Why Biden's Joint Congress Speech Is Malarkey
Actions speak louder than words, and neither Biden's actions nor his words match the moment we're all living in.
Biden's Anti-Black Administration is full-steam ahead.
I watched the State of the Union address a few nights ago expecting Biden not to say anything meaningful to or about Black people as we endure this latest season of Whitelash, antagonization, and provocation by White men making their last stand to retain White rule. He did not disappoint.
Read the full transcript of not having Blacks backs before Congress here:
There were so many things said. President Biden gave all the usual platitudes, pomp, circumstance, and ear tickling shortsighted White voters and K-Hivers needed to make them think we're back on track to being a post-racial, American dream for all, kind of nation. The bar is so low after Trump, so low.
For Black voters seeing through all the political shittery like myself, we heard get to the back of the line, you don't matter much, and All Lives Matter, without saying any of those things.
Biden only mentioned Black people three (3) times in his speech first speech to a Joint Congress, demonstrating his lack of desire to attend to our issues. If Biden was serious about addressing White Supremacy, he'd would've spoken more about the nation's second sin, the enslavement of African Americans and how those old holdover beliefs in inequity and Blacks as second class citizens live on in 2021 within millions of White people in this country.
Those racist beliefs led to the Insurrection on January 6th.
Not talking about anti-Blackness driving the latest episode of Whitelash is quite revealing about Biden's commitment to addressing racism, inequity, and anti-Blackness in America.
Analyzing The Three Times Biden Spoke About Black People
The first time Biden mentioned anything related to Black people, it was in concert with public education. Biden didn't address Black people as a single issue or a single group in need of his proposed focus. His discussion of Black people in connection with other people of color (POC) included other racial groups who already have special designations, designation which includes funding and privileges with national designations. There is something here for everyone, nothing special to address the gaps between Blacks and Whites.
Here is Biden's first mention of Blacks in his speech:
"The research shows that when a young child goes to school—not day care—they are far more likely to graduate from high school and go on to college. And then we add two years of free community college. And we will increase Pell Grants and investment in Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal colleges, and minority-serving institutions.
Jill is a community college professor who teaches today as First Lady. She has long said any country that out-educates us is going to outcompete us – and she’ll be leading this effort.
Second, the American Families plan will provide access to quality, affordable child care. We guarantee that low- to middle-income families will pay no more than 7% of their income for high-quality care for children up to the age of 5. The most hard-pressed working families won’t have to spend a dime."
Like most White people, Biden ensures White people are included in everything, even if they don't need anything extra special because, they are at the top of the food chain. Additionally, like most White people, they have a difficult problem addressing Black issues, Black gaps, Black needs, and offenses committed against our community by America. The American Families Plan is code for White people. Investments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal colleges, and minority-serving institutions means everyone is going to get something.
Tribal colleges are already flushed with cash, or at least they have more cash than HBCUs. In 2020, Congress appropriated $936.3 million to the Bureau of Indian Education, the federal bureau responsible for administering funding for Native American education. Compare , historically Black Colleges and Universities colleges were not so fortunate. In 2020, President Trump signed a bipartisan bill that permanently provided more than $250 million a year to the nation’s historically black colleges and universities, along with dozens of other institutions that serve large shares of minority students. Black people must share everything with everyone. America doesn't invest in us. I'm not sure why we continue to invest in America.
The second time Biden spoke about Black people, it was in context to George Floyd, jumbled with complimenting good cops. There was something in the word soup for everyone if you're a shallow and gullible voter. Here are his words:
"After the conviction of George Floyd’s murderer, we can see how right she was – if we have the courage to act. We have all seen the knee of injustice on the neck of Black America. Now is our opportunity to make real progress.
Most men and women in uniform wear their badge and serve their communities honorably. I know them. I know they want to help meet this moment as well.
My fellow Americans, we have to come together. To rebuild trust between law enforcement and the people they serve. To root out systemic racism in our criminal justice system. And to enact police reform in George Floyd’s name that passed the House already. I know the Republicans have their own ideas and are engaged in productive discussions with Democrats.
We need to work together to find a consensus. Let’s get it done next month, by the first anniversary of George Floyd’s death. The country supports this reform. Congress should act."
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Actions speak louder than words, and neither Biden's actions nor his words match the moment we're all living in. We're in the early stages of Jim Crow 2.0, and President Biden is acting as though Black people, the very people trying to make this country be what it says it is on paper, aren't in danger. This is bothersiderism at its worst. Biden is a coward and forcing us to befriend people who hate us is the ultimate betrayal for people who should have our backs. They act like we have all the time in the world. We have less than two years before Republicans get back in power unless Biden is able to purge the government of it's insurrectionists in Congress. So far, he's acting like they are friends.
Black voters are under attack all over the nation. Without Black votes, the Democratic party loses, because we all know no other group voters at higher numbers for Democrats than Blacks. Not helping us is suicide, but I guess White folks are ready to die.
The third and final time Biden mentioned Black people:
We have a giant opportunity to bend to the arc of the moral universe toward justice. Real justice. And with the plans I outlined tonight, we have a real chance to root out systemic racism that plagues American life in many other ways.
A chance to deliver real equity. Good jobs and good schools. Affordable housing. Clean air and clean water. Being able to generate wealth and pass it down through generations. Real opportunities in the lives of more Americans – Black, white, Latino, Asian American, Native American.
Again, Biden fails to address America's anti-Blackness, instead he chooses to generalize racism and lump us in with other groups who already have specific designation the federal government recognizes. Every time he has the opportunity to be substantive, he chooses superficial breaching. To me, he chose violence against Blacks. I understand now America is truly at war with Black people.
Other Dishonorable Mentions
In his bonus honorable mention attempts, Biden forgets to address how the John Lewis Voting Rights Act would protect Black voters, votes Dems need to win in 2022 and 2024. He briefly mentioned this without any specificity at the end of his speech. Biden's nonchalant plea on behalf of Black people:
"Congress should pass H.R. 1 and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and send them to my desk right away. The country supports it. Congress should act."
America benefits from us being able to vote. Why is this so hard? Why was this not driven home so that White folks can get this in their heads?
Lastly, Biden only mentioned White Supremacy one time, and it was such a brief, nothing of a attempt, it's actually pretty shameful coming from the leader of the free world where White people were just climbing on the walls of Congress like monkeys taking dumps on the floor. There is no way White people will understand their roles in upholding White Supremacy with this little sketch dishonorable mention of White Supremacy:
"And, we won’t ignore what our own intelligence agencies have determined – the most lethal terrorist threat to the homeland today is from white supremacist terrorism.:
That's all folks. Biden barely said the words White, White Supremacy, or Black in his speech. Jim Crow Joe is as anti-Black as I knew he would be. It's just amazing how many White and Black people are willing to give him a pass on it. Biden isn't the man for this hour. We had so many other better candidates, but this is the White man that Black people knew could appease enough White folks to vote against Republicans. Biden is nothing more than a nice White moderate Republican with a Black but not too Black non-African-American sidekick Vice-President who will do what she can to not rock White boats as she let's Black ones fail. She's made it to the mountain top now.
She has no more use for us. Black folks weren't allowed to demand anything from this Administration, and we've have nothing. The Biden-Harris Administration will continue their anti-Black march through Washington until the wheels fall off the wagon. The Democratic Party is underestimating the frustrations of Black people, especially African-Americans. We have eyes to see and ears to hear, and we know American politics has nothing in its future for Black folks.
Biden does not have Black folks' backs, and White folks aren't making him keep his promise. The bar is so low for White people. They forget so easily. They can never connect the dots. Their White allyship is hard to comprehend. Why is doing the right thing so damned difficult? Sadly, the Democratic Party doesn't have our backs either. Biden's speech is malarkey, a word sandwich, a nothing burger, just like I knew it would be.
It's going to be a tough next 3-years for Biden and Democrats. Black folks are engaged. We see everyone getting fed except us. Come next November though, the Democratic Party, Obama, Harris, and Biden will have the nerve to ask us for our votes. I won't be supporting them, and I don't care what anyone thinks. We've voted blue no matter what, and all we got is a Black woman sitting behind a White man who helps him do the bidding of White folks. I'm good on the Democratic Party.
Black folks are paying attention, and we're not seeing anymore reasons to be loyal to the Democratic Party. We can't just be happy with a Black woman getting off the airplane in Chuck Taylors and think that's going to bring us equity or end racism. Biden doesn't have our backs, and his first speech proves what I've suspected all along. Biden, like most Democrats, want Black folks to get them elected without providing anything to us tangible in return for our votes. Those days are over. I'll be dissecting everything Biden and Democrats say from now on to prove to my readers Black folks are on their own.
We're all we got.
Black folks voted blue no matter and we have absolutely nothing to show for it. We can't ever let this happen again. Let's stop being sidepieces and start being main courses like the rest of the non-Black racial groups in this country.
It's time.
Marley K.