Around The Bend and Back Again
What Black Elders Think About Going From Obama’s Presidency to Trump’s
By: Katelynn Simmons
‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks’. That saying has been around far longer than before the U.S. came into formation. It’s dripped from the lips of those who jokingly commented about their older relatives not knowing how to use the latest iPhone. The saying is light hearted, humorous, and it mocks in good nature. On November 8th 2016, it emerged, full force, and shocked the world. The silent majority had won. The quiet minority known as black elders have something to say.
Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency. It’s been official for months now, but those that oppose him aren’t staying quiet.
When asked who she voted for, Barbara Bennet said: “Baby, I’m black. I voted Democrat. Who else would I have voted for?”
And she’s right. According to a statistical analysis by CNN of the demographical break down of the election polls, black elders voted for Hillary Clinton at 91% and voted for Trump at just 9%.
“This country is going to hell” Bennet said in a room full of black elderly women, at their job site .“Donald Trump is an idiot”. Bennet, a long time resident of East Orange, NJ was disgusted about the outcome of the election.
“America is becoming more intolerant and more racist. We’re going backwards.” Bennet said, shamefully. “Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but Trump is a racist”.
Bennet isn’t the only one who feels this way. Gloria Washington, a 70-year-old black teacher’s aid of Newark, NJ spoke up about her disappointment.
“I’m disappointed in both. Not only that Trump won, but that America voted him in. It really tells you about where America stands.”
Gloria, originally from St. Kitts British West Indies, undoubtedly had to deal with racism in America when she migrated in the 1960’s. Neither she nor Bennet thought they’d live to see a black president.
“He’s threatening to get rid of Obamacare too,” Washington said. “Some of my friends and family use Obamacare and it’s going to be tough for them.”
“Of course everyone has there own opinion. But this is nothing new. America was always racist. It was built upon racism. We’re not divided, we’ve been divided.” Bennet chimed in.
The very fabric of our society is breaking, and it’s only becoming more noticeable. The Women’s March in protest of Trump that took place after his inauguration was attended by more people than Trump’s inauguration. Trump is a perplexing character in the political game. You either support him, or you don’t. You can agree with some of his ideas, but if you didn’t want to be outed by liberal friends or family members, you’d know not to make it known. On the other hand, if you leaned a little to the left, you’d be tagged a “SJW”, “snowflake”, “unpatriotic” or a “libtard”.
But sometimes, you’re just stuck in the middle. And other times, you simply no longer care.
Roselyn E. Chambers is one of those people.
Black female musician Chrisette Michele and former Fox News correspondent Stacey Dash were dragged through the mud on Twitter when Michele received less than the $750,000 she thought she’s get for singing at the inauguration, and Dash was fired by Fox News.
“It’s their right, and who am I to tell them what they should or shouldn’t do.” Chambers said. “The black community isn’t a monolith. That backlash that they’re getting isn’t going to help; it’ll only fuel the flames. Still, it’s on them. They’ve brought this on themselves.”
Several articles, such as the ones from Forbes by David Schrieberg and Time by Joe Stein, humorously write that old people shouldn’t be allowed to vote because their future is not being affected. Joke or no joke, Bennet thinks that claim is absurd.
“Our ancestors went through so much to allow us the right to vote” Bennet said. “Elders should vote, especially black ones.”
Young people don’t even fully know the issues”, she continued. “They don’t think politics affect them that much.”
“But we’ve messed up. No, as a matter of fact, they’ve messed up.” Chambers chimed in. “Black folks voted democrat. We didn’t put that fool in the white house”
Chambers went on to describe how she felt Donald Trump was not all the way there. She thinks he’s crazy, but America was crazier for electing them. Going from former President Barack Obama to Donald Trump has had immense negative backlash from progressive and liberal groups across the world. Many felt that America was going backwards. From Trump’s promise to build a wall, to the 90-day immigration ban, many felt that the melting pot of America was missing quite a few ingredients.
“We went from a President who wanted equality, to a President who wants to control everything in his own way,” Bennet said.
“But, I will say” Chambers said. “Young people are looking towards the future, they want equality. The older generation is just too set in their ways. There’s no changing”
My dad, David Simmons an 82 year old retired plumber and a democrat also thinks Trump was the wrong choice. “I don’t like the way he comes in all big bad wolf. He’s eating his words on some things’.
“I did not vote for Trump”, dad said. “I will never vote for Trump, and I hope he gets impeached.”
Regarding whether he believes that elders should stop voting, dad said: “Young or old, you should vote as long as you can”.
One thing that can be said for sure is that America is divided on the issue of Trump. Racial, age, and even gender groups have drawn lines in the sand on whom they support and whom they condemn. Trump has ignited hate among many groups worldwide; from his threats of going after certain people, to his misogynistic comments about women, to people simply believing that he is not a component man that is fit to the President. Trump’s win was shocking to those who voted democratic. So many were pulling for Hillary to win in a landslide. The media was sure to spin the favorable outcome towards Hilary, and with the loss, many progressives are now asking: Are we going backwards? Many people believe we are. What’s the future of America going to look like?
But, as for black elders, Barbara Bennet truly believes they’ll prevail. “We’ll survive. We do, we have, and we always will. It was bad back then, and if it’s bad again, we’ll make it through.”
