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RACISM + POLITICS
Can You Hold a Black Man at Gunpoint and Still Win Public Office?
Kenyatta exposed Fetterman, but will it tank his candidacy?
Only eleven Black men have ever served as Senators in the United States Congress. In other words, out of 12,421 positions, nearly 99.9115% were White. So, when 31-year-old State representative Malcolm Kenyatta decided to run for Pennsylvania Congress, the odds were already stacked against him. But, don’t let the Obama years and Kamala Harris breaking a glass ceiling fool you — America still has a problem with electing Black people to positions of power. Even when White candidates participate in racist, vile acts, they are more likely to win when running against Black candidates.
Lt. Gov John Fetterman is a 52-year-old “progressive” White man competing for the same senate seat as Kenyatta. He supports policies like raising the minimum wage, “Medicare for All,” and “criminal justice reform.” So, on paper, Fetterman looks like the type of candidate who would attract Democratic voters, and he has gained substantial support over the years. But, in a debate leading to the Democratic primary on May 17th, Kenyatta burst his bubble when he asked Fetterman why he hadn’t apologized for his role in a 2013 incident.
