Black Community News News and Commentary for Christians
Can you imagine how much President Donald Trump and NBA superstar Lebron James could accomplish together for the benefit of young black Americans if they set aside their egos and political differences to work together? So, what’s stopping this from happening? I doubt it’s what you think.
As distasteful as some of Trump’s tweets can be, they’re not to blame for the wedge that exists between black professional athletes and Trump’s administration. Let’s be honest, James couldn’t reconcile with Trump if he wanted to – the left simply wouldn’t let him, even if it meant helping more at-risk children in Akron, Ohio.
Furthermore, Trump isn’t to blame for using sports to divide Americans as Lebron claimed in his interview with Don Lemon of CNN last week. The blame lies at the feet of ESPN who have turned their network into a divisive social justice channel, and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who started kneeling during the National Anthem to protest police brutality. Trump did nothing more than react to the controversy like most football fans. The outrage from fans was never that Kaepernick didn’t have the right to protest; most fans believe he simply chose the wrong venue to do so. As usual, Democrats capitalized on Kaepernick’s protest to further their own political agendas.
The truth is the same today as it was then: If Democrats are to win big in the midterm elections, they must maintain the narrative that Trump and his Republican, conservative and religious supporters are racist, homophobic and xenophobic bigots. As long as Democratic voters are distracted by their anger towards Trump (the MSM plays a big role in cultivating that anger), leaders in the Democrat Party know Trump won’t be judged based on the positive impact that his policies have had on the black and Latino community. Voting Republican this year should be a no-brainer for most registered voters, given the economy. But that won’t be the case. As evidenced by Lebron James, far too many Millennials get their news from sources that are biased against Trump no matter what he does.
In fact, both James and Trump are working hard to make America a better place for less privileged Americans. As a capitalist, I believe Trump’s vision for America, including allowing more Americans to keep more of their own hard-earned money by cutting taxes, and promoting alternative means of education such as trade schools and homeschooling, will have greater long-term benefits for all Americans than James’ #IPromise school.
James’ school takes a big-government approach. He promises a bunch of free giveaways to 3rd and 4th graders, with local taxpayers potentially footing up to 75 percent of the bill, according to an article entitled “Who’s paying for Lebron James’ new I Promise school? Lebron or Akron Public Schools?” As reported by CNN, the 240 kids set to attend the school, a project led by the Lebron James Family Foundation, will receive free tuition, free uniforms, free breakfast, lunch and snacks, free transportation within two miles, a free bicycle and helmet, access to a food pantry for their family and guaranteed tuition for all graduates to the University of Akron. “What’s more, parents of students will receive access to job placement services and help acquiring their GEDs.” Assisted by Akron County educators, the school will focus on STEM education and developing problem-solving skills.
Personally, I’d love to see each NBA team adopt a school in their community and totally foot the bill without the help of taxpayers, so they’re completed vested in the children’s success and hiring qualified teachers that will teach children to think, not to conform to left-wing ideology.
Regardless of my feelings towards Lebron’s approach to education, both Trump and Lebron James deserve credit for their hard work in creating a better America for everyone. I just wonder how much more they could accomplish together if they used their platforms to inspire local governments to develop their own programs that will better serve our young men and women across the country. It’s clear what we’ve had in place over the last several decades isn’t working.
Surely, the president responsible for the lowest black unemployment numbers in recorded history, and an athlete as admired and inspirational as Lebron James is in urban America could sit down and figure it out.
Originally published at WND.com
Photo credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Daniel Hughes
Carl Jackson is a radio talk show host – his web site is www.carljacksonshow.com. Media wishing to interview Carl Jackson, please contact media@wnd.com.
The views expressed in opinion articles are solely those of the author and are not necessarily shared or endorsed by Black Community News.
Excellent idea for both. James might even consider joining what has become the “Black movement to Trump.” From just 8% of having black support, before Kanye, to what is now 29% (after Kanye), more people in the black community may be discovering how empty, as well as divisive, have been the promises of that democrat party. Even the Israelites, who moaned “how long, oh Lord, how long,” were only in the desert 40 years! Johnson’s “Great(not) Society” has ‘chained’ the black community to the government plantation for more than fifty years….If the world survives yet long, historians will marvel at how blacks, in America, allowed their population to stagnate at ONLY 12%-13%. The Asian population proportion in America by 2050 is projected to be 29%+ – the black population by the same time(?) – 13%! BTW, neither black nor white will be the majority population, at that time – thankfully, I won’t be here to see if we are some hodgepodge version of Babel.