Donald Trump and maga Republicans must end racism and demonstrate respect for American citizens and all human beings

Trump keeps reminding us why people in his evil cult support him. It’s the racism❗😡 Opinion published by Liz Granderson, a columnist, in the Los Angeles Times:

Donald Trump posted an evil racist video on Thursday night depicting President Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama, as apes. 💢

Donald Trump is an evil racist❗

On Friday, February 6, the White House dismissed the outpouring of criticism — but Trump  deleted the post. Was this episode disappointing❓Yes. Surprising❓ Not anymore.

Last spring, after Pope Francis died, Donald Trump posted an AI image of himself as the pope just days before cardinals convened to elect a successor.

So, no — it is not surprising that Donald Trup would choose to post virulent anti-Black imagery during Black History Month.

But it is disappointing here in 2026, that the occupant of the Oval Office is still thinking like that.

Back in 1971, the president of the United States laughed when the governor of California referred to the African delegates at the United Nations as monkeys. Less than 10 years later, that governor became the president of the United States. 

And here we are, half a century later, and yet another president has amplified that racist trope.

Meaning white supremacy is still on the ballot.

That Nixon-Reagan-Trump throughline isn’t tightly wound around policy or principle, but simply that shared worldview. After all, Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency and Reagan offered amnesty to immigrants — highly un-Trump-like moves. No, their commonality is best revealed in the delight each man took in an old racist attack against Black people.

For Americans who are 50 and older — roughly a third of the nation — this worldview has been the architect responsible for White House policy for most of our lives. And yet, when Kamala Harris lost the 2024 election, the forensic investigation focused on grocery prices and her absence from Joe Rogan’s podcast. Some — in trying to explain why Harris lost — mischaracterized her role at the border or inflated her influence on the war in Gaza.

For some reason, race did not seem to receive the same level of scrutiny.

This factor was slighted despite decades of data, such as the wave of white nationalists endorsing Harris’ opponent and the birther movement questioning President Obama’s citizenship. The trio of presidents who are on the record as enjoying depictions of Black people as monkeys — Nixon, Reagan and Trump — all used racist dog whistles in their combined 10 presidential campaigns. Their administrations have tended to be more anti-civil-rights movement than post-civil-rights movement.

Our nation’s attempts at understanding ourselves are continuously undercut by the denial that for some single-issue voters, race is their single issue. Not the price of bacon or their religious convictions. Not Gaza. Just the promise of having a safe space for prejudice. And when the president of the United States entertains racist jokes as Nixon did in the 1970s or shares racist videos as Trump continues to do, undoubtedly there is a sense among the electorate that such prejudice has a home in the White House.

Before Donald Trump used social media to push yesteryear’s 🤢 ugliness, earlier in the week Harris relaunched her 2024, social media campaign account, calling it a place where Gen Z can “meet and revisit with some of our great courageous leaders, be they elected leaders, community leaders, civic leaders, faith leaders, young leaders.” She exhorted: “Stay engaged. I’ll see you out there.”

Whether Ms. Harris plans to run again in 2028, is unclear. What we do know is this:

• Ms. Haarris would never have posted an AI picture of herself as the new pope while Catholics were mourning Francis (or any other time). 
• We know she would not have advocated for immigration officers to racially profile Black and brown Americans or disregard the 14th Amendment to detain children. 

Although we do not know how many of her policy proposals she would have been able to get across the finish line in Congress, what we do know isis  her record of public service to the American people, in contrast with Donald Trump who is suing the American people for $10 billion.

There is nothing wrong with revisiting Harris’ missteps on the campaign trail or debating her electability as she reemerges in the public spotlight. But, now that Trump has resorted to posting monkey jokes about Black people, perhaps updated forensics will consider our well established history of racism among the factors in the 2024, election.😢

It is not a shock that Donald Trump thinks poorly of Black people. Not when you know that more than 25% of those who have held the office were themselves enslavers. Nevertheless, it is deeply disappointing that 250 years into our nation’s story, some of us still deny the role that racism plays in shaping our politics and, thus, all of our lives.

President Obama will launch his legacy with 2016 State of the Union

America's future role model....Mrs. and Mrs. Barack Obama.

The New York Times reports:

President Obama will launch his post presidential legacy with the Tuesday, January 12, State of the Union address (SOTU). 

President Obama will launch his legacy on January 12th at his last State of the Union speech. God willing he will enjoy a lifetime of productive leadership.

WASHINGTON — For the final time, President Obama will mount the rostrum in the US House chamber to deliver a State of the Union, but this time, it's likely he'll not bring a long list of proposals that will languish in Congress (like the American Jobs Act....).

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Instead, Mr. Obama plans a thematic message that effectively will be as much a campaign agenda as a governing document. While not on the ballot himself, Mr. Obama hopes to use what may be the largest television audience left in his presidency to frame the debate about who should replace him and where the country should go from here.

There's much  for the President to also explain and be proud of, because, during his 8 years, the President and his beautiful family created a magnificent reputation for the White House as a family home. Mrs. Michelle Obama is a stunning First Lady of the Free World. 

Certainly, President Obama's post presidency will be even more productive, God Willing, than his 8 presidential years, when political gridlock thwarted many of his proposed progressive policies.  Nevertheless, President Obama still has the remainder of his charismatic life to fulfill the goals he inspired to achieve during his presidency.  Certainly, the Press Corps will miss his annual stand up comedy. Perhaps he can even continue as a host of the event (at least, that's my recommendation).

This is a decisive moment for the two-term President Obama.

As a matter of fact, it'll be the pivot point where he goes from being a priority setter to celebrity spectator in the contest for the future.

His speech and the days that follow offer a chance to bolster his legacy, rebut negative narratives emerging from the campaign trail and challenge his would-be successors to address the issues he deems most vital.

Aides say Mr. Obama wants to present an upbeat, optimistic view of America after seven years that will contrast with the gloomy portrayals offered by Republican candidates, a task aided by strong job creation numbers but complicated by continuing turmoil in the Middle East and elsewhere.

At the same time, Mr. Obama hopes to generate support for his approach to issues like climate change, gun control, immigration and income inequality that can boost Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, even if it does not result in further action during his tenure.

“This year, he’ll be speaking more to the American public." reports The New York Times.

Indeed, my prediction is that President ObGod Willingama, by his young age and charisma, will become the role model for the changing face of America.  Regardless of how stagnant Republicans want to remain, they will be faced with a post president Obama who, as a Constitutional Scholar, might even be appointed to the US Supreme Court.  Well, of course, keeping with the philosophy of "all things being possible", I'm confident, God Willing, that Mr. and Mrs. Obama will be the face of America's future and their beautiful daughters will follow in their footsteps. God Willing.

Unity in Africa: Two First Families Meet in Africa = One Nation

Mrs. Michelle Obama and Mrs. Laura Bush - Angels of Diplomacy in Africa: In a continent where tribal acrimony permeates politics and neighborhoods, the joining of two stunning American First Ladies must be as educational about American unity as it is entertaining to watch. 

America looked fabulous to the world when our two stunning First 
Ladies of the United States sat side by side in Tanzania, in Africa, to speak candidly about living in the White House.  Their non-verbal message was unifying and beautiful. Their joint public appearance told the world how America is one nation.  Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Obama are two intelligent women from opposite sides of America's political spectrum.  Yet, as they were interviewed, they were both beautiful, articulate and gracious to each other. In other words, Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Obama represented all the women of America to the citizens of the world and they gave a magnificent presentation.

Michelle Obama and Laura Bush shared a stage Tuesday at the African First Ladies Summit in Tanzania. They smiled and joked while also highlighting the importance of strengthening women.

Their husbands followed in the shadow of these First Ladies by joining together in a sad Memorial for those who were killed in the 1998 Al Qaeda attack on the U. S. Embassy in Tanzania.

Americans are politically polarized by difficult social and economic issues, but at the end of the day, we pledge to be One Nation Under God.  President Obama and former President George Bush and their charismatic wives put a face on our Pledge of Allegiance and we thank them for this impressive show of national pride and unity. 

Michelle Obama Speaks to Military Families: I'd Like to Join Her

As a military wife for 13 of my husband's 23 years as a US Navy veteran, I can unequivocally say Mrs. Michelle Obama is doing something no one like her has ever done before.

Mrs. Obama is a beautifully high profile, potential fist lady to a President, who is visiting with military families and listening to them - really listening - to their stories. This is amazing, because life as a military wife means obeying. Knowing someone is actually listening, indeed, is rare.

Mrs. Obama's military families listening tour is hardly noticed by the big money media markets. Although support for veterans, especially during a time of undeclared war in Iraq and Afghanistan, are all the buzz, it's not very challenging to listen to their families speak about recurring hardships. Low pay and constant change are the least of the hardships. Oh yes, there are the Navy Relief societies and chaplains. While those resources look great in the chain of command, they are actually desperation charities. Really impoverished families use them for the purposes of support. Ordained and commissioned chaplains are primarily focused on the active duty military person, providing token attention to the daily plight of families outside of Sunday services. Having someone listen to pleas for support from families is almost non-existent in the military.

I discovered Mrs. Obama's round table discussions by accidentally catching a C-Span forum held in Norfolk, VA. Her attractive attentiveness to everyone who spoke was noteworthy.

Ironically, my husband and our family lived in Norfolk VA for 6 of our Navy years. My husband was stationed aboard the USS Intrepid (CVS 11) - yes, it's the aircraft carrier now museum that will hopefully return to its place in New York Harbor some day soon. Additionally, my husband was also stationed with HC-6, a helicopter squadron; and he was a US Navy corrections counselor at the infamous brig when the low morale of active duty Vietnam War Veterans were filling the bleak cells of the old military prison.

So, I know what it's like to be a military wife in Norfolk VA. It's lonely. In spite of a warmly cordial civilian population in Norfolk, the multitude of various military commands are confusing and perennial lifestyle changes are considered normal. A spouse is on shore duty; or on sea duty; or is promoted; or is not promoted so, therefore, must move; or on temporary duty someplace else while the family stays behind; or, on weekend watch, or living on base or must move off base. Changes never end. Everybody accepts change as being ho-hum. Except, it isn't, especially for children.

Wives never know who their pediatrician or obstetrician will be when they see a physician. Medical records get lost. Civilian housing is expensive. Waiting lists for base housing contain so many rules, one never knows how long of a civilian lease to sign. Consequently, families pray for any housing opening to save money, regardless of the neighborhood. Moreover, during a time of war, the lives of families are burdened with the additionally anxiety of safety. Thank goodness for e-mail, because, when I was a military wife, the snail mail only arrived whenever the ship happened to get it to a port where there was a post office. Families of submarine sailors and officers hardly ever received mail.

As a result of the stress caused by separation hardships, I was not at all surprised by the focused reception Mrs. Obama received from her forum audience - who were both officers and enlisted families, Marines and Navy.

This was was absolutely not a campaign rally. Walls were barren of campaign posters; flashy buttons did not appear. There were no prepared speeches. People who attended, nearly all women, sat quietly until they were motivated to speak. Mrs. Obama responded with intelligent sensitivity to every speaker.

"Few sacrifice more to serve their country than you, and I know that too often it seems like you're doing it on your own,” Mrs. Obama told participants in a round table discussion of military families at Norfolk Virginia's Old Dominion University. (Reported by The Washington Times
http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/07/michelle-obama-courts-vital-military-families/).

My life as a military wife ended in 1981, but the plight of the families has not changed much over time. In fact, the stress is worsened by an additional factor I never experienced. Many of the families spoke about caring for the parents of the active duty members while they are deployed. In other words, a wife must care for a mother-in-law while the son is absent. So, this is an additional stress. A spouse cares for a home, keeps a budget, raises children; plus, often, cares for aging parents. This is likely because the parents of military personnel are living longer and therefore requiring long term care. A sandwich generation of military families is an entirely new and stressful (not to mention expensive) generational development.

To say, "Thank You Mrs. Obama" for your support for military families is an understatement.

In fact, if it were possible for me to join her, believe me, I'd be there in a heartbeat. Indeed, Mrs. Obama, if you or somebody who knows you reads this blog, please contact me so I can participate in your listening tour. I'd just like to be a reporter on the beat or the person who passes around the microphone.

More important, I'd like to journal all the heartfelt stories we'd hear on this tour.

So, if anybody is listening to me, a military wife 25 years removed, please do me the honor of asking for my help. And, of course, thank you Mrs. Obama for finally giving our nations military families the listening respect they rightfully deserve.