OP-ED

Why Are Black People Expected to Honor White Supremacists?

Woman in brown suit | Photo by Dziana Hasanbekava via Pexels

In a unanimous decision, the Senate passed a resolution to honor the "life and legacy" of Charlie Kirk, an activist who many Black Americans considered a white supremacist. When the question arose as to whether someone who spent their political career spreading hateful, racist rhetoric would be worthy of national recognition, they blinked. While it's admirable that so many elected officials condemned political violence, it's a shame they couldn't bring themselves to denounce racism. The text claimed Kirk lived with "conviction, courage, and compassion," overlooking the trail of hateful quotes he left behind like breadcrumbs. We're witnessing an effort to whitewash his legacy, to focus on him as a champion for free speech without holding Kirk accountable for the impact of his racist statements. Lavishing praise, senators claimed he was dedicated to the "constitution, civil discourse, and Biblical truth." However, those familiar with his rhetoric know their description is misleading.

The 14th Amendment, which guarantees equal protection under the law regardless of race, is part of the Constitution that Kirk seemed to oppose. After all, he claimed passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was "a mistake." Instead of seeing this legislation as a much-needed remedy to Jim Crow, he dismissed it as irrelevant and…