The Patriot Post® · Who's Racist?

August is on pace to surpass the 1997 single-month record of 79 homicides in Chicago — so far this month there have been 78 homicides. This year to date, Chicago has recorded 487 homicides, compared to 491 for all of last year. The Windy City isn’t alone. Many of our nation’s largest cities have witnessed spikes in the murder rate, a disproportionate number having affected inner city black communities.

In this context, Donald Trump appealed to blacks to reconsider voting for Democrats. “African-American communities have suffered under Democratic control,” he said. “To those I say … what do you have to lose by trying something new, like Trump?” The Donald’s admittedly ham-handed appeal to blacks for their vote brought a quick and predictable response from Hillary Clinton accusing Trump of being a “racist” and essentially warning blacks not to think for themselves. That was followed by Black Lives Matter chiming in, basically asserting that no matter what Trump says, he’s a racist.

Interestingly, in a recent interview, New Black Panthers leader Quanell X agreed with Trump, saying that Democrats have “pimped like prostitutes” the black community for votes, but those same Democrats have done little to actually help. In an article for The Daily Signal, Kay Coles James argues that using this racist charge effectively closes down people, specifically in the black community, from hearing or even considering what a person so charged has to say. It’s a tool the Left has been using with great effect for years on conservatives anytime they seek to appeal to minority voters.

Instead of truly addressing the real problems the Left’s socialist policies have created and exacerbated in the inner city, Demo-gogues turn and blame the problems on those who have the least to do with them. And Clinton is no different as she continues to double down on those old, failed Leftist policies, and calls racist anyone who would dare to challenge and point out their hypocrisy and failure. Sadly, it seems that too many within the black community will continue to accept the victimhood narrative preached by Hillary and other leftist leaders who are all too happy to have pawns at their disposal.