Racist as F*ck: A convicted felon running for president. My pitch for a Black Mirror episode
👋🏾 Soooo…collective illusion is public enemy number one. “Don’t Believe The Hype”. Every Tuesday, we’ll say the quiet parts out loud (in your inbox). So we can cancel or co-sign marketing or market trends and discern pop culture gems from flops together. And start making sense of the nonsense online.
Donald John Trump is a convicted felon.
According to the internets, he faced 34 criminal charges of falsifying business records in the first degree related to payments made to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election, which was right before he became the 45th U.S. president.
If the chickens coming home to roost were a news headline!
I watched the documentary by Stormy Daniels before his indictment, and within the first 30 minutes, I knew this wasn’t going to end well for the Donald. But to be a convicted felon and still be in the race to become the president of the United States of America, AGAIN, is racist AF.
Now, I can go down all the bunny holes of why this is so…or we can re-imagine what it would be like for a person of color.
Also known as THE GREATEST MARKETING CAMPAIGN to make the general population believe skin color is tied to the content of one’s character, here’s the playbook:
Slap Them With Racial Bias and Stereotypes
Meet Senator Desmond Lo’ve (a made-up character that doesn’t exist for the purpose of this reenactment).
Standing before a sea of microphones, his voice steady despite the butterflies in his stomach.
He was about to make history.
“Today,” he began, “I announce my candidacy for the highest office in the land—the presidency.”
The crowd erupted in applause, but in Lo’ve’s gut, he knew the road ahead would be treacherous. As a man of color, he faced challenges beyond policy debates and campaign rallies.
On his road to the presidency, he had to address concerns about his background, citizenship, and religion. False claims began, and voters started to question whether or not his racial descent could lead a nation.
They whispered, “Is he American enough?”
Through it all Lo’ve responded with grace and authenticity, emphasizing his American identity and Christian faith.
Strangle Them With “Otherness” Perception
Some voters saw Lo’ve as an “other”—not quite fitting the traditional mold of a presidential candidate.
His multicultural upbringing and diverse experiences were a swinging pendulum of assets and challenges. He worked hard to connect with voters across demographics.
He shared his vision for affordable healthcare, climate action, and education reform. But he still had to prove his Americanness—even reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at every rally as a battle cry for hope.
Bruise Them With Race-Neutral Appeal
The online trolls continued to spread lies.
Despite Lo’ve’s attempts to blur racial lines.
They Photoshopped Lo’ve’s face onto foreign flags, claiming he had dual loyalties.
He received hate mail: “Go back to where you came from.”
Yet, he persisted.
His team fact-checked relentlessly, but the damage was done.
Lo’ve’s campaign released a powerful ad: “I am Desmond Lo’ve. I am American. And I am running for president.”
He didn’t want to be seen solely as the “POC candidate.”
Yet, he also recognized the significance of his candidacy for others like him and in marginalized communities.
Suffacote Them With Hostel Environments
As a POC candidate, Lo’ve faced heightened security risks.
The Secret Service worked tirelessly to protect him, but the weight of a racially charged history—and the lingering violence—was omnipresent.
Despite these challenges, Lo’ve’s charisma, eloquence, and ability to inspire hope had to overshadow the hate propelled his way at every step.
His presidency would mark a pivotal moment in American history, breaking down barriers and reshaping perceptions.
But he had to make it to election day.
Desmond Lo’ve’s face flickers like an AI code gone wrong, and we see Donald J Trump instead…
This is not a Black Mirror episode.
But it is my pitch for one.
To be a person of color and run for the presidency, you need to be squeaky clean—I mean, Dawn dish soap spotless and streak-free.
The 44th U.S. President, Barack Obama, wouldn’t have made the ballot with a criminal past or present.
LOL. It’s laughable.
He barely made it with a “muslin-sounding” name.
One teeny tiny blemish and everything done up until that point is immediately discredited.
They not like us. We could not be felons.
At one point, we weren’t considered human.
And what an ugly history to make great again.
There needs to be some sort of guide for us (including our American sibling) to navigate these counterintuitive dynamics of identity, race, and culture. I think I have just the resource: The CDC Guidelines for How to Navigate the American Experience. Click in.<br />
Hella American: Our obsession with America needs CDC Guidelines, proceed with caution →