The President of the United States recently implied that Black youth in Washington, D.C. were “born criminals.”
“They’re hard core," said Donald Trump. "They’re not going to be good in 10, in 20 years, in two years. They’re going to be criminals — they were born to be criminals, frankly.”
Black Maryland Governor Wes Moore made it clear he wasn't aligned with the president’s views:
“I want to speak directly to our children, as well, and please hear me loud and clear," said Moore. "Do not listen to what Donald Trump called you yesterday. When the President from the Oval Office calls you natural born killers, children who are born to be violent, I say this: I respect the office, but I will never honor ignorance.”
No prominent Black supporters of Trump have endorsed Trump’s comments (yet), but their silence is an implicit endorsement. Where is Tim Scott, who still denies the existence of racism in America. Not even Pastors Darryl Scott and Mark Burns stepped up to defend Trump; unfortunately, they let his remarks stand. I heard one Black supporter denounce Wes Moore’s response by saying Trump never once criticized Baltimore. Moore didn’t mention Baltimore either.
Let’s examine the motives for continuing to support white supremacy. The usual suspects are power and money. Tim Scott, as a U.S. senator, theoretically has power. But does he? Scott was instrumental in establishing Opportunity Zones to help economically distressed communities, but the program only benefited the wealthy, and Trump’s anti-DEI emphasis made targeting minority communities impossible. Scott allegedly led Police reform efforts after the George Floyd protests, but he only provided Republicans with cover before giving up. I do credit him for gathering support to block a couple of racist judicial nominees during Trump’s first term, but his days of showing independence are long gone. Scott only has the power he is allowed to have. He gives power to the white supremacists who claim Scott's presence proves they aren’t racist.
Money is a reason for silence. Some Black “leaders” have cashed in by jumping on the Trump bandwagon. Florida-based Pastor Kelvin Cobaris recently praised President Donald Trump for a significant increase in his personal wealth, saying his financial blessings began after aligning himself with the Trump administration.
On June 1, Cobaris served as a guest speaker at Pathway Church, a conservative Christian congregation in Mobile, Alabama. During his sermon, Cobaris told the audience that he experienced “a level of prosperity I’ve never seen before” after publicly supporting Trump. While he attributed the blessings to his faith and alignment with “God’s will,” Cobaris placed considerable emphasis on the monetary gains that followed his political shift.
“I got people calling asking for my $Cashapp, my wiring instructions just because they want to bless me just for standing for the truth," said Cobaris. "I woke up Saturday morning. I checked my personal account, and I saw $10,000 U.S. dollars. I said, ‘Hallelujah! I should have went this way a long time ago,’”
There are those whose finances and careers depend on supporting white supremacy. Some, like Candace Owens and Clarence Thomas, have managed to make it last. Others, like Stacey Dash, have faded into obscurity. All of them, including Thomas with a lifetime term on the Supreme Court, will only benefit as long as they say and do the right things. Never standing in the way of white supremacy. Byron Donalds hopes to become Florida’s next governor, already having Donald Trump’s endorsement. At any time, should he forget who he belongs to, they can pull out his drug dealer past and destroy him.
Today, several Black people of prominence actively support white supremacy. Some unwittingly, and others perhaps not. Once upon a time, when Black men got the right to vote after the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment, Black men voted over 90% for the Republican Party because that was in their interest. The Democratic Party was virulently racist, and to vote for them would be self-defeating. Both parties changed over time, with the Republican Party taking on many traits of the Democratic Party and absorbing many of its most racist members over time.
All of the racist Democrats did not leave, nor are all current Republicans racist. A Black person can support the Republican Party without meaning to support white supremacy. It’s hard to see how they do so without acknowledging they are working alongside white supremacists unless they’re deaf, blind, or dumb.
Tim Scott may believe he can enact change from the inside. He may have even thought he could be president one day, or did he know all along that book sales were the most he’d be allowed to obtain?
William Spivey
White supremacy doesn’t always wear a hood or wave a flag — it often smiles in a suit, offers a check, or promises proximity to power. And some Black Americans, knowingly or not, have accepted the invitation. But proximity is not protection. It’s not dignity. It’s not liberation. The truth is, white supremacy doesn’t need your love — it only needs your silence, your image, your complicity. If you’re Black and still standing beside it, ask yourself: are you shaping the system, or is it shaping you? Because history will remember not just who oppressed, but who enabled. And if you’re still unsure where you stand, look around — if you’re surrounded by people who deny your worth, your history, and your humanity, it’s time to walk away.
This post originally appeared on Medium and is edited and republished with author's permission. Read more of William Spivey's work on Medium. And if you dig his words, buy the man a coffee.