You Ain’t Black: Joe Biden Perpetuates Division
Bo Brusco | May 27, 2020
"Joe Biden" by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
We have previously lamented the divisive rhetoric of Donald Trump here at Consider This, but an alarming sound bite from Joe Biden has recently struck the net since the publication of the aforementioned piece. Now we, and the American people, have to wonder if Biden’s chances of uniting America are any better than Trump’s. This is, of course, in reference to Biden’s now infamous line: If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t Black.
Context
The Democratic presidential candidate had a virtual interview with The Breakfast Club radio host, Charlamagne tha God, last Friday. Charlamagne gave Biden a head’s up at the beginning of the interview that he wanted to talk with him about mostly black stuff, and the arguably racist comment was how Biden decided he would conclude his time on the show.
Just this last Saturday, we released an article bemoaning Trump’s culpability of the increasingly divided state of our country. It is only fair that we now question Biden’s ability to reconcile this failure in leadership. After this new development, we have reasonable cause to reflect and seriously consider if Biden will make us any less divided than we are now. If he is going to play the same games as Trump, will we continue to earn such a losing score in our society?
Image from Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM
Biden Perpetuates Division
The connotation of this sound bite is part of an overarching and deeply rooted problem in American politics; and that is the belief that a single aspect of an individual’s identity—race, religion, sexual orientation, etc.—determines their political affiliation. By extension, it is common for people to overgeneralize one’s political ideologies and moral standings solely on the basis of said affiliation. This is arguably a major contributor to the unfortunate political discord in the U.S., and just one of the many troubling implications of Biden’s sound bite—to assume that if you are of a certain demographic you must vote a certain way and that failing to do so invalidates your identity.
Trump suggested that if you don’t vote for him come 2020, then you aren’t a “REAL” American, and that you also support a Radical Left, Socialist agenda. Objectively, that is incorrect as the only leg such claims have to stand on is a popular logical fallacy known as a false dichotomy. Now one might argue that Biden’s comment is not nearly as divisive as Trump’s (though it is also a false dichotomy), or that it’s comparing apples to oranges, but the simple fact is that Biden is now guilty of the same crime. He has attempted to score votes off of people’s identity. He has perpetuated this dangerous ideology that since you are this then you must be that.
Though this kind of appeal to identity rhetoric further divides us, Biden’s comment does something even more: It takes Black votes for granted. Biden’s rhetoric attempts to leverage the ultimatum between Blacks voting for him or getting Trump re-elected, but as Diddy tweeted following the Breakfast Club interview: #BlackVoteAintFree.
Charlamagne’s Response
In a follow-up interview on MSNBC, Charlamagne stated his feelings about the interaction very clearly: “It has to come to the point where we need to stop putting the burden on Black voters to show up for Democrats, and start putting the burden on Democrats to show up for Black voters.” Repeatedly, Charlamagne has expressed how imperative it is for presidential candidates to make “major policy commitments for the Black community.” For him, it doesn’t matter if it is Trump or Biden (as he immediately responded to Biden’s statement with: this isn’t about Trump!), nor is it about Democrats or Republicans. He is adamant that regardless of party loyalty, he is only concerned with which candidate will make substantial commitments for economic justice to the Black community.
Biden Apologizes
Giving Biden the benefit of a doubt, he did apologize. On a phone call with Black business leaders, he said, “I shouldn’t have been such a wise guy...I don’t take it (the Black vote) for granted at all, and no one, no one should have to vote for any party based on their race or religion or background.” It is honestly an exciting prospect that a potentially future president might actually be capable of acknowledging mistakes and apologizing for them. However, Biden also apologized to Charlamagne a couple of times for talking too much during their interview. Unfortunately, those apologies seemed incredibly insincere as Biden continued to talk excessively, limiting Charlamagne’s opportunity to ask his questions.
Instead of taking the opportunity to listen and understand Charlamagne, which could have been a powerful moment for Biden’s campaign, Biden paraded around his record as a politician with an intensely entitled air about him. Perhaps what is most disappointing about this unfortunate quote is that it insinuates that Biden is overgeneralizing the Black community by assuming that they will—and feel that they should—vote for him. This thought is especially poignant because it comes from a man who never ceases to ardently declare his undying commitment to the very people he just stereotyped.
Consider This
Ultimately, Biden has dug his campaign’s grave a little deeper with this comment. His ability to speak nonsensically with such confidence rivals that of his 2020 opponent. To the dismay of many Americans seeking a change in White House staff this November, Biden’s comment weakens his argument that he is the more accepting, compassionate, and inclusive candidate; and it makes us question whether his ability to unite us will be any greater than Trump’s.
