There seems to be an epidemic sweeping the nation and it targets a very niche segment of the population. Some white men, mainly those who work in government, have seemingly lost either their ability or their willingness to hide their racism. We see this most pointedly with police officers and city council members. Let me explain.
Suggested Reading
Ever since President Donald Trump essentially declared martial law in Washington D.C., some of the cops have been acting a fool. We thought stop and frisk was a New York City police tactic, but it is alive and well in Chocolate City.
It gets worse. Many are also unapologetically racially profiling Black citizens by going into their neighborhoods and harassing the people who live there.
But it’s not just happening in the District of Columbia. City council meetings have been a place where racism rears its ugly head.
There was this back and forth in the theoretically liberal state of California. A police officer (who gets paid over $200,000) told a Black activist that he had to leave a meeting because his baby was being “too disruptive.”
And again in California, the Black mayor of California City made a controversial request. He asked the municipality he serves to cover a $1,000 fee for him joining the African American Mayors Association. A verbal kerfuffle ensued, and two members of the city council (both white men) resigned.
But it is not just these isolated cases. All over the country, you will find many white men engaged in racially problematic behavior.
Why? I’m so happy you asked.
The answer is so obvious that it is almost embarrassing to write it. I call it the Trump Effect.
The 47th president has said and done so many things that many feel could have easily gotten him “cancelled.” But instead of that happening, he seemingly keeps winning. In the past two years, Donald J. Trump was found liable of sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll AND he was convicted of paying hush money to an actress in adult films.
Was he viewed as disgrace? No. He was reelected to the Presidency of the United States in resounding fashion.
As a result, many white cops and lower-level elected officials are emboldened to be on their worst behavior. There was once a time when the white men who were inclined to be racist would hide their real feelings about Black people. Now, there is no need to hide. They are simply following the example of the man who lives in the White House.
Straight From 
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.