Donald Trump’s reelection was a message all too loud and clear to African Americans | Opinion

The results of the Nov. 5 election revealed that the United States still has an unresolved issue with race. The exit polls clearly showed that Vice President Kamala Harris received the most African American votes at 85%, and Donald Trump captured the majority of white America’s votes at 57%. The nation must come to accept that even 160 years after the Civil War, race continues to be a problem.

Many voters will declare that race played no role in their decision, and that the economy and border crisis were the two big issues. Even if that were the case (I truly don’t believe that it was), it still shows that Black and white Americans are not on the same page. Why do I say that? Because white Americans primarily voted for Trump and Black Americans voted predominantly for Harris.

To ignore the stark differences in voting preferences would be like a husband ignoring his wife when she says there is a problem in the marriage. If one-half of the couple says there is a problem, it doesn’t matter whether the other half agrees. The hardcore truth is, there is a problem.

By and large, African Americans believed Harris was the clear choice for president. The fact that most white voters disagreed highlights that we view things differently. In addition, Black people have other concerns that many white people take for granted. Unbiased policing, mass incarceration and economic inequality are major concerns within the Black community, and they aren’t necessarily topics that resonate with white folk.

Since the election, I’ve had several conversations with Black religious leaders, community activists, churchgoers and many more who have expressed their disgust and disappointment with America. Black Americans, like white Americans, also care about the economy, education and the border. However, Black people also have a great concern for justice and freedom. Equality under the law has been a theme in Black America since the end of slavery. Most African Americans I’ve spoken with believe that the election came down to two issues: race and gender.

Many people refused to vote for Harris simply because she is a woman. Because of a fundamentalist approach to interpreting the Bible, some believe that a woman, according to God, should not lead men. Never mind the fact that there are stories in the Bible of women taking a leadership role, such as Deborah, Esther, and Miriam. Patriarchy and male chauvinism seem to be methods used to understand Scripture. It is a sad reality that religious people believe that the God who created all people somehow made women less than men, although Genesis 1:27 says that women were created in God’s image just like men.

Still, others said they could not vote for a woman because they are too emotional and could easily start a war. Well, there are currently several armed conflicts around the globe that were started by men.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton, a white woman, won the popular vote against Trump. Clinton also faced the force called male chauvinism. Yet the majority of Americans, despite her womanhood, believed she was the better choice. What’s the difference between Clinton and Harris? Harris is Black, despite the claim by many that she isn’t. In the 1960s, there were separate drinking fountains — one for Black people and one for white. Just ask yourself: Would Kamala Harris have been able to drink from the white water fountain?

We can likely all agree that the answer is no. On Nov. 5, America said no again, and the message was received loud and clear: This country will take anyone except a Black woman.

Where does that leave us? On Election Day, Black America was reminded, to quote Donald Glover: “This is America.” Why should we be surprised? Moving forward, Black people must continue to trust in God and rely on each other to achieve the American dream.