Why This Black Man Voted for & Support President Trump

Over my lifetime, I have been asked numerous questions over various subject matter.  Many in jest and passing and others due to my teaching and research.  However, recent times seem to have me entertaining one question at a frequency I have never prior experienced: why and how, could you as a Black man, vote for and support President Donald Trump? In typical fashion I answer the query terse and succinctly without any wiggle room for them to ask for any additional clarification.   As such their response is usually in the form of cursing, name calling or not having either the information or vocabulary to refute my position. This time I will formally address my views in totality, insofar as much as I can based on present temporal limitations.

First, I was born in the United States of America and ergo I am an American. I believe full heartedly in the slogan and impetus behind the slogan MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. I have lived outside of the USA for years. In African nations, the likes of Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa and traveled spending months in places including but not limited to Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Malawi.  Most folk that say America was never great from my experiences, have never lived let alone traveled to a third world country. They have never had to live not being able to drink water out of a faucet without fear of contracting fatal bacteria or dying. They have never had to live in places where the roads are truly undrivable around a nation and having electricity is fleeting, irregular and rare. They have never had to risk parasitic infections like river blindness from just swimming or even taking a shower or fear walking down the street or across a field for fear of stepping on a landmine. No most are spoiled, self-centered narcissists that take such things for granted. Now I will accept some may say that America was never great due to its history of genocide against native Americans and slavery, but I was never a slave and realize via experience I have it better here than anywhere else in the world. I acknowledge the plight we as African Americans suffer due to slavery, but I do not live in the past, I progress towards tomorrow. I do acknowledge this nation's legacy of racism, hatered, segregation and Jim Crow, and that it will always be a reality, but to repeat my prior statement - I do not live in the past, I progress towards tomorrow. I am not a victim, for victims have no control or choices (I have both).

Then there is the incessant proclamation of Trump being a racist. Me, I do not see it. In fact, I prefer competence over diversity. Now diversity is good, but I’d rather have a competent staff or physician or professor than have one placed on me because of their sex, ethnicity or gender who is dumb as a mf. But in all honesty, you can say or speak as you want, it is the policy that matters. Bill Clinton and Joe Biden spoke diversity and love for black folk but all we got were mandatory minimums, three strike laws, and the removal of black men from our communities and the dissolution of the black family unit. President Clinton did more to hurt Black folk than any insensitive statement made by President Trump. We do not even have to add that the Clinton Administration withdrew Pell Grant eligibility from people in prison through his signing of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. I would mention Obama but I have previously written about how he destroyed the Black economic base.

Therefore, policy matters more than words. It was President Trump who gave HBCUs more funding than any other President. It was Trump who appointed 1st black woman nominated to be Marine brigadier general in the Marine Corps. It was Trump who designated the first national monument to honor African American Civil War soldiers ever in the United States and made Medger Evers home a national historical monument and landmark. These things are cool but are just cosmetic to me. It is the policy of the Trump administration that I am most impressed with, policies that benefit all Americans.  But I will stick to black folk first.

Under Trump. African-American unemployment is at a record low, total African-American employment has increased by 976,000 since President Trump’s election and the poverty rate for African Americans reachedits lowest level since slavery (joke is mine). Add to this President Donald J. Trump’s Opportunity Zone Incentives, which are promoting and resulting in record investment in mainly Black economically distressed communities. Also, the Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency has placed a major focus on Black and Women business development. One of the least known actions of the Trump administration is legislation he signed into law that forgave more than $300 million in Hurricane Katrina related debt for New Orleans, Louisiana and Dillard and Xavier Universities in particular. There is also the criminal justice reform signed into law under Trump called the First Step Act. I could go on, but the media has set your narrative for you. Me, I read and form my own views by myself. 

I also agree with Trump’s immigration and bringing US military home from all these endless and futile regimes change wars. With respect to immigration, I am for it, it is illegal immigration I am against. No other nation in the world would let people come in their country with which they have no idea who they are, or what is their history, criminal or public health wise.  I live in a house with walls and they are not immoral. Instead they protect my family. If a hoard of 10 or more folks came to my front door demanding entry to my home just because they ask or want too, If I do not know them they are not getting in. If they own their own accord decide to come in anyway by trying to break down my doors or come through the window, they are criminals and will be SHOT. America is my home, and, in my view, it is reasonable for me to ask who is at my door or border and for them to ask permission to come in, point period. Likewise, I fight my own fights not others.  Libya, Syria, Yemen or Iraq has never done anything to me, so why should I fight for them? Answer no reason. The reality is that when illegal immigrants enter, jobs in dry-wall, construction, plumbing and other areas mean lower wages for black folk working and born in America. Then there is the reality that we have homeless people born in America that we do not or cannot take care of for spending an average net fiscal cost in government services for illegal aliens of $65,000 or $135 Billion annually. 

I could continue but I will not. I would rather state my position and let others decide for themselves. None the less. I voted for Trump, support Trump and will never get tired of all this winning. So, I say you do you and I do me and don’t call me names because your vocabulary is limited, and you get your information from television pundits rather than reading to inform yourself.