "elsewhere." Such innuendo reinforces attitude of his White Supremacist supporters who view blacks are inferior and not welcome in their own country.
In the past he has also addressed black voters in particular as if they can not think for themselves. Speaking at a rally in Dimondale, MI during the 2016 campaign, Trump told black voters they should vote for him saying, "What in the hell do you have to lose?," as if black people were hopeless. He later said he wanted to give the children in various inner cities the same opportunities as everyone else. His tweets cat doubt on the sincerity of the
Not only did the president compare Baltimore to the conditions in border facilities, but also he accused Cummings of corruption and failing to do hid job:
"If he spent more time in Baltimore, maybe he could help clean up this very dangerous & filthy place. Why is so much money sent to the Elijah Cummings district when it is considered the worst run and most dangerous anywhere in the United States. No human being would want to live there. Where is all this money going? How much is stolen? Investigate this corrupt mess immediately!”
Reading these words were too much for the anchorman. He took it personally.
Blackwell came to the defense of his community realizing the stereotypical narrative of blacks being on welfare and killing each other is a common idea shared among Republicans.
Home of the bustling National Harbor, the Preakness and Baltimore Ravens, the city of Maxwell's birth is far from being a place of sheer squalor like reporters and politicians who visited the Southern border described it. In fact, the employment rate in the state of Maryland (3.8%) is almost the exact same as the national employment rate that Trump brags is the lowest ever, while there is room for economic improvement for African Americans there.
But the game of politics Pres. Trump is playing is obvious. He knows how to get the attention of the voters in his base whose ears itch for racist rants. Divide the races. Conquer through inducing fear and created a need to satisfy that fear. In this case he is feeding the need for white power and dominance. This strategy worked to his advantage in the 2016 election.
This time Trump doubled up on his negative energy about leaders on a daily basis. The four minority Congress women were the targets of his racist rants for weeks before he shifted attention to Cummings and Baltimore. The next morning he returned to Twitter again saying Democrats are playing the race card and his statements were not racist.
Maxwell and the peole supporting his stance arenot pretending Baltimore is Mayberry. Baltimore is sullied with its share of adversity. In 2017 the murder rate in Baltimore was double the rate of Chicago. There were riots following the unexplained death of Freddie Gray, a young Black man who died of a spinal chord injury he got when taken into police custody. The jobless rate for African American men in Baltimore remains high and there have been pockets of poverty and economic disparity in the 7th district for many years. The president has been accused of having economic policies that do not benefit African Americans as the national jobless rate for blacks remains the highest. Former inmates who got jobs through the Frist Steps Act have credited the Trump Administration with helping them with transition back into society with a sense of stability. In Baltimore the African American community has been impacted by the plight of the cash bail system and mandatory minimums, another side of the prison industrial complex, yet to be remedied and was not mentioned when Pres. Trump ripped into them.
Baltimore, like Flint, MI and Chicago and even many rural areas could all be placed in the same category as it relates to poverty, but the 45th leader of the nation fails to mention areas that are not predominately black.
The venom from the leader of the free world has been spread thin among Black journalists too.
In the fall of last year, Pres. Trump stood on the White House grounds and called April Ryan, who is also a native of Baltimore, a loser. CNNs Abby Phillips, and Yamiche Alcindor of PBS were also targets of his demeaning words. His defenders say Trump is an equal opportunity downer, yet more often than not, black people are the targets of his harsh conduct, which is one reason they are deemed racist.
“The president says about Congressman Cummings’ district that no human would want to live there,” Blackwell said after pausing to collect himself.
“You know who did, Mr. President? I did,” he said.
After a pregnant pause, his voice cracklingwith emotion, Blackwell continued: “There are challenges, no doubt, but people are proud of their community. I don’t want to sound self-righteous, but people get up and go to work there. They care for their families there. They love their children who pledge allegiance to the flag just like people who live in districts of congressmen who support you, sir. They are Americans too.”
Cummings shot back an even-tempered answer to his prognosticator tweeting that he is taking care of business for the people in his district:
"Mr. President, I go home to my district daily. Each morning, I wake up, and I go and fight for my neighbors.
It is my constitutional duty to conduct oversight of the Executive Branch. But, it is my moral duty to fight for my constituents. Just yesterday, I held a hearing on the skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs and the financial hardships that families across the nation, and in Baltimore, are facing." In the last of his 3 tweets Cummings told Trump they can work on lowering drug prices together.
It is my constitutional duty to conduct oversight of the Executive Branch. But, it is my moral duty to fight for my constituents. Just yesterday, I held a hearing on the skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs and the financial hardships that families across the nation, and in Baltimore, are facing." In the last of his 3 tweets Cummings told Trump they can work on lowering drug prices together.
Maxwell was the first to breakdown publicly from the disrespect. This is an example of a journalist simply being human and expressing righteous indignation. In support of Blackwell's passionate comments #WeAreBaltimore is trending. Numerous politicians and many other caring Americans have denounced Trump's words. The editorial board of the Baltimore Sun slammed the president for bashing their city with a piece titled "Better to have a few rats than to be one," which revisited some of Trump's worse business dealings, like his failed Casino in Atlantic City.
