Let’s Defeat Race-Baiting

Race-baiting is back in the news. In the past few days, headlines on the use of racially divisive language against California Senator Kamala Harris have come fast and furiously. Time magazine’s headline reads: Democratic Candidates Condemn ‘Attacks’ on Sen. Kamala Harris’ Race. Before that, BuzzFeed posted an article, entitled A New Racist Campaign Against Kamala Harris Is Taking Shape. The Grio wrote: Kamala Harris hit in new birther movement.

These attacks dispute whether Sen Harris is an American Black by questioning the birth countries of her parents. Many journalists have dubbed the attacks on whether Harris is black enough birtherism.  Whatever it is called, the affect is just old fashion race-baiting.  She embraces her bicultural heritage and identifies as a Black woman in the same way as President Obama embraces his bicultural heritage and identifies as a Black man. Bottom line, it should not matter in her presidential campaign. 

To make matters worse, this time the agitator is Black. Maybe some think that it is new and news because of the source, a tweet from a Black conservative commentator that went viral thanks to Donald Trump, Jr.’s retweet and deleted post. But it is the same old patriarchal message with a Black messenger in a newer medium. Still not new. Still not news.

Race-baiting has a long history in presidential campaigns. For example, President Richard Nixon famously used his opposition to desegregation busing to win the White House.

In the 2020 election cycle, the attacks have been so absurd. Could you imagine white candidates being questioned about their citizenship, whiteness, whether white voters can trust them or why a candidate’s spouse does not have the same white country of origin as the candidate. Sounds laughable, but these are real questions asked about a Black female, presidential candidate.

Unfortunately, media coverage amplifies these attacks, pushing out the messages of the shameful biases and insecurities that we all have about race. For example, CNN’s Chris Cuomo apologized for a tweet that appeared to ask for Harris to prove her citizenship.

In 2016, Trump won saying “build a wall” and “ban all the Muslims.” In the White House, he did not stop peddling hate. After the 2017 Unite Right rally, the President of the United States spoke up in support of white supremacists. That should motivate us to get involve in the 2020 election and vote.

Race-baiting keeps rearing its ugly head because it is effective. It works. It wins elections.

Our country is uncomfortable talking about race, especially Progressives who try to gloss over disparities by embracing all. So, biases and stereotypes remain. Race-baiting touches our base instincts.

Good News! There are solutions. We can recognize and address hate inspired language.

Let’s not buy into the hate. It is a distraction. If we are busy with this kind of diversion, we are not talking about solutions. Even if the media wants to fuel racial attacks, we should remind them on social media that they are perpetuating divisiveness about a biracial woman or an interracial marriage.

We can choose to focus on issues, leadership and character. We can demand that the media cover our communities. The media has an obligation to report the facts and not fuel the frenzy of stereotypes and biases. We can remind them of their responsibility.

We must keep each other informed. We have one main job in 2020: Dump Trump. So, let’s get focused and let’s get to work.

Holli L. Holliday is president of Sisters Lead Sisters Vote, a nonprofit c4 organization for, by and of black women.