BALTIMORE (February 4, 2020) – The NAACP issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s State of the Union Address:
President Trump’s deception and theatrics know no bounds. His reductive approach to the crimes and treason he has committed showcase his utter lack of respect for this nation and its citizens. He has set us down a treacherous path for which we will long feel the consequences. He put our ability to have free and fair elections at stake while crippling the power granted to Americans to have their voice heard at the ballot box.
The ill-effects of Trump’s policies and careless behavior do the most harm to the political and social power of communities of color. His failure to confront the plight of all communities (the poor, LBGTQIA, women and immigrants) is without question one of the gravest threats to this country’s promise, “liberty and justice for all.” Tonight during his speech, we witnessed him take pride in appointing the least qualified and least diverse judges with many remaining in the pipeline. The judges he has appointed are committed to setting back the progress that has been accomplished through our fight for justice, liberation, and equity. The lip service he provided the American people tonight only serves to keep distinct communities suppressed and constrained, both politically and socially. While spewing false narratives to cover up his manipulative and violative behavior, he created irreparable chaos and sullied our nation’s ability to progress toward the ideals of inclusivity and parity. While he touts a low unemployment rate, the truth is that Black unemployment is still twice as high as that of Whites. His ability to twist the narrative to favor himself is fraught with narcissism.
President Trump’s address tonight was nothing more than a distraction from the real issue: our democracy is at stake due to his divisive actions and belief that he is above the law. He is emboldened by elected officials that condone his behavior through their silence. Protecting our democracy is our elected leaders’ most significant responsibility. Trump and his party have failed to do that. From asking a foreign nation to help him sabotage our election to telling four congresswomen to go back to where they came from, his actions stoke the flames of anti-unity, anti-immigration, and anti-equality. His brazenness to utter the words, “We must always remember to put America first” when he has placed our nation in the very hands of adversaries that seek to upend our democracy speaks to his duplicitous nature.
As we enter a critical season, we will continue to fight against this President’s attempts to impede our civil rights, dispel the growing threat of environmental issues, and divide our country along racial lines. The culmination of our efforts will aid in the progression of our democracy and change the trajectory of this nation for the better.
