On MAGA's Misinformation Campaign About Systemic Racism and American Identity

" America is not a racist country" -- Sen. Tim Scott, Jul 15, 2024 at Republican National Convention

Sen. Tim Scott, the Senate's only Black Republican, is a true believer in the promise of America. He loves to remind people of our country's unique social mobility and quality of economic opportunity. He further points out that his family went from " cotton to Congress in one generation". Sen. Tim Scott is a case study on how to equivocate about race, America's past and future. He's also one of Donald Trump's most loyal supporters and a stalwart promoter of MAGA and its core positions on everything from abortion to the southern border crisis, from the war in Ukraine to the genocide in Gaza.

African American voters, for the most part, see Sen. Scott as a racial caricature and servile. To many, he's an embarrassing sycophant and betrayer of the civil rights movement. South Carolina is unique in the sense that it would send James Clyburn and Tim Scott to Congress while giving us Strom Thurman and Jesse Helms just two generations ago. While I admire Sen. Scott for his commitment to his beliefs and core values, I vehemently disagree with his historical interpretation. I share his love of our great nation. I believe in its ideals and promise. However, we must set the record straight for MAGA-controlled Republicans like Tim Scott, Nikki Haley, and Gov. Ron De Santis of Florida, who perpetuate illusions of an open and equal American polity-- and seek to uphold false narratives about our nation's past.

Let's see if we can set the record straight for the MAGA-controlled Republicans, especially those with the impossible task of trying to persuade African-American voters while maintaining the illusion of a free and democratic American past.

Throughout its history, America has grappled with deep-rooted issues of racism that have shaped the country's social, political, and economic landscape. From the institution of slavery to the implementation of discriminatory laws and policies, the legacy of racism continues to impact communities across the nation. While acknowledging this troubled history, it is essential to recognize the Constitutional prerogative to strive toward a more perfect Union, one that upholds the principles of equality, justice, and unity for all its citizens.

The assertion that America is a racist country finds ample support in the historical record. The institution of slavery, which existed for centuries, dehumanized and exploited millions of African Americans, treating them as property rather than as human beings. Sadly, the legacy of slavery continues to reverberate in the systemic inequalities and injustices that persist in American society today.

Following the abolition of slavery, the implementation of Jim Crow Laws enforced racial segregation and discrimination, further entrenching racial divides in the US. Anti-Chinese immigration laws targeted Asian immigrants, restricting their rights and opportunities based on their race. The Trail of Tears, which forcibly removed Native American tribes from their ancestral lands, represents a dark chapter in our history marked by the displacement and marginalization of indigenous peoples.

Racially motivated events and laws, such as the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and the ongoing struggles for civil rights underscore the pervasive nature of racism in our nation's past and present. These injustices have left a lasting impact on communities of color, perpetuating cycles of inequality and discrimination. Sen Scott will occasionally mention his grandfather's story. The Senator will tell us about how his grandfather was driven from the classroom of a primary school in the 3rd grade into the fields to pick cotton. This is the main reason. many Americans are dumbfounded at Sen. Scott's illogical assertion about a non-racist America.

The US Constitution charges each generation to form a "more perfect Union"-- not to long for a time of gross imperfections based on superficial notions of race, class and gender. In his infamous opinion on rendering the Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857) decision, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney famously argued that (1) Blacks could not be citizens of the US, (2) slaves were property protected by the Constitution, and (3) a state can unilaterally nullify the freedom of an emancipated slave within its borders. The very notion that MAGA-controlled Republicans like Sen. Tim Scott and Gov. Ron De Santis are offended by the interpretation of more accurate historical narratives is beyond understanding. Yet, these misinterpretations are the reasons for widespread confusion about American identity.

Donald Trump and his MAGA movement continue to emphasize a narrow vision of American identity rooted in white Christian nationalism, traditional values, and a focus on America's past hegemony. They are campaigning to prioritize American interests over global concerns, restricting immigration, and preserving American cultural norms.

A right-wing Supreme Court is now busy codifying such ideas by interpreting the Constitution in a way that aligns with MAGA's principles. This includes decisions that uphold traditional values, protect deregulation, and limit the power of the federal government. A conservative right-wing SCOTUS will support policies that will militarize law enforcement agencies, reinforce protectionist economic policies, and repeal civil rights legislation.

We tend to underestimate the role the Supreme Court plays in shaping American identity. The Court's decisions on key issues such as civil and voting rights, individual freedoms, and the balance of power between the federal government and the states profoundly impact the values and principles that define American identity.

Through landmark rulings, the Supreme Court has influenced societal norms and values on desegregation, interracial marriage, reproductive rights, and much more. These decisions continue to shape our political discourse on American identity and the rights and responsibilities that separate citizens from non-citizens.

Sen. Tim Scott and his fellow MAGA-controlled Republicans shouldn't pick this hill to die on. If Donald Trump is more successful at courting African Americans and other marginalized voters, then he will have to adopt a more truthful approach to America's violent racial past. Such an admission neither undermines one's patriotism nor makes one a traitor indoctrinated with the "wokeism" that refutes MAGA's manufactured historical narrative on systemic racism and its impact on American society in 2024.