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Black Politicians Don’t Always Hold Black Interests at Heart
All skin folk ain’t kinfolk
It’s a lesson Black people know well: Just because someone looks like you doesn’t mean they’re on your side. We need to look no further than a string of Black politicians who implemented harmful policies on Black constituents.
“While electing Black officials changes the faces of the people implementing policies harmful to the Black community, it does not change the policy in and of itself. Often enough, the people in power will fight to maintain the political system from which they have benefited,” writes Rainier Harris in an essay for GEN. “Too often they want to abide by the political mainstream. Even within the Democratic Party, which many in America see as the party of progress, Black politicians often side with White liberals who, despite decrying racism, uphold policies that perpetuate it.”
It’s always refreshing — even inspiring! — to see a Black person in a position of power. But it means nothing if they’re using their power to uphold a racist system.
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