President Donald Trump’s activation of the National Guard in Washington, DC, has less to do with an imagined “out of control” crime wave and more to do with conquest. It is more misguided bullying by the president.
To facilitate this racialized farce, he dehumanized the capital district's citizens by labeling them “bloodthirsty criminals” and “roving mobs of wild youth.” Let there be no mistake: This rhetoric portends violence against Black, Brown and poor citizens and complete disdain for the unhoused.
This action and whatever else might follow is deeply personal to the 700,000 people who call the District of Columbia home and who are tired of the meddling from the administration and Capitol Hill politicians who treat our city like a play toy, likely because of our history as a majority Black jurisdiction.
Home to a federal government that offers well-paying positions, Washington has attracted Black professionals and blue-collar workers, creating one of the largest Black middle-class populations in the country.
We've innovated with affordable housing, invested flush tax revenue in education and implemented a slew of smart labor and justice policies.
