Welp, we made it by way of the primary full month of President Donald J. Trump’s second time period. Though the experience has already been off to a bumpy begin, the nation remains to be right here regardless of his and Elon Musk’s assaults to dismantle the federal government and even change the Structure.
As we put together for the remainder of his 4 years in workplace, The Root is looking at all of the unthinkable assaults on Black People from the present administration up to now.
1. RFK Jr. Says Black People Don’t Want Vaccines
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed because the Secretary of Well being and Human Providers on Feb. 13, regardless of his documented historical past of being anti-vaccine and perpetuating racist concepts. As The Root beforehand reported, his affirmation represents an unprecedented regression within the American well being system.
Most notably, the Trump nominee claimed a “sequence of research” in Poland confirmed Black of us have “a a lot stronger response” to “explicit antigens.” That means in his thoughts, Black People must be on a distinct vaccine schedule than different People. Moreover, the son of late civil rights activist Robert F. Kennedy claimed Black youngsters on ADHD medicine must be “re-parented.” Now, he’s accountable for the federal government division which protects the well being of People and oversees important human providers.
2. DEI Banned on the Federal Stage
The republican president signed an order to finish range, fairness, inclusion (DEI) applications in federal departments and companies on Jan. 20. His order additionally detailed plans to compile a listing concentrating on all federal contractors and grantees with DEI applications, in line with the White Home. To date, dozens of corporations and companies have rolled again DEI and fired workers en masse. Most notably, nonetheless, Apple and Costco have doubled down on their DEI initiatives.
3. Trump and MAGA Blame DEI For Deadly Airplane Crash
Even with DEI being banned by the president, Trump and his supporters nonetheless managed guilty DEI for the deadly collision between a D.C. certain passenger aircraft and a Black Hawk helicopter final month.
“The FAA is actively recruiting staff who are suffering extreme mental disabilities, psychiatric issues, and different psychological and bodily circumstances underneath a range and inclusion hiring initiative,” Trump mentioned during a press convention. And due to it, the president claimed DEI brought about a decreasing of requirements for FAA workers, resulting in the crash.
4. Trump Assaults the 14th Modification
On his first day in workplace, the president signed an govt order attacking birthright citizenship, the constitutional proper giving computerized citizenship to any particular person born within the states. Though it was framed as an assault on unlawful immigration, the 14th Modification goes again to slavery.
After the Civil Warfare conflict ended, three amendments have been added to the Structure granting citizenship and righting the wrongs of slavery’s previous. The thirteenth, 14th, and fifteenth Amendments are referred to as the “Reconstruction Amendments,” and now, at the very least one in all them is in danger for elimination. In keeping with PBS, over 22 states have filed lawsuits in opposition to Trump’s order, saying it goes straight in opposition to the U.S. Structure. Extra states and activists are anticipated to file their very own fits.
5. Ending Black Historical past Month on the Division of Protection
On Jan. 31, the Division of Protection introduced all “id months lifeless at DoD.” This got here simply days after the president signed an govt order to ban DEI on the federal degree. Due to the DoD memo, celebrations like Ladies’s Historical past Month, Satisfaction Month, and even Black Historical past Month is not going to be acknowledged throughout the division.