At the South Bend mayoral debate between Democratic candidate James Mueller and Republican candidate Sean Haas, the issue of systemic racism came up. The issue came up by using the fatal shooting of Eric Logan as an example of said racism. A shooting where all evidence points to being justified and not racially motivated. It is important people remember that fact.
Republican candidate Sean Haas answered a question with the following:
“I don’t believe in systemic racism. I believe there are bad actors in every single profession, whether it’s police officers, teachers, lawyers. There are bad examples but to blanket call, an entire force racist on the actions of a few is irresponsible and frankly a lie.”
Haas was specifically talking about the SBPD. More specifically, it was a response to Pete Buttigieg’s following quote about police work:
“All Police work and all of American life takes place in the shadow of racism.’
Many local activists and Mayor Pete Buttigieg (who’s running for President don’t you know) have said the South Bend Police Department is racist. An utterly pathetic and ignorant attack on our police force that is unsupported by any facts. Democrat Mayor Buttigieg has also said he can’t fire said racist police officers while he falsely accused the black police chief of committing crimes and fired him.
Sean Haas’s answer has brought out all the same old tropes and wagon-circling and the South Bend NAACP executed their marching orders from the St. Joseph County Democratic Party to criticize Haas and defend the institutions the Democrats have had control over since the 70’s. They are loyal soldiers to the cause, just not the cause they allege to stand for. It’s all about party loyalty and not about helping their community.
However, South Bend NAACP President Michael Patton among other people in the city disagrees.
“Systemic racism is still alive and well,” said Patton. “I think it’s important for our mayor-elect to be informed and certainly to recognize that systemic racism is in our city.”
Lynn Coleman, a former mayoral candidate, listened from the audience on Tuesday night to Haas sent systemic racism. He shared his reaction a day later with ABC 57 News at the Charles Martin Youth Center.
“I just think it was misinformed,” said Coleman. “I don’t know where he gets those numbers with that information from or whatever but we have our problems.”
In South Bend, there are physical reminders of the racism that minority communities dealt with during the Jim Crow ad Civil Rights Era. The Engman Public Natatorium discriminated against Black Americans for 30 years.
It’s now a building that houses Indiana University South Bend’s Civil Rights Heritage Center. On Wednesday, staff told ABC 57 News that Haas’ comments on systemic racism are untrue.
“I consider it an opportunity to learn more about how the systems have impacted the people,” said George Garner, with the Civil Rights Heritage Center. “We know that there systems in place that deny access that deny opportunity to people of color.”
Yeah, ok.
No one is denying South Bend has a history with racism. Especially the KKK … a paramilitary wing of the Democratic Party, mind you. However, this isn’t the early 1900’s and South Bend certainly isn’t run by a bunch of white supremacists.
Also, let’s not gloss over Sean Haas being a US History teacher.
Haas responded to criticism with:
“Are there individuals that are racist? Absolutely,” said Haas. “But I think the United States by far is the least racist country in the world.”
Exactly. I’d also like to point out that the largest study on bigotry done internationally showed the US was one of the least racist countries in the world. We are far more tolerant of other races than the vast majority of the world. We are also the most diverse country in the world.
The real question is, why is the NAACP going to bat for local Democrats when they think South Bend is a breeding ground of institutionalized and systemic racism? Democrats control the city and have for decades.
- Democrats fired the black police chief after falsely accusing him of breaking the law.
- Democrats refused to release the police tapes that allegedly have police officers saying racist things.
- Democrats said they couldn’t fire racist police officers.
- Democrats have spent millions keeping those tapes from the public in spite of court rulings that some could be released.
- Democrats hired a police chief that had a history of racial issues (Teachman) before he ultimately left the department.
- Democrat policies are the ones being accused of gentrification in South Bend.
- Democrats are NOT giving women and minorities South Bend contracts.
- Democrat policies have led to an increase in violent crime the past several years.
- Democrats control the South Bend Housing Authority with a shocking history of fraud affecting Section 8 housing.
- Democrats are accused by the black community here of protecting racists and instituting racist policies.
- Democrats pushed white candidates for mayor over black candidates.
- There are 9 members on the South Bend Common Council, 8 are Democrats, 4 are black.
- There hasn’t been a Republican mayor in South Bend since 1972.
- Going back to 1926, there have only been 3 Republican mayors. Two of them served one term or less.
If there is institutionalized racism in South Bend, it is caused by the party that’s been in power for most of the century and exclusively for decades … the Democrats. Yet, the SBNAACP is lockstep in support of that party?
Sean Haas has an opportunity to use the local black community’s discontent with how Democrats have run the city to break these patterns. Black South Bend residents don’t like Democrat Pete Buttigieg. They have been vocal about it. To be honest, nationally, blacks don’t like him either. Sean Haas’s opponent is James Mueller, Pete Buttigieg’s chief of staff. So why is the NAACP ignoring their community and defending the perpetrators of systemic racism in the city of South Bend?
The South Bend NAACP is supposed to be representing and elevating the black community in South Bend. If they oppose institutionalized racism but continue to support the party that is responsible for that institutionalized racism, they have completely sold the black community in South Bend out for Democratic Party loyalty.
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