House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) called Rep. Byron Donalds’ comments ignorant after he suggested black people were better off during segregation.
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“During the Jim Crow era, black people stayed together as a family,” said Rep. Donalds. During the segregation era, more black people became conservative—and not just conservative, because black people have always been conservative-minded—but More blacks vote conservative.
Jeffries’ videos:
House Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries blasted Republican Rep. Byron Donalds’ suggestion that black families were better off during the Jim Crow era than under Biden. .
Jeffries said today: “This is a bizarre, outrageous and self-financed observation.”
🔠— https://t.co/R7mNb9LkDz pic.twitter.com/NMTzhF5lCt
— Politics (@politico) June 5, 2024
Jeffries said:
It has come to my attention that a so-called leader made a factually inaccurate statement that black people were better off during Jim Crow. This is an outlandish, outrageous, and self-financed observation. We were no better off when a little boy named Emmett Till was brutally murdered without any consequences due to Jim Crow laws.
We are no better off. When black women could be sexually assaulted without consequences because of Jim Crow laws. We are not better off when people are systematically lynched because of Jim Crow laws without any consequences. We are not better off when our children are rejected. Because of Jim Crow laws, there were no consequences for a high-quality education.
We are not better off when people are denied the right to vote because of Jim Crow laws without consequences. How dare you make such an ignorant observation. You better check yourself before you destroy yourself.
In making these remarks, Donald was trying to convince black Philadelphia voters to support Donald Trump. Republicans always try to portray slavery or segregation as the good old days for black Americans.
Being disenfranchised is not a better option for any American.
The message couldn’t be clearer. Republicans believe America is run by white men. It seems that Trump and his allies will not be satisfied unless the clock is fully restored to the days of apartheid.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a member of the White House press corps and a congressional reporter for PoliticusUSA. Jason holds a BA in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, particularly social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of Society of Professional Journalists and American Political Science Association
