WhatsappJoe Biden gets very defensive when racist issues come up. This is something that will become a big issue in the future. People criticize him for speaking in a way that is filled with identity politics. And Joe Biden thinks that his pronouncements are the key to his battle against racism. He is right that it does matter. But he is wrong if he thinks that the most important thing to battle racism are pronouncements.
Donald Trump has been a President who’s pronouncements have often made major waves. In addition, his early morning tweets have often changed the focus on many issues with President Trump’s often bewildering statements. But, despite this, he has been an extremely effective President who’s policies have opened up the economy on an unprecedented scale. Had it not been for the corona pandemic and the havoc that it brought, Trump probably would have coasted to reelection. Indeed, more African American and Hispanic voters voted for him this time than in 2016. Ultimately, the key aspect of fighting racism is not in the realm of pronouncements.
The key is first and foremost on the educational and attitudinal level. For that, pronouncements and attitudes of leaders are very important. But, beyond that, the key to flattening the playing field and ridding racism from unfair treatments based on race, is insuring a fair playing field of opportunity. Yes, opportunity must be the same – not outcome. This is one of the reasons that Dr. Jordan Peterson has become so popular. He insists that once the focus is on equality of outcome then we are not actually flattening the playing field – we are destroying the playing field. He is right. Equality of opportunity is the key. As long as the leaders of civil rights continue along the lines of arguing for equality of outcome, then they will be leading in the wrong direction. Joe Biden buckling to speak about identity politics will not improve the racism issue in the United States.
