• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
    • Become a print subscriber
    • Sign up for e-Newsletter
    • e-Editions
Monday, October 2, 2023
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
No Result
View All Result

Biden signs executive orders aimed at tackling racism in America

by Stacy M. Brown
January 26, 2021
14
SHARES
270
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedIn
PBS NewsHour / YouTube / MGN President Joe Biden

In arguably the most direct assault on systemic racism by any American president since Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, President Joe Biden made a bold case for equity.

On Tuesday, Jan. 26, President Biden signed a series of executive orders—many of them striking right to the heart of American racism. In doing so, the president made the case that righting centuries-old wrongs is not just about people of color.

The president stated that all Americans should fight against White supremacy, discrimination, and racism. “For too long, we’ve allowed a narrow, cramped view of the promise of this nation to fester,” President Biden said.

“One of the reasons I’m so optimistic about this nation is that today’s generation of young Americans is the most progressive, thoughtful, and inclusive generation that America has ever seen. And they are pulling us toward justice in so many ways.”

The address quickly stood as the most presidential America has seen in more than four years.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

“President Biden continues to keep his comments to Black America in the first few days of being the 46th president of the United States,” National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., noted.

“His speech today on racial equity, equality, and racial justice is a speech that will go down in history as a courageous stand by the president of the United States,” Chavis Jr. continued. “By him saying that now is the time to end systemic racism in America is a profound statement. Hopefully, the majority of Americans will respond with positive action to move our nation forward to a more perfect union.”

In his address, President Biden outlined several actions and how he intended to begin the process of gaining back “the soul of our nation.”

The orders included addressing the history of discriminatory housing policies, directing the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to correct this systemic problem.

The president ordered the Department of Justice not to renew contracts with private prisons.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

He recommended the federal government respect Tribal sovereignty and condemned racism toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

“Today, I’m directing federal agencies to combat the resurgence of xenophobia, particularly against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, that we’ve seen skyrocket during this pandemic,” Biden declared.

He also said he would push Congress to enact the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.

“Unity and healing must begin with understanding and truth—not ignorance and lies,” Biden uttered. “We need to restore and expand the Voting Rights Act named after [Congressman] John Lewis.”

Remaining on the theme, the president discussed the police killing of George Floyd, noting that it was a turning point in many Americans’ views on race and justice. “It was the knee on the neck of justice,” President Biden observed. “And, it wouldn’t be forgotten.”

- ADVERTISEMENT -

The president said the coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately impacted people of color. He also called the insurrectionists who violently raided the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 “thugs” and “White supremacists.”

The attack was spurred by former President Donald Trump and his refusal to accept defeat at the hands of President Biden, whose description of the rioters deferred significantly with the former president who told the insurrectionists, “we love you.”

President Biden also rescinded Trump’s 1776 Commission, which focused on so-called patriotic education.

“I’ve rescinded the previous administration’s harmful ban on diversity and sensitivity training and abolished the offensive, counterfactual 1776 Commission. Unity and healing must begin with understanding and truth, not ignorance and lies,” the president remarked.

Throughout the presidential campaign season, President Biden pledged to do his part in the fight against systemic racism in America. One of the Jan. 20 executive orders charged all federal agencies with reviewing equity in their programs and actions.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

President Biden demanded that the Office of Management and Budget analyze whether federal dollars are distributed equitably in communities of color.

In his Jan. 26 orders, the president reinstated a policy from the Barack Obama administration that prohibited military equipment transfer to local police departments.

President Biden noted the disturbing trends he and the rest of the country reckoned with in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others.

The order prevented federal agencies from providing local police with military-grade equipment, which Ferguson, Missouri used, officers after police shot and killed an unarmed Michael Brown.

The previous administration reinstated the policy to allow federal agencies to provide military-style equipment to local police.

Like Obama, President Biden has said he also would attempt to eliminate the government’s use of private prisons where unspeakable abuses of inmates—mostly those of color—reportedly occur almost daily.

“Our soul will be troubled as long as systematic racism is allowed to persist,” the President declared. “It’s corrosive, it’s destructive, and it’s costly. … We’re also less prosperous. We are less successful. We are less secure. We must change.”

Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire senior correspondent.

Support Black local news

Help amplify Black voices by donating to the MSR. Your contribution enables critical coverage of issues affecting the community and empowers authentic storytelling.

Donate Now!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

MN seniors 65 and older given 24-hour window to sign up for vaccine lottery

Next Post

U of M research finds police non-lethal projectiles cause lasting injury

Stacy M. Brown

You Might Also Like

Stanley Nelson’s doc ‘Sound of the Police’ dissects police in Black communities
Arts & Culture

Stanley Nelson’s doc ‘Sound of the Police’ dissects police in Black communities

Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio sentenced to 22 years in prison for role in Jan. 6 Capitol attack
National

Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio sentenced to 22 years in prison for role in Jan. 6 Capitol attack

President Biden to sign proclamation establishing national monument honoring Emmett Till
National

President Biden to sign proclamation establishing national monument honoring Emmett Till

We are not colorblind
Opinion

We are not colorblind

Historic Tulsa reparations lawsuit dismissed, but the fight for justice continues
Local

Historic Tulsa reparations lawsuit dismissed, but the fight for justice continues

Biden renews calls for police accountability during SOTU address
National

Biden renews calls for police accountability during SOTU address

Next Post
U of M research finds police non-lethal projectiles cause lasting injury

U of M research finds police non-lethal projectiles cause lasting injury

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events

Sep 12
September 12 @ 6:30 pm-December 18 @ 9:30 pm Recurring

Vic Volare Presents MUSIC FOR MARTINIS ft: Vic’s Fabulous Nightclub Academy

Oct 3
October 3 @ 8:30 am-October 4 @ 5:30 pm

Insects: Little Body, Big Impact | Nobel Conference 59 | Virtual or In-Person

Oct 4
6:00 pm-8:00 pm

An Evening with Liz Cheney

Oct 5
8:00 pm-10:00 pm Recurring

Dianne McIntrye Group In the Same Tongue

View Calendar
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Read our latest e-Edition!

PHOTO: Barbie back-to-school party

A Barbie back to school party.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe

  • Home/Office Delivery
  • Weekly e-newsletter
  • e-Editions

Support

  • Donate
  • Subscribe
  • MSR Newsstand Locations

Connect

  • About
    • MSR Staff
  • Contact
  • Send a news tip
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

No Result
View All Result
  • News & Features
    • Local
    • National
  • All Sections
    • Arts & Culture
    • Health & Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • MN Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Business
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
      • Small Business Month Celebration
    • Opinion
    • Sports
  • Events
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • Donate
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: