Rep. Hank Johnson is Back With More Absurd Attacks

The use of political hyperbole is nothing new, but Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) took things to a new level Wednesday. Johnson recently made a speech in which he charged that former President Donald Trump and the MAGA “movement” wanted Black Americans to return to “picking cotton.” This incendiary statement is false — nothing is happening in this country to excuse it — and it is a dangerous distortion of reality meant to incite fear, division and resentment.

A History of Over-the-Top Claims

Hank Johnson has a long history of inane and outlandish statements. Some may also remember his infamous 2010 comment when he warned that the island of Guam would “tip over and capsize” if too many people lived there. If that assertion drew blanket derision, his most recent claim is far more insidious and dangerous.

The notion that Trump or the MAGA movement is desirous of a return to the days of slavery is not only unfounded, but it’s an egregious slap in the face to millions of Americans who favor its conservative policies. These sorts of extremist claims literally poison the political atmosphere, making everything else a subject of derision or demonization and making it very difficult to discuss rationally actual issues that black Americans care about — economic opportunity, education, crime, among many.

The True Record on Black Americans During Trump

If Rep. Johnson’s claim were even vaguely grounded in reality, we might expect to see policies from Trump or the broader MAGA movement that are manifestly harmful to Black Americans. Data, however, presents a much different picture.

In August 2019, under the Trump administration, Black unemployment reached an all-time low of 5.4%. Wages for Black workers rose, and his administration took the lead on criminal justice reform with the First Step Act, which released thousands of nonviolent offenders — many of them Black. Trump also established Opportunity Zones, which seek to revitalize economically disadvantaged communities, including many majority-Black neighborhoods.

Instead of positing policies that would “reverse” progress for Black Americans, the Trump administration aggressively championed economic and social reforms for Blacks. Despite being the most accused of racist president in American history, Trump received greater assistance from Black and Hispanic voters than he did in the 2016 election. These voters pierced the media’s caricature and assessed the efficacy of his policies in their own lives.

The Danger of False Racial Narratives

Rep. Johnson’s comments fit into a broader trend in which some politicians pull the race card for political gain.” By implying that Trump and his supporters are trying to bring back slavery, Johnson engages in fear-mongering instead of providing real solutions to the issues that Black Americans are confronted with.

This kind of rhetoric is impactful. It creates a sense of division, persuading people to believe that their neighbors have somehow become motivated by racism and hatred. It obscures serious conversations about topics like school choice, criminal justice reform and creating jobs. And, most disturbingly of all, it conditions people to see political power as their only salvation, not personal agency, family, faith and community engagement.

What This Kind of Rhetoric Is Such a Problem

Which raises the question of why an experienced legislator like Rep. Johnson would utter something so obviously false and inflammatory. The answer is clear: It suits him politically.

The Democratic Party has long depended on the near-monolithic support of Black voters. But with conservative voices in the Black community becoming louder, undermining the narrative that Democrats are the only show in town, people like Johnson are left using scare tactics to keep their voting base in line. By casting Trump and the MAGA movement as slave drivers of a modern-day slave master, Johnson aims to keep Black voters from even considering conservative policies.

We Need to Reject Racial Divisiveness

The path to better race relations in America is not through baseless accusations and incendiary rhetoric, but through honest dialogue and policy-oriented solutions. Rather than fear-mongering about a return to slavery, Rep. Johnson should address the real concerns facing Black Americans today:

Education: Millions of Black-American children attend disastrous public schools — which are often failing them — Rep Johnson and his party oppose school choice, which would provide them with better options.

Crime and Safety: Urban areas with large Black populations are still plagued by rising crime, but the so-called pro-community policies Democrats push tend to obstruct law enforcement rather than strengthen it’s presence in neighborhoods.

Economic Opportunity: Instead of engaging in divisive rhetoric, lawmakers should focus on policies that support entrepreneurship and job growth and the economic independence of all.

This is, after all, the same nonsense that Johnson and other ANTI-MAGA types were saying in 2016; and since then it has become a standard Democratic/liberal talking point, the claim that Trump and MAGA supporters simply want to restore slavery, while not only absurd, is a deliberate lie to keep people in a constant state of fright as well as political dependence. It is time for leaders to step away from such divisive rhetoric and begin achieving real progress for all Americans.