By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.
Let’s just call it like it is. The divide in this country is at an all-time high. In some corners of the nation, evil is flourishing. People and their twisted ways have gained a foothold.
I am on the way out and those on the way in don’t have a script to follow. All they see is intolerance, meanness and hatred. That is not a blueprint for success.
It used to be that we would look forward to voting. You would show your ID, cast your ballot, went home and waited for the results. Now, some states have passed laws to make it more difficult to vote. If you are Black like me and lived through segregation, you know the struggle that it has been.
Uzoma Nkwonta, an attorney representing the New Georgia Project Action Fund said, “There’s always been some litigation about voter rolls and list maintenance. But part of what you’re seeing with this explosion is what appears to be a concerted attempt to generate errors and controversy that can then be used down the road to undermine election results.”
Many folks within the Grand Old Party are casting doubts about whether the former president can win this upcoming election. As a result, they are pulling out all the stops, some unethical and questionable, at best.
Just last week, Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina was in Nebraska to meet with the governor and other lawmakers there. He said, “I hope they will allow winner take-all. Trump’s going to win the state by 20 points.”
Reports say he is concerned because Nebraska and Maine apportion their electoral votes based partially upon congressional districts. This translates to Vice President Kamala Harris coming away with one electoral vote from an Omaha-area district. The Republican Party is on a ferris wheel of malcontent.
Seeds of Republican anxiety and frantic behavior have also spread to Springfield Ohio. The Haitian population who has been described as hardworking citizens were accused of eating the pets of the people that live there. Donald Trump made these false and baseless accusations.
To counter these salacious claims, Republican Governor, Mike DeWine said, “These Haitians came in here to work because there were jobs, and they filled a lot of jobs. And if you talk to employers, they’ve done a very, very good job and they work very, very hard.”
Since 2020 about 15,000 Haitians have settled in Springfield Ohio. The city has a population of just under 60,000 residents.
Governor DeWine has denied Mr. Trump’s allegations to CBS News. Statements made by Mr. Trump have been made up sensational stories that only appeal to his base of supporters.
Colin Barclay who has lived in the city since 2015 and is White said, “You can tell people the truth and unless it fits their narrative they’re just, you know, they’re not going to listen to it.” Springfield mayor, Rob Rue issued a proclamation getting emergency powers to “mitigate public safety concerns”. The proclamation said, “This will enable departments to respond more efficiently to emerging risks, including civil unrest, cyber threats and potential acts of violence.
America, this is all because of what Trump said about the Haitian citizens in Spring-field Ohio. Will he stop this avalanche of hate he sows every time he speaks? The an- swer is no, and some Republicans have grown weary of it.
Reports say that more than 200 Republican staffers from 4 Republican administrations have opted to endorse Kamala Harrs for president. A part of their endorsement letter reads, “Another four years of Donald Trump’s chaotic leadership will hurt real, everyday people and weaken our sacred institutions.” This letter appeared in the USA Today newspaper.
The city of Springfield Ohio will bounce back because the city is all right and Trump is all wrong.
Dr. James B. Ewers, Jr. is a longtime educator who hails from Winston Salem, N.C. Ewers is a life member of the NAACP and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
